Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole | Easy Ground Beef Casserole

If you love saucy Sloppy Joes, buttery cheddar biscuits, and easy dinners that leave everyone asking for seconds, this Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole is about to earn a permanent spot in your dinner rotation. It combines a sweet and savory ground beef filling with fluffy, cheesy biscuits and a garlic butter topping.

This easy ground beef casserole has everything you want in a comfort food dinner. It is hearty, cheesy, family-friendly, and simple enough to make on a busy weeknight. It also eliminates the mess of traditional Sloppy Joe sandwiches since every delicious bite is baked and served from one casserole dish.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Casserole

• Family-friendly. The familiar flavors of homemade Sloppy Joes and cheddar biscuits make this a dinner both kids and adults will love.
• Easy to prepare. Brown the beef, stir together the filling, add the biscuit topping, and bake.
• Perfectly cheesy. Cheddar cheese is added to the filling and biscuit dough for plenty of rich, cheesy flavor.
• Great for feeding a crowd. One casserole makes eight generous servings, making it perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or casual gatherings.
• Comfort food favorite. The combination of saucy ground beef and buttery biscuits creates the kind of hearty meal everyone looks forward to eating.

If casseroles are always a hit at your house, you will also love this collection of easy casserole recipes.

What Is Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole?

Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole is an easy baked dinner made with homemade Sloppy Joe filling, shredded cheddar cheese, and a Cheddar Bay biscuit topping.

Instead of spooning the beef mixture onto hamburger buns, the filling is spread in a casserole dish and covered with portions of cheesy biscuit dough. As the casserole bakes, the biscuits become fluffy and golden on top while soaking up some of the savory sauce underneath.

The finished dish has the classic tangy, slightly sweet flavor of a Sloppy Joe with the buttery garlic and cheddar flavors of restaurant-style Cheddar Bay biscuits. Think of it as a mashup between a Sloppy Joe, a ground beef casserole, and a cheesy biscuit-topped pot pie.

If you love dinners topped with cheesy biscuits, try my Chicken Pot Pie Casserole with Cheddar Biscuits next. More in the mood for an appetizer with the same flavors? Try my Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls!

What Does It Taste Like?

This Sloppy Joe casserole is savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and incredibly cheesy. The ketchup and tomato sauce give the beef filling its familiar tomato flavor, while Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and smoked paprika add depth. It is almost identical to the beef and sauce mixture used in my Instant Pot Sloppy Joes recipe!

The biscuit topping provides a buttery contrast to the saucy ground beef. Each biscuit is crisp and golden on top, soft underneath, and loaded with cheddar cheese. Brushing the warm biscuits with seasoned garlic butter makes the casserole taste even more indulgent.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground Beef – Use lean ground beef to give the casserole plenty of savory flavor without making the filling greasy. Ground beef that is 85% or 90% lean works well.
• Garlic Powder – Garlic gives the beef mixture a deeper savory flavor.
• Ketchup – Adds the sweet and tangy flavor you expect from a classic Sloppy Joe.
• BBQ Sauce– Gives a sweeter sloppy joe flavor so that it doesn’t just taste like ground beef with ketchup.
• Worcestershire Sauce – Adds savory, slightly smoky depth that balances the sweetness of the sauce.
• Brown Sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness. You can reduce or omit it if you prefer a more savory filling.
• Salt and Black Pepper – Enhance all of the other flavors in the casserole.
• Cheddar Cheese – Melted cheese creates a gooey layer between the beef filling and biscuits.
• Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix – A boxed biscuit mix makes the topping incredibly easy while adding cheddar, garlic, and herb flavors.
• Cold Water – Used to prepare the biscuit dough. Check the package instructions since the amount can vary slightly by brand.
• Butter – Combined with the included seasoning packet and brushed over the baked biscuits.

How To Make Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole

Making this Sloppy Joe casserole is simple enough for a weeknight but satisfying enough for a special family dinner.

Prepare the oven and baking dish. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a pie plate or 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

Brown the ground beef. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles, until the meat is browned. Drain any excess grease.

Build the Sloppy Joe filling. Stir in the BBQ sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir occasionally until the sauce is thick enough to coat the ground beef. A thick filling helps prevent the biscuit topping from becoming soggy.

Assemble the casserole base. Transfer the Sloppy Joe mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

Prepare the biscuit topping. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, cold water, and the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir just until a thick dough forms. Avoid overmixing, which can make the biscuits dense.

Add the biscuits. Drop portions of biscuit dough evenly over the ground beef mixture. Leave a little space between each portion so heat can circulate and the biscuits can bake through. Using a cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking keeps things from being too messy.

Bake the casserole. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown and completely cooked in the center.

Add the garlic butter and serve. Melt the butter and mix it with the seasoning packet included in the biscuit mix. Brush the seasoned butter generously over the hot biscuits. Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This gives the filling time to settle and makes each portion easier to scoop.

Tips And Tricks

Want to make sure your Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole turns out perfectly? Keep these tips in mind:

• Drain the beef well. Excess grease can make the filling oily and prevent the sauce from thickening properly.
• Simmer the sauce before baking. The filling should be thick rather than watery. Remember that the biscuits will release a small amount of moisture while they bake.
• Do not overmix the biscuit dough. Stir only until the dry mix is moistened. Overworking biscuit dough can create a tough topping.
• Leave room between the biscuits. Do not spread the dough into one solid layer. Separate biscuit portions allow the centers to cook more evenly.
• Check the biscuit centers. If the tops brown before the centers are done, loosely cover the casserole with aluminum foil and continue baking.
• Let it rest. Waiting 5 minutes before serving prevents the filling from spreading across the plate.

Variations

This cheesy Sloppy Joe casserole is easy to customize with different proteins, vegetables, and seasonings.

• Make It Spicy– Add diced jalapeños, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or your favorite hot sauce to the beef mixture. Pepper Jack cheese can also replace some of the cheddar.
• Add Vegetables– Cook diced bell peppers, mushrooms, or shredded carrots with the onion. Make sure the vegetables are tender, and any excess moisture has evaporated before assembling the casserole.
• Use Ground Turkey. Replace the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter variation. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet if you are using an especially lean protein.
• Make It Extra Cheesy. Stir half a cup of shredded cheddar directly into the warm Sloppy Joe filling before transferring it to the casserole dish. You can also use a combination of cheddar, Monterey Jack, and mozzarella.
• Add Bacon. Stir cooked, crumbled bacon into the beef mixture or sprinkle it over the cheese before adding the biscuit dough.

For another cheesy ground beef dinner, try this crunchy Dorito Casserole with Ground Beef. If your family prefers pasta, Million Dollar Spaghetti is another hearty option.

What To Serve With Sloppy Joe Casserole

Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole is rich enough to serve as a complete meal, but a simple side dish can help balance the savory filling and buttery biscuits.

Try serving it with:

• A crisp salad
• Steamed green beans
• Roasted broccoli
• Corn on the cob
• Coleslaw

Since the casserole already has a hearty biscuit topping, lighter vegetables and salads make especially good side dishes.

Can I Make It Ahead Of Time?

You can prepare the Sloppy Joe filling up to two days in advance. Allow it to cool, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate it until you are ready to assemble the casserole.

When it is time to bake, spread the filling in the casserole dish, add the shredded cheese, prepare the fresh biscuit dough, and bake as directed. You may need to add several minutes to the baking time if the filling is still cold.

For the best biscuit texture, do not prepare and refrigerate the unbaked biscuit topping overnight. The leavening ingredients can lose some of their effectiveness, resulting in flatter biscuits.

How Long Does It Last?

Store leftover Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds or until hot. For better biscuit texture, place the leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover loosely with foil, and warm them in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Can You Freeze Sloppy Joe Casserole?

You can freeze the cooked casserole, but the biscuits may be slightly softer after thawing.

Allow the casserole to cool completely before transferring individual portions to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

For the best results, freeze only the cooked Sloppy Joe filling. Thaw it overnight, warm it in a skillet, and assemble the casserole with freshly prepared biscuit dough.

If you love this Cheddar Bay Sloppy Joe Casserole as much as our family does, make sure you share it on social media with your friends and family so they can try it too! Don’t forget to bookmark it so you can make it again next time you need a dinner the whole family will actually eat.