Crock Pot Sloppy Jane Casserole–an easy slow cooker or Instant Pot dinner with ground beef, penne pasta and classic sloppy joe flavor, made extra creamy and cheesy.
Crock Pot Sloppy Jane Casserole
If your family loves sloppy joes then you have to try this fun pasta version! It’s got the sweet and savory sloppy joe flavor mixed with tender pasta and melty cheese. The little dill pickles on top are surprisingly so good adding some crunch. This is an easy Crockpot dinner that kids and adults will both like.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Lean ground beef–or ground turkey, ground pork
- Onion
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Water–or beef broth
- Sloppy joe sauce–use your favorite canned or homemade sloppy joe sauce
- Green bell pepper–optional
- Penne pasta–or rotini, ziti, cavatappi
- Cream cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Dill pickles–optional, but super good
Steps
Heat a pan over medium high heat and add in the beef and onion. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Transfer to the slow cooker. My slow cooker has a stovetop function on it so I did this step right in my slow cooker.
Stir in the water, sloppy joe sauce, bell pepper and pasta. Place the cream cheese on top.
Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or until pasta is tender.
The cream cheese will be soft at this point, stir it in as well as half of the cheddar. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cook for another 15 minutes.
Serve topped with pickles.
Notes/Tips
- Pasta cooking times can vary. My slow cooker took about an hour on high but other slow cookers might take longer or shorter.
- Green pepper gives the pasta more of that classic sloppy joe flavor, but leave it out if your family isn’t a fan.
- For the Instant Pot, layer instead of stirring. Keeping the thicker sauce on top helps prevent the burn message.
- Serve with steamed broccoli, green beans or fresh fruit.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing this one will be just okay…Cooked pasta tends to soften after freezing and cream cheese sauces can change slightly in texture.
- Tools:
- I used my 6 quart Ninja slow cooker*. But you can also make this in a smaller 4 quart slow cooker.
- Wooden saute paddle*
- Knife*
- Cutting board*
- Magnetic measuring cups*
- Magnetic measuring spoons*
- Glass measuring cup*
- Kitchen scale*
- Cheese grater*
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
Crock Pot Sloppy Jane Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
An easy slow cooker or Instant Pot dinner with ground beef, penne pasta and classic sloppy joe flavor, made extra creamy and cheesy.
Ingredients
16 oz lean ground beef
½ cup diced onion
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 ½ cups water
1 (15 oz) can sloppy joe sauce
½ cup diced green bell pepper, optional
8 oz penne pasta
2 oz cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Diced dill pickles, optional for topping
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat and add in the beef and onion. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the water, sloppy joe sauce, bell pepper and pasta. Place the cream cheese on top.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, or until pasta is tender. The cream cheese will be soft at this point, stir it in as well as half of the cheddar. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cook for another 15 minutes.
- Serve topped with pickles.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Pour in the water, Sprinkle in the penne and bell pepper. Pour the sloppy joe sauce on top. Place cream cheese on top and don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the cheddar.
- Serve topped with pickles.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More “Sloppy” Recipes
Instant Pot Big Mac Sloppy Joes
An easy, dump and go recipe for a sloppy joe dinner with such amazing flavor thanks to homemade McDonald’s Big Mac Secret Sauce. You might want to double this recipe!
Instant Pot Sloppy Ottos
A German inspired version of a loose meat sandwich. It has tons of flavor with sausage, sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard.
Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Make two classic sandwiches into one! Ground beef, green peppers, provolone cheese are all piled onto a toasted bun.Â
Instant Pot Sloppy Dorothy Sandwiches
Sloppy joes with a twist! The sandwiches are made so easy with your Instant Pot or slow cooker. An easy and delicious dump and go recipe.Â
Instant Pot Sloppy Joe Cosmo
Homemade sloppy joes served on top of a buttered and toasted hoagie bun and topped with Monterey Jack cheese.Â
Instant Pot Sloppy Dudes
Ground turkey with salsa verde on top of a toasted bun and topped with smashed avocado and tomato. An excellent loose meat sandwich that can be made in the Instant Pot or Crockpot.
French Onion Beef Sloppy Joes
An easy 30-minute ground beef dinner made with French onion soup, Worcestershire sauce, and melted provolone cheese for a fun, savory twist on sloppy joes.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Leave a Reply