This Sloppy Joe Frito Casserole is an easy family-friendly dinner that combines everything you love about sloppy joes with a crunchy, cheesy twist! Sweet and tangy ground beef, seasoned chili beans, and a rich homemade sloppy joe sauce are topped with crunchy Frito chips and plenty of melted cheese.
The best part? This easy ground beef casserole takes just 30 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for busy weeknights. It’s hearty, full of flavor, and a fun way to change up a sloppy joe dinner, plus it’s budget-friendly. Serve it straight from the baking dish or spoon it onto toasted hamburger buns for a cheesy, crunchy twist on a sloppy joe sandwich.
The ground beef mixture is perfectly sweet and tangy and made with pantry staples you are likely to have on hand. It’s a delicious mixture of ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
If you love a ground beef casserole for dinner, be sure to try Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole, Beef Florentine Casserole, and French Onion Beef Casserole.
How To Make Sloppy Joe Frito Casserole
(Full instructions and video in recipe box below)
- Brown the ground beef and cook the onion.
- Add the ketchup, chili beans, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Simmer until it thickens a little. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a baking dish and top with Fritos and cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Recipe Tips
I like using chili beans for this recipe. They have lots of southwestern seasonings added. You can omit the beans if you don’t like them.
Drain the ground beef well. Removing excess grease helps keep the casserole from being oily.
The Fritos are at their crunchiest right after baking so this dish is best eaten right away.
You will probably not need the entire bag of Fritos. You be the judge of how much crunchy topping you want.
Taste before adding salt. Fritos, cheese, and chili beans already contain salt, so go easy on any additional salt.
Variations
- Make it spicy. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or add a chopped jalapeno when you add the onion.
- Change the cheese. I use shredded Mexican cheese. I like its mild flavor. For a stronger flavor, use cheddar cheese or Pepper jack for a spicier flavor.
- Skip the beans. Omit the beans if your family doesn’t care for beans. If you want to replace them with something, you can add some corn.
- Use ground turkey. Substitute ground turkey for beef, cooking it thoroughly.
Make Ahead
You can prepare the sloppy joe filling ahead of time and refrigerate it in an airtight container. When you are ready to eat, transfer the filling to a baking dish, add the Fritos and cheese, and bake until hot and bubbly.
Storage
Leftovers will keep for 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator but the fritos get soggy. They will crisp back up a bit if you reheat it in a toaster oven or air fryer.
Try These Other Sloppy Joe Favorites
- Sloppy Joe Potato Skins
- Brown Sugar Bacon Sloppy Joes
- Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe French Bread Pizza
- Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
- Root Beer Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Sloppy Joe Frito Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 large sweet or yellow onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- 1 can chili beans
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- 1 (9-ounce) bag Frito chips
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Crumble and brown the ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.Once the ground beef is broken into pieces, add the onion.Cook until there is no longer any pink in the ground beef.Drain off any grease.
- Add ketchup, chili beans, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle Fritos on top of ground beef mixture.Sprinkle cheese on top of Fritos.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published July 12, 2021.
learning about food preparation is only one part of the process; understanding local regulations and documentation is also important. In the Philippines, aspiring How to Get Barangay Clearance food entrepreneurs may need to secure a Barangay Clearance as part of their business permit application, depending on their local government’s requirements. Preparing the necessary paperwork in advance can help make the process of starting a food business more organized.
Assignment Maker Pro offers academic assistance with research writing, proofreading, editing, and project preparation across different subjects. Students exploring culinary traditions, recipe development, or food-related research can benefit from expert assignment writing services structured writing support to explain cooking processes, evaluate ingredients, and communicate their findings effectively.
Whether adjusting serving sizes, converting measurements, or calculating ingredient quantities, basic mathematics makes cooking easier and more practical. Math-CQ provides free Algebra and Geometry online calculators and helpful mathematical resources, including percentages and other calculation tools, that can help people handle everyday numerical tasks with greater confidence.
As online shopping becomes more common, reliable delivery services help customers receive food products and household supplies conveniently. Parcel tracking also allows customers to monitor shipped orders and stay updated on delivery progress. LBC Tracking lbctrackingnumber Number provides helpful information for checking LBC Express tracking numbers, understanding shipment statuses, and monitoring parcel deliveries online.
Combining savory Sloppy Joe filling with crunchy Fritos creates a delicious dish that works well for busy weeknights, casual dinners, or gatherings with friends. For those Golden Chick Menu who prefer a convenient alternative to cooking at home, Golden Chick offers flavorful options such as crispy chicken tenders, fried chicken, sandwiches, combo meals, and family meals.
The chili beans and brown sugar in the sauce sound like a good mix of sweet and savory. I like that it only takes 30 minutes, that works for a weeknight. The Fritos and melted cheese on top look really tasty in the photos. I’ll probably skip the beans next time and add corn instead. TermoJogo
I made this for my friend who hates sloppy joes on regular hamburger buns, he said it was delicious and my 4yr old daughter said I did a great job.
This was delicious! I thought at first it would be too salty because of all the Fritos, but the cheese seemed to reduce the saltiness, and they were fine. Definitely one I’ll be making again, especially since my husband loves Fritos.
Very good recipe but also very salty!