This Sloppy Joe Pasta is a quick and easy dinner the whole family will love! It has all the classic sloppy joe flavor you love, mixed with pasta and plenty of cheese. Made in one pot and ready in under 30 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and picky eaters.

Sloppy Joe Pasta is the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table happy. It has all the classic sloppy joe flavor you love, but instead of piling it onto a bun, it’s tossed with tender pasta and plenty of cheese. This is one of those easy dinners that disappears fast and gets requested again and again.

 

This is such a great recipe, it is super simple to throw together using pantry staples you probably already have. Ground beef, pasta, and a tomato sauce come together in one pot for an easy dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. It’s kid-friendly, customizable, and perfect when you’re craving comfort food without a lot of work.

Ingredients You’ll Need

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• Ground Beef – I used lean ground beef, but you could easily swap out ground turkey.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Tomato Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Sugar – I always use white sugar in my sloppy joes, but if you prefer brown sugar, you can use that instead.
• Yellow Mustard
• Salt & Pepper
• Beef Broth – chicken broth or even water works as well.
• Dried Pasta – I used rotini pasta, but any short cut pasta will work great. Penne, bowtie, macaroni etc are all great options.
• Shredded Cheese – Cheddar is my favorite for this recipe, but if you have a favorite you can definitely use it.

How To Make Sloppy Joe Pasta

1. Brown Meat. In a large skillet over medium high heat add the ground beef and onions. Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking apart the ground beef until it is no longer pink and the onions are soft. Drain away an excess grease. Add the garlic and cook for a minute until you can start to smell it.
2. Make Sauce. Add in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix to full incorporate everything.
3. Cook. Add in the dried pasta with the broth, stir it well and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
4. Cheese. Stir in the cheese until it is fully melted. Remove from the heat and serve!

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

• Sauce. The first couple steps of this recipe are basically just making homemade sloppy joes. So if you have a different recipe or want to use the canned stuff, you can start with step 3 and just add the pasta and broth to your mixture.
• Mix-Ins. I don’t use bell peppers in my sloppy joes, but it is a very common addition. If you like bell peppers add them with the onions to get the soft and continue with the recipe as directed.
• Liquid. The beef broth gives it a heartier flavor. You can use chicken broth if you prefer, and even water works. You just need approximately 2 cups of liquid for 8 ounces of dried pasta.

Storage

Store leftover sloppy joe pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave.

This also freezes well. I like to freeze in individual portions and then just take out what I want for lunch in the morning and let it thaw before reheating.

More Easy Dinner Recipes

• Creamy Chicken & Orzo
• Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta
• Sheet Pan Chicken & Potatoes
• Korean Beef Bowls
• Chicken & Stuffing Casserole