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Easy Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole: Ultimate Comfort Food Bake

A close-up slice of sloppy joe cornbread casserole showing a layer of seasoned ground beef topped with cornbread and melted cheddar cheese.

Make this hearty Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole for a simple, satisfying weeknight dinner. This one-pan meal combines a savory ground beef filling with a fluffy, golden Jiffy cornbread topping for pure comfort food flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (8.5 ounce) package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (or similar brand)
  • Ingredients listed on the Jiffy box for the cornbread batter (usually milk and eggs)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and chopped onion until the beef is browned and the onion is soft. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, and pepper into the skillet with the meat mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is your savory sloppy joe filling.
  4. Pour the sloppy joe filling evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  5. Prepare the cornbread batter according to the package directions, using the liquid and eggs specified on the box.
  6. Pour the prepared cornbread batter directly over the meat mixture in the baking dish. Spread it gently to cover the filling.
  7. If using cheese, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the cornbread batter.
  8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Let the casserole cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps prevent the filling from running.

Notes

  • To prevent a soggy bottom layer, make sure you cook the sloppy joe filling until most of the liquid has reduced slightly before pouring the batter on top.
  • For an extra hearty family meal, stir in one can of drained kidney beans or corn kernels into the meat mixture before topping with cornbread.
  • If you prefer a sweeter cornbread topping, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra sugar to the prepared Jiffy mix batter.

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