This delicious and hearty Sloppy Joe Casserole is sure to please everyone! A saucy ground beef and potato filling topped with lots of cheese!

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper (1 medium pepper)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Fresh black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounce tomato sauce
28 ounce bag frozen, diced potatoes (we use Potatoes O’Brien with onions and peppers)
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the potatoes to the bottom of the dish, spreading out into an even layer. Bake the potatoes for about 20 minutes (the time it takes to make the ground beef filling).
While the potatoes are in the oven, add olive oil to a large, deep skillet. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 5 minutes until they have softened. Push the vegetables aside and then add the ground beef to the skillet. Cook the ground beef while breaking up into crumbles until there’s no pink remaining in the beef. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Drain any grease from the skillet and then season with the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
Pour the tomato sauce into the skillet and stir. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then cook for 15 minutes to let the sauce reduce, while stirring. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss and then pour the beef filling on top, spreading out into an even layer. Top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese, cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil form the casserole and bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese on top has melted. Test a potato to make sure it’s soft and cooked through. If the potatoes need more time, cover with the foil again and bake for another 5 minutes.

Use non-stick foil to make sure the cheese doesn’t stick to the top of the aluminum foil, or spray the foil with cooking spray before using.

Store: Store leftover casserole in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat: Reheat leftover casserole in the microwave until warmed through.