This tasty meal made in the slow cooker has your name written on it! So easy and kid friendly this Sloppy Joe Casserole is the perfect meal for your busy life!
Let's face it... sometimes, we just need simple meals with the flavors we all grew up loving... but with a little twist.
Sloppy Joe Casserole is that quick and easy one-pot meal that combines all of the "comfort food" flavors that your family already craves. It comes together quickly in the morning and is ready to eat when you get home. It's perfect for dinners on busy nights.
Ingredients You'll Need To Make Sloppy Joe Casserole In A Slow Cooker:
- ground beef
- tomato sauce
- BBQ sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- dried mustard
- salt
- pepper
- red pepper
- frozen hash browns
- sharp cheddar
Lower your cholesterol intake by substituting ground turkey for the beef.
Add some zip to your casserole! Substitute up to ¼ cup prepared mustard for dried mustard.
If you don't have some of the ingredients, play around with alternative ones.
How To Make Sloppy Joe Casserole In A Slow Cooker...
- brown and drain ground beef and place in slow cooker
- add remaining ingredients, except for hash browns and cheese, stir to combine
- top with frozen hash browns
- cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours
- top with shredded cheese and melt for 15 minutes before serving
You can brown up the top of the hash browns by drizzling with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and placing in the oven (if your slow cooker liner is oven safe) for a few minutes at 400 degrees.
Pro Tips:
Don't run out and buy a bunch of ingredients if you don't have something in your pantry. Substitute whatever you have that works in the recipe.
Love casserole recipes? Try my other slow cooker casserole recipes!
Slow Cooker Sweet BBQ Sloppy Joe Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 12 oz shredded frozen hash brown potatoes
- 4 - 6 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown and drain ground beef and place in slow cooker
- Add remaining ingredients except for hash browns and cheese and stir to combine well
- Top with frozen hash browns
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4
- Top with shredded cheese and let melt for about 15 minutes before serving
Notes
- make up a big batch of ground beef and keep in the freezer for even quicker prep on recipes like this
- drizzle with melted butter and cook in oven for a few minutes to brown hashbrowns
- store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 3 days or freezer up to 3 months
I had this recipe as one of many backups, and this was particularly for a night when I would be low on time. There is something about making a meal in the slow cooker, heading off to work (particularly during the early hours, but not for me this time) and returning home to the smells and the aromas wafting from the reliable receptacle. My housemate had already tucked into a portion of it, and I can't blame him.
For my take, I plumped it up with a can of black beans, and two cups of frozen vegetables, then a couple of jalapenos to give it some spice. Also, an onion for good measure, since that vegetable unleashes a flavour almost taken for granted until you don't use it. I didn't have any mustard powder, so instead, a squirt of the usual American mustard did the trick. And a can of tomatoes instead of the tomato sauce; I don't know if I have seen it where I live (Australia). A combination of hashbrowns and potato gems was a great finish before the cheese at the end.
As of writing, it is beginning to get cold in my part of the world, so all these winter style recipes are a fantastic find. This one is one of those to have on hand for when you are low on resources or just want to take it easier one night. I honestly expected this to be slightly throwaway, but here we are with my housemate enthusiastically approving of it.
The best analogy for this recipe is to be like Bob Ross. See the template, and allow your creativity to guide you in creating the meal with what you feel would make it a warming, tasty bite.