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Sloppy Joe Casserole

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This easy Sloppy Joe Casserole recipe will have your family begging for second and third helpings. It’s always a hit with family and friends!

Sloppy Joe Casserole served in a clear casserole dish.

Sloppy Joe Casserole is perfect for the busy family on the go! If you love sloppy joes, and who doesn’t, this is an easy way to make them fast!

The thing I like the most about fall is being able to turn on my oven.

During the summer months I never turn my oven on. Like never, ever, ever. Nope. Not going to happen.

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Our a/c blows, and not in a good way so from about May/June till about September/October that sucker stays off.

If it’s hot out I’m grilling. While I love to grill I also love to bake, roast and just plain old broil things.

So it’s nice to finally have weather where I can turn on the oven and get creative.

Mini-me went shopping state-side last week with boytoy and his mom.

She goes over any Friday she has off from work. I give her a budget to stay within for groceries and she does my shopping for me. Not a bad deal right.

I usually requests weird baking items.

This is what transpired before the trip:

Mini-Me: I’m going to the states tomorrow so make a list.
Me: Score, making a list.
MM: Essentials mom, stuff we need.
Me: M’kay, essentials only! Got it!
*hands over list*

This is my list:

Mom’s Essentials:
FUN cereal
FUN chocolate chips + baking supplies
ANYTHING that says funfetti
PINK CAKE STAND
Milkshake glasses
Banana Split Bowls

I got nothing! Nada. Zilch. Zip. She came home with essentials but not my essentials. Dang kid!

Usually she’s pretty good. One time she scored me a really nice cake stand. Sometimes she scores me really cool spices.

This time I got squat. She came home with actual groceries. The horror of it all!

One of the things she picked was Manwich. This was odd as she doesn’t eat Manwich.

We eat sloppy joes but she’s not a fan. I asked her what was up, and she said it was a really good sale so she grabbed a few.

Never one to waste an opportunity to eat a favourite meal from my childhood I decided it was game on. I wanted to shake it up though, make it a bit different.

She had also picked up these really cool Pillsbury Garlic Crescent Rolls. I’ve not seen them in Canada so I just had to figure out a way to use them.

One thing led to another and this is what I came up with for dinner.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. This flipping casserole is amazing. I mean “eat the whole pan of it in one sitting” good.

I could not get enough of this stuff. You must try it as soon as possible.

Just make sure you get your stretchy pants on before you strap on the old feedbag. You’re going to need them.

I kid you not people, this casserole is seriously addictive. It’s almost like a sloppy joe lasagna.

Oh em gee, now I want a sloppy joe lasagna. I need more Manwich now.

In the meantime I’ll polish of the one piece of this I hide so no one else would eat it. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Sloppy, messy and sheer perfection while shoving it into your pie hole as fast as humanly possible.

You’re going to love this one. It’s perfect for one of those busy days where you want dinner in under 30 minutes.

Sloppy Joe Casserole served in a glass casserole dish with a red oven mitt on a wood counter.

Other amazing recipes you’ll love as much as Sloppy Joe Casserole:

Sloppy Joe Casserole served on a white plate.

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4.34 from 3 votes
Sloppy Joe Casserole cooked in a glass casserole dish.
Print
Sloppy Joe Casserole
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

This easy Sloppy Joe Casserole recipe will have your family begging for second and third helpings. It's always a hit with family and friends!

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sloppy joe casserole
Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • 2.5 pounds lean ground beef
  • 2 cans Manwich
  • 2 packages of Pillsbury Garlic Crescent Rolls
  • 4 cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Always preheat for a good 5 to 10 minutes to let the temperature rise then even out.
  2. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick spray generously. Set aside.
  3. In a large frying pan brown your ground beef. You want to cook it until the juices run clear and it's browning. But don't overcook it. Nothing worse than overcooked ground beef, it won't absorb sauces well like that. Make sure you stir it often and break it up into little pieces.
  4. Once the ground beef is cooked to perfection you can add both cans of the Manwich. Let it get to a nice bubble, then turn it down to a simmer.
  5. Open the first package of Pillsbury Garlic Crescent Rolls. Unroll it and place it in the bottom of the pan you set aside earlier. Spread it out with your hands till it fits the bottom really well.
  6. Now take half the mozzarella cheese (2 cups worth) and toss it on the dough evenly. Spread it out nicely.
  7. Turn off your burner for the Manwich. Carefully pour the Manwich mixture over top of the cheese. Spread it out with a spoon evenly.
  8. Now take your remaining mozzarella cheese (2 cups) and toss it evenly over the Manwich mixture. Spread it out nicely.
  9. Now open the second package of Pillsbury Garlic Crescent Rolls and unroll it. The top is trickier. Spread it out by hand in sections before placing on the top of the cheese. You could press it down on parchment if you're uneasy doing this, then just flip the parchment over and the dough will drop over the casserole perfectly. Honestly it doesn't have to be perfect. I left some gaps on the side and it looks sort of cool when you do that. You get to see the cheese get all bubbly.
  10. Place in the oven and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on your oven. You want the top to be golden brown.
  11. Remove from oven and place on a secure surface.
  12. Take a knife and cut the casserole into squares.
  13. Remove carefully while hot, the first piece is always the hardest. May the force be with you for that one.
  14. Serve with a big old sloppy joe smile!

Sloppy Joe Casserole served in a glass casserole dish.

Thanks so much for stopping in today. For my regular readers I apologize for my absence lately.

It’s been hectic here adjusting to hubs working locally again. Been a busy couple of weeks but all is well.

Plans to knock down the wall between the living room and kitchen are under way. I cannot wait.

Thanks for hanging in there while I took some much-needed time off. I love you guys.

Thanks for visiting today!

Check out my recipe index for more amazing recipes. You can find more dessert recipes and tons of snack recipes.

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Toodles! xx

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Comments

  1. suzanne Perazzini says

    October 21, 2013 at 4:14 AM

    What a great name this dish has. It looks nice and simple to make. I seem to always spend at least an hour cooking dinner so always looking for quick dinners but this has a few rather obscure ingredients for me. LOL.

    Reply

  4. Charlie says

    October 21, 2013 at 10:45 AM

    Sounds good Kim!

    I’ll give it a try when the kids are over.

    An offset spatula works great on the first piece.

    Have a Joyful Day :~D
    Charlie

    Reply

  5. john@kitchenriffs says

    October 21, 2013 at 12:05 PM

    I haven’t had sloppy joes in forever and a day! They’re one of those foods from my youth that I loved, and just stopped eating for some reason. This casserole is a great idea – totally love it. Really fun recipe – thanks so much.

    Reply

  9. Abbe@This is How I Cook says

    October 21, 2013 at 11:31 PM

    OK. I’ve never had Manwich. Over 23 years ago my sister in law came to visit. I don’t remember why but we were gone when she arrived. When we got home she proceeded to tell me that i didn’t have any food in the house. Like not even Manwich. True story! And I love sloppy joe! P.S. I would have found you some fun things. Target. Go to Target!

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      October 24, 2013 at 1:30 AM

      Oddly not at all. I was worried about that but I think the extra cheese layer buffers the meat and prevents it. It was perfect. My oven rack was right in the middle too if that helps.

      Reply

    • Anne says

      January 20, 2019 at 5:51 PM


      I just made this tonight, and the bottom layer did not cook completely, so were a bit raw. Not terrible, but not what I would hope for. I baked this for 15 minutes, with the pan in the middle of the oven. I chalk these kind of inconsistencies up to oven variations, but it was my experience. It I were to make it again I might half-bake the bottom later before constructing the rest.

      Reply

      • Kim Beaulieu says

        May 19, 2019 at 11:20 PM

        Hi Anne. Absolutely right on oven variances. I have a really amazing dual fuel oven that seems to distribute heat really well. In our last house, the oven was not this consistent and we had to pre-bake things more often. I highly recommend pre-cooking the bottom for many ovens. I know other people have had the same issue. Thanks for leaving the comment because it helps other folks gauge the recipe which is always super helpful. I know I love seeing feedback when I visit recipe sites.

        There is a taco casserole version of this coming up in the near future. Stay tuned!

        Reply

  12. Kate | Food Babbles says

    October 23, 2013 at 9:36 PM

    Oh. My. Goodness! I love Mamwich! I haven’t had it in years and years. No one in my house likes it but me 🙂 Love how you topped it with crescent rolls and completely transformed it into a whole new level of wonderful. I’m making this soon. I’m not telling them there’s Mamwich in there 😉 and everyone is going to love it!

    Reply

  17. Nancy @ CouponClippingCook says

    October 25, 2013 at 11:54 AM

    What a great idea to make Sloppy Joes in a casserole. There’s something about things cooked in a good old casserole dish that look soooo good and your recipe looks wonderful. Love the other quick and easy recipes you’ve included too. The pictures look just delish.

    Reply

  19. wok with ray says

    October 28, 2013 at 5:36 PM

    I missed your dish by one day! We had Sloppy Joes last night and it was good but it could have been better if I found your recipe early enough. Oh well, I’ll just bookmark this for the next time. Have a good week, Kim! 🙂

    Reply

  21. Amy @Consider Me Inspired says

    November 20, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    This is really creative. I mean obviously crescent rolls go with everything….I love the sweet softness they have. Sloppy joes are delicious and I love what you did with this. I am adding it to my HAVE to make list. I love simple, inexpensive, filling and super tasty meals. All of these ingredients are normally in my grocery shopping staples, so it is perfect. I would love for you to add your favorite post or anything else you like to my blog hop…it is tomorrow. Inspiration in Progress- I hope to see you there. Have a fantastic day. Pinning and sharing.

    Reply

  22. Leslie Corbo says

    December 14, 2013 at 7:10 PM

    This is a great recipe – I’ve been making a variation of it (use shredded cheddar instead of mozz) – the kids rave about it and their friends request it! I also use the flaky biscuits instead of the crescents most times. It’s so easy, but they don’t need to know that!

    Reply

  24. Lora says

    January 16, 2014 at 7:23 PM

    I can not find garlic crescent rolls at all. I found the garlic sticks which I am going to have to try. looking forward to trying this. We normally get the bold sloppy joe’s I might have to try it twice and play around with it. thanks.

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      January 17, 2014 at 1:39 PM

      Just use regular crescent rolls, just as tasty. If you want a hint of garlic add some garlic powder or fresh garlic to the sloppy joe mix. Works like a charm. We can’t get the garlic ones here so I only have them if my daughter shops stateside for them. I use regular crescent rolls whenever I don’t have the garlic ones. xx

      Reply

  25. Barb says

    March 6, 2014 at 6:41 PM

    I made these tonight and they were a hit with the family. The bottom crust was a bit doughy though, any suggestions? Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      March 6, 2014 at 8:27 PM

      Mine wasn’t but I have a really kick ass oven to be honest. You could try lowering it one rack in the oven so the bottom cooks quicker than the top. Or you could try cooking it with just the bottom layer only for a few minutes before adding the toppings. I do that on occasion with pizza. If the dough seems super porous I’ll pre-bake for 5 or 6 minutes. Sort of like blind baking a pie crust. It’s a great recipe so it’s totally worth playing with to get it the way you like it. I’d try brushing a little melted butter on top of the dough and blind baking it for maybe 5 if I were you. We love this. My daughter’s boyfriend took the leftovers and made a taco with it. Was hilarious. He loved it.

      Thanks for the feedback Barb. I love hearing back from people, good or bad. It helps me learn to be write better and be clearer in my instructions. I find feedback very useful.

      Let me know how the next time goes. I have another idea for this to tweak it. Maybe I’ll try the new version this weekend.

      Reply

  26. Shelby says

    March 21, 2014 at 7:35 PM

    Ok, I’m sold and we are definitely having this on a weeknight soon. I get home so late from work that I hate to fix dinner most nights. This would be easy…not to mention we love the Manwich sauce. Its been a while since we’ve had it! Gonna have to surprise Grumpy soon!

    Reply

  28. Melissa says

    February 7, 2015 at 5:03 PM

    A friend gave me a similar recipe years ago and called in Manwich Pie. We change it up depending on what we have on hand and what we feel like eating. Taco Pie – use a pkg of taco seasoning and water (as called for on package) and cheddar cheese and serve with chopped tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and salsa when serving. Use pizza quick sauce with beef and mozzarella cheese for Pizza Pie. Add any traditional pizza toppings you like.

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      February 8, 2015 at 2:37 AM

      Hey Melissa. I actually make a really similar taco one a friend taught me how to make. It’s so good. I need to put it on the blog one day. Pizza ones are awesome too. I think these days people are just so busy they want dinner to be as easy and quick as possible. I find the most popular recipes on my site are the ones that are fast and super easy to make. The only day I do long drawn out recipes these days is Sundays. I usually make roast beef or chicken with oodles of sides. Then I can use the leftovers for other dishes during the week. I really should start posting more recipes using leftovers. I think people would probably really love ideas.

      Have you tried pizza or taco pastas yet? Oh my gosh, so good. I’ve been doing a lot more casseroles and “bakes” lately. I want to start posting casserole and slow cooker recipes once a week. I’ve just been off work way too long.

      Nice chatting with you. Thanks for the ideas. I love when people leave comments like this. It helps others scrolling through comments. Maybe they don’t like sloppy joes but were wondering if you could make something similar. So you just gave them two awesome ideas. That’s so great.

      Reply

  29. Heather D says

    May 23, 2015 at 6:30 PM

    I made the Sloppy Joe Casserole last week and it was a HUGE hit!! The family is begging me to make it again this week for dinner too

    Thanks for making me a “cool dinner mom” (in the words of my 7 year old daughter) lol

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      May 23, 2015 at 8:42 PM

      Ha, that is awesome. I’m so happy everyone loved it. Thanks for letting me know. Made my day. Happy Saturday “cool dinner mom”!! xx

      Reply

  30. Kelly says

    June 2, 2015 at 12:00 PM

    I love the idea of this. I tried it at home and I think the methodology might need some tinkering with at least for my oven (though I do use an oven thermometer to calibrate my oven so it is generally pretty reliable and doesn’t need wildly different baking times than what is called for) because I had the same issue as Barb with the bottom crescent roll layer being doughy and at 350 mine needed more like a 30+ minute bake time. Will continue to tinker as it is yummy (I used a sloppy joe sauce from Cooking Light vs. manwich) but wanted to let you know in case other readers were having the same problem.

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      June 13, 2015 at 6:41 PM

      Hey Kelly, thanks for trying it and for the feedback. I’m glad you liked it. I always try to tell people to do what works for them. Some people don’t mind a softer doughy texture and others do. So it’s great to play around with cook times. My stove is a pretty high end model so it may be a bit more efficient than some others. It could affect the outcome of bake times, as does the type of dish one uses. So many variables when it comes to these things. But it’s great to get comments like this so people know and can adjust for their own reasons. It so helpful to have folks like you swing by to leave thoughtful comments. Bloggers love that. Including myself. How was the Cooking Light sloppy joe recipe? I’ve not had a chance to try theirs yet. Been meaning to give it a whirl.

      Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      October 14, 2016 at 6:16 PM

      Hi Megan, it was the smaller size. I’m in Canada so our sizes tend to be a bit different. Mine was 398ml, which is about 13 1/2 ounces. You can start with one, and then see how saucy you want yours. If it’s too saucy it will make the pastry soggy so it’s better to make this chunky with less sauce, if that makes sense.

      Sorry it took me so long to answer. This got stuck in my spam folder for some unknown reason. Never hesitate to email me if I miss something here. You can reach me at cravingsofalunatic@gmail.com. I’m always happy to help people with recipes.

      Reply

  32. Melody Mahusay says

    October 2, 2016 at 2:35 PM

    Manwich sauce comes in two different sizes. The 24-oz can says on the back that it is good for 2 lbs of ground beef so I’m assuming I only need one of those??

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      October 7, 2016 at 1:04 AM

      Hey Melody. I’m in Canada so our sizing is a bit different. Ours are 398ml. I think the U.S. ones come in 15oz and 24 oz. The 398ml is just shy of the 15oz can. 398ml would be roughly 13/14oz. Depending on how saucy you like yours casseroles you could use either the 15oz, or the 24oz. Personally I’d go lighter on the sauce so the dough underneath doesn’t get soggy. Hope that helps. If you need any help you can leave a comment here, or shoot me an email at cravingsofalunatic@gmail.com. Usually I’m pretty quick to respond to emails.

      Reply

  33. Leigh Tokarz says

    March 1, 2017 at 11:34 AM

    Thank you so much for the recipe! I made this last night for my husband and he loved it!! I cut the recipe in 1/2 since it’s just the 2 of us and I used ground turkey instead of beef and I also used a mix of Jack and Cheddar cheese instead of the Mozzarella. It’s what I had on hand. For those of you that showed concern over the bottom not baking…..use a glass pan. I saw that this recipe was cooked in a glass pan so I did the same and mine came out perfect!

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      March 1, 2017 at 10:38 PM

      Hi Leigh. Thanks so much for leaving a comment. I always appreciate it when people take time out of their day to offer feedback and let me know if they like the recipes.

      I love your variations on this recipe. It would be awesome with turkey and mixed cheese. I really love when people use what is on hand and adapt recipes to their own taste. Experimenting leads to fabulous recipe creations.

      The glass pan makes all the difference. I also think it helps to make sure the taco filling is more on the dry side. If it’s super wet or oily that will affect the bottom crust. Sort of like eating a taco when the meat is greasy. The shell soaks up all the moisture, gets soggy and leaks.

      We love this recipe so I’ve been playing with other versions. There will be a new version of it out soon. I think you will love it.

      Reply

  35. Sherry says

    June 27, 2018 at 8:40 AM


    I made this recipe this morning. I made a small batch. One pound hamburger, one can of the pillsbury dough ( all I had). I cut the dough in half and rolled it to fit the top and bottom layers. It turned out delicious. I made my own butter and garlic baste to season the dough. Thank you for the recipe. It hit the spot 🙂

    Reply

  36. Laura williamson says

    September 28, 2018 at 6:32 PM

    Does the bottom layer of crescent rolls cook all the way? I would think They would be soggy or doughy being on the bottom.

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      November 2, 2018 at 8:42 PM

      Hi Laura. I have a convection oven so I’m not sure if that helps with the bottom but mine was not soggy at all. I’ve even made it without the convection turned on and they were great. If you’re concerned you could totally bake the bottom crust for 8 to 10 minutes prior to adding everything so the bottom is pre-baked. I know lots of people have luck with that. Let me know how it turns out! I hope you love it!

      Reply

  37. Xee says

    March 10, 2019 at 9:35 PM

    My bf and I loved this. I cut everything in half since it’s just the 2 of us and there’s plenty left over. I wasn’t familiar with crescent rolls so I was afraid i wasn’t going to have enough with just one can – not the case. So I ended up using crushed Ritz crackers on the bottom and had extra crescent rolls. Still tasted amazing 😍

    Reply

    • Kim Beaulieu says

      May 21, 2019 at 2:55 PM

      I’m so glad you liked it. I love that you got creative with it too. I’m going to have to try your version!

      Reply

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