When winter winds begin to chill the air, all we really want is a delicious meaty hot pot to take the edge off and warm our spirits. Sloppy Joes are without a doubt one of the most comforting of all the comfort foods, and adding a deliciously moist layer of cornbread on top is just the epitome of deliciousness.
This amazing sloppy Joe cornbread casserole is a brilliant cold-weather dish as it also incorporates some of the yummiest of root vegetables. Potato, carrot, rutabaga and onion are deliciously mixed in with fantastically flavorful homemade sloppy Joes for a casserole that you will be hard-pressed to forget anytime soon!
Sloppy Joe Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients2 pounds ground beef, cooked
1 white onion, sliced
1 small rutabaga, diced into small cubes
1 small potato, diced into small cubes
1 small carrot, diced into small cubes
1 14-ounce jar tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 package (8½ ounces) cornbread mix
⅓ cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Directions1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish or 9-by-13-inch casserole pan.
2. Cook the ground beef in a frying pan over medium heat until the beef has browned. Drain the beef and place it in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the sliced onions, diced potato, diced carrots and diced rutabaga.
3. Pour in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until combined. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cornbread mix with the milk, egg and oil. Pour the cornbread mixture over the cheese and spread as evenly as possible with the back of a wooden spoon. It's okay if the mixture does not cover the beef completely.
5. Cover the casserole and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
Pro tip: For added depth of flavor, replace the black pepper with ground white pepper and add a teaspoon of thyme!
