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Sloppy Joe Bake
This sloppy joe bake is a hearty weeknight dinner with seasoned ground beef in a rich homemade tomato sauce, layered between two golden crescent roll crusts with melted cheddar in the middle.
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Your family will love this sloppy joe bake! I grew up on sloppy joes - the canned version, poured over hamburger buns. Really easy, really fast, but not really delicious. When I started cooking for my own kids, I discovered making homemade sloppy joe filling is pretty easy! It tastes better, and it can be used in plenty of different recipes.
This sloppy joe bake casserole dinner is prepped in 10 minutes. Really. It takes a few minutes to assemble and then pops in the oven for 45 minutes. It easily feeds a family of 4-6, and the best part? It's made with crescent roll dough. Easy and incredibly buttery and flavorful.
Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Casserole
For the filling:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about ½ cup)
- 1 small green pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For the crust:
- 16 ounces refrigerated crescent roll dough (2 cans)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Shopping Notes
Ground beef - lean is best here (90/10 or higher). Too much fat makes the filling greasy and can make the bottom crust soggy. If your ground beef cooks up greasy, give it a brief rinse, then let the water drip out for a few minutes.
Green pepper - swap for red or yellow if you prefer a slightly sweeter flavor. If this is a deal breaker for your kids, you can leave it out.
Brown sugar - this balances the acidity of the tomato sauce. It won't make your sauce sweet. Light or dark both work.
Worcestershire sauce - don't skip this one. It adds a depth to the flavor of the filling that's hard to replicate.
Crescent roll dough - I used two standard refrigerated cans. My grocery store doesn't always have the Pillsbury dough sheets, so I usually rely on crescent dough. But if you can find the sheets, it makes this recipe even easier.
Cheddar - shredding your own melts better than pre-shredded, which has an anti-caking coating that can make it grainy.
Sesame seeds - optional, but they give the top crust that classic sloppy joe bun feel.
What I Learned During Recipe Testing
You've got to roll the dough before assembly.
The first time I made a sloppy joe casserole, I pressed the crescent roll seams together with my fingers and figured that was good enough. It wasn't. By the time the bake came out of the oven, the filling had seeped through the gaps, and the bottom crust was soggy in patches.
So the second time, I used a rolling pin to roll the dough flat, and press the seams more tightly together. I rolled it on parchment paper so it was easy to lift. This fused the seams evenly and gave me a more uniform thickness across the whole sheet.
You can still see the seam lines after rolling. That's completely fine. What matters is that the dough feels consistently thick and the seams feel sealed.
How to Make A Sloppy Joe Bake
Cooking the beef
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once there's no pink remaining, drain any excess fat from the pan.
Add the diced onion, green pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Making the sauce
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce directly to the skillet and stir everything together.
Let the mixture cook uncovered for 15 minutes. It should thicken up noticeably, and the color will deepen. This is what gives the filling its flavor, so don't rush it - just allow it to simmer.
Assembly
Open both cans of crescent dough and pinch the seams together on each sheet. Roll each one flat with a rolling pin on parchment paper until it's roughly 9x13 inches.
Place the first sheet at the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish, pressing it up the sides a bit. Bake the bottom crust until it just starts to turn golden.
Spoon the filling evenly over the pre-baked crust, sprinkle the cheddar over the filling.
Lay the second dough sheet on top and stretch it to the edges. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Baking
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top crust is deep golden brown. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. It cuts much cleaner once it's had a chance to settle. Slice into squares and serve straight from the dish.
Storage and Reheating FAQ
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
This casserole also freezes well. Slice it into portions first, wrap individually, and freeze them for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
For reheating, the oven is the better option if you want the crust to crisp back up. Ten minutes at 350°F works well. The microwave is faster but it softens the crust quite a bit, so I prefer the oven.
How To Serve A Sloppy Joe Bake
Thinking about side dishes for your sloppy joe casserole? It's a pretty filling meal on its own, but a simple green salad or coleslaw works well alongside it. Skillet corn or air fryer cauliflower are easy sides if you want something warm.
More Sloppy Joe Recipes
Sloppy Joe Bake
This sloppy joe bake is a hearty weeknight dinner with seasoned ground beef in a rich homemade tomato sauce, layered between two golden crescent roll crusts with melted cheddar in the middle.
Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by Leaving a Review!
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion (diced (about ½ cup))
- 1 small green pepper (diced (about 1 cup))
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Crust
- 16 ounces refrigerated crescent roll dough (2 cans)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
- Add the onion, green pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until thickened.
- Open both cans of crescent dough. Pinch the seams together on each piece, then roll flat on parchment paper to approximately 9x13 inches.
- Press the first dough sheet into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, pushing it slightly up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes until just beginning to turn golden.
- Spoon the filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle with the shredded cheddar.
- Lay the second dough sheet over the cheese layer, stretching it to the edges. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top crust is deep golden brown.
- Rest for 5 minutes before slicing into squares and serving.
Notes
- For the best melt, shred the cheddar from a block rather than using pre-shredded. Bagged cheese has an anti-caking coating that can make it grainy when melted.
- Crescent dough sheets are an easier swap if you can find them. Same amount of dough, no seams to deal with.
- The filling should be thick enough that it doesn't run when spooned into the dish. If it looks watery after 15 minutes, give it a few more minutes to thicken up.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to four days and freeze well for up to three months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F for best results.
Nutrition
Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1758mg | Potassium: 994mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1046IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 6mg
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FAQ
Can I make a sloppy joe bake ahead of time?
You can prepare the filling up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge. When you're ready to bake, assemble the dish from the pre-baked bottom crust and go from there. Heat up the filling in the microwave or stove before assembling. I wouldn't assemble the whole thing ahead of time. The bottom crust will soften overnight.
Can I use crescent dough sheets instead of rolls?
Yes, and it's probably even easier. Sheets are one seamless piece of dough, so there's no pinching or rolling required. Use the same total amount of dough.
Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?
Ground turkey works fine. Just note that it's leaner, so the filling may be slightly less flavorful. Season it the same way.
How do I know when my sloppy joe bake is done? The
The top crust should be deep golden brown, not pale yellow. If it's browning unevenly, rotate the dish halfway through baking.
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