Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole

This hearty and comforting Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole is an easy to make meal that is sure to satisfy the entire family. Loaded with sloppy joe beef, sweet cornbread, and shredded cheddar cheese.

If you're craving more quick and easy casserole recipes, then be sure to try making a Chicken and Broccoli Casserole or Meatball Casserole. For more yummy cornbread recipes, try making some Barbecue Cornbread Muffins or a batch of Sweet Potato Cornbread.

Just made it home from a long day at work and realize that you still have to prepare dinner for your family?

The last thing you want to do is spend time making something overly complicated that requires multiple pots and pans. And let's not even get started on the hassle of cleaning up afterwards. It's no wonder we prefer ordering a pizza or take-out and calling it a night.

But if you do prefer to cook something that is super simple and requires very little effort, then let me tell you right now that they're a few dinners that you can whip up in minutes and sloppy joe just so happens to be one of them.

Now making sloppy joe the good old fashion way is perfectly acceptable, but this recipe puts a new twist on an old classic by adding corn, cornbread, and cheese!

Let's get started!

Ingredients You'll Need

1. Cornbread Mix - Use any box of cornbread mix that you prefer. You may select a savory or sweet version, but I prefer to use a single box of regular Jiffy cornbread mix for this recipe. It's a little sweet, but balances out the rest of the ingredients really well.
2. Cheddar Cheese - Adds sharp and cheesy flavor to the cornbread mixture as well as topping the casserole. You may grab the pre-shredded bag version, but I prefer to shred a bulk/block of cheddar using a box grater because it melts better and doesn't contain any additonal ingredients.
3. Milk - Use whole milk to make the cornbread that serves as the base of the casserole.
4. Egg - A single large egg is all that is needed to make the cornbread and help it to bind together.
5. Corn - A single can of cream-style corn is added to the cornbread mixture to bulk it up and add in an additional vegetable with a slight amount of sweetness. This ingredient also helps the casserole to come together.
6. Sloppy Joe Sauce - You may use a can of premade sloppy joe sauce or make your own.
7. Ground Beef - Try to use a pound of lean ground beef to mix with the sloppy joe sauce to create the meaty portion of the casserole.
8. Butter - Used to saute the onion and bell pepper and adds a nice buttery flavor to the casserole. If you prefer to substitute oil instead or omit, then you may do that as well.
9. Onion - Select a yellow or white onion to add to the ground beef mixture for additional flavor.
10. Bell Pepper - Chop a green bell pepper to saute along with the onion to add to the ground beef mixture. If you know anything about sloppy joe, then you know that bell pepper is a main component. You may substitute red bell pepper instead if you prefer or use a combination of both green and red.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredients and quantities.

Step By Step Instructions

Begin the casserole recipe by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, add the cornbread mix, half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, milk, egg, and a whole can of cream-style corn. Stir well until combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes, until it begins to softly set.

While the cornbread is baking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the chopped onion and bell pepper.

Cook until they begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pound of ground beef to the skillet and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat if necessary.

Add half of the can of sloppy joe sauce to the pan along with the beef and cook until it is heated thoroughly. Carefully remove the cornbread from the oven and use a fork to prick holes all over the top of the cornbread.

Pour the remaining half of the sloppy joe sauce evenly over the top of the cornbread. Evenly add the meat sauce over the baked cornbread and top with the remaining cheddar cheese that is left.

Return the casserole to the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve the sloppy joe casserole while it is still warm. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use a box of your favorite cornbread mixture. I prefer to use an 8.5-ounce box for a thinner cornbread crust, but you may also use a 15-ounce mix as well for a thicker cornbread layer.
• Try not to overcook the cornbread mixture, it will finish cooking once the sloppy joe beef is added and it's returned to the oven.
• A traditional sloppy joe is made with ground beef, but you may substitute with a pound of ground turkey if you prefer.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes at 350 degrees F. or in the microwave.

This casserole can also be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Remove it from the freezer the night before you're ready to serve to allow it to thaw in the refrigerator. Heat in the oven as normal and have some additional sloppy joe sauce on hand to add if needed.

Recipe

Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole

LaKita Anderson

This hearty and comforting Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole is an easy to make meal that is sure to satisfy the entire family. Loaded with sloppy joe beef, sweet cornbread, and cheddar cheese.

4.86 from 14 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 215 kcal

Equipment

• 1 9x13-inch rectangle baking dish

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 8.5 ounces cornbread mix
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided in half
• ⅓ cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 can cream-style sweet corn (14.75 ounces)
• 1 24 ounces sloppy joe sauce, divided in half
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped into smaller pieces

Instructions

 

• Begin the casserole recipe by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a medium-sized bowl, add the 8.5 ounce package of cornbread mix, ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup milk, 1 large egg, and a whole can (14.75 ounces) of cream-style corn. Stir well until combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes, until it begins to softly set.
• While the cornbread is baking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the ½ cup chopped onion and chopped large bell pepper.
• Cook until they begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the 1 pound ground beef to the skillet and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat if necessary.
• Add half of the 24 ounce can of sloppy joe sauce to the pan along with the beef and cook until it is heated thoroughly. Carefully remove the cornbread from the oven and use a fork to prick holes all over the top of the cornbread.
• Pour the remaining ½ of the sloppy joe sauce evenly over the top of the cornbread. Evenly add the meat sauce over the baked cornbread and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese that is left.
• Return the casserole to the oven and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve the sloppy joe casserole while it is still warm. Enjoy!

Notes

• Use a box of your favorite cornbread mixture. I prefer to use an 8.5-ounce box for a thinner cornbread crust, but you may also use a 15-ounce mix as well for a thicker cornbread layer.
• Try not to overcook the cornbread mixture, it will finish cooking once the sloppy joe beef is added and it is returned to the oven.
• A traditional sloppy joe is made with ground beef, but you may substitute ground turkey if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 18gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 314mgPotassium: 363mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 357IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 128mgIron: 2mg

*All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Keyword sloppy joe casserole

Tried this recipe?Mention @SimplyLaKita or tag #SimplyLakita

Original post date 04/09/2015. Updated 04/02/2018 and 10/20/2022.

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