Zesty Sloppy Joe Casserole is a quick and easy dinner idea perfect for the cooler weather! It comes together in less than 30 minutes for a meal the whole family will love in a "not so sloppy" presentation with the help of RO*TEL and MANWICH. As far as Manwich recipes go, this one is a keeper!

As the weather gets cooler and the leaves begin to turn, my oven starts to get a workout again. There is nothing like a warm and cheesy casserole, served with a simple garden salad and some bread to keep my family full and happy. Using the familiar taste of Manwich helps make this recipe a family friendly one too!

Often, this time of year, I find it hard to get a good meal on the table quickly.  Maybe you are in the same boat as me?  After-school activities, meetings, Fall outings are all reasons I often feel a little stressed about putting good dinner for my family on the table that doesn't include take-out.

Thank goodness for canned products in my pantry! With a couple of cans of MANWICH (which I almost always have in my pantry for quick meals), a can of RO*TEL, some dry pasta, and a few fresh ingredients I can have this tasty casserole on my dinner table in less than 30 minutes!  

I've taken the extra step to finish this casserole off in a casserole dish, but the truth is, if you are using a big enough oven safe skillet, you don't even need to dirty an extra pan.  You can just mix it all up in the skillet, top with cheese and put in the whole thing right in the oven.  How's that for easy?  

This casserole can also be made ahead and baked later in the day or the next day, making your life that much easier.   

I will warn you, Zesty Sloppy Joe Casserole does have a bit of a bite, so if you aren't a fan of heat, you can substitute RO*TEL Tomatoes and Chilies with a can of Hunt's Petite Diced Tomatoes instead.

My family likes the kick the RO*TEL gives this dish though! But you will want to keep the flavor of a sloppy joes by using the Manwich in this recipe. 

To help balance out the heat from the RO*TEL, I topped my casserole with some diced sweet pickles. I enjoy pickles with Sloppy Joes, so why not include them in the casserole?  If you aren't a fan, you can just leave them off. 

As you can see, this casserole comes together in about 5 easy steps!  Quick, easy and delicious!

Zesty Sloppy Joe Casserole

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures

A spicy version of Sloppy Joe in an easy to make, easy to serve, less sloppy to eat, casserole!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. dry macaroni pasta
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground turkey or lean ground beef
• 1 cup diced sweet onion
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 - 15 oz. cans Hunt's MANWICH Original Sloppy Joe Sauce
• 1 - 10 oz. can RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup diced sweet pickle, if desired

Instructions

1. Heat large pot of salted water to boiling. Cook pasta according to package directions, except one minute less than package states for al dente pasta. Drain and set aside.
2. In large skillet, heat oil over Med-High heat. Add onion and green pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until veggies begin to soften. Add in ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the meat with spoon, until turkey is no longer pink and veggies are crisp tender. Turn off heat. Drain off any liquid that might remain after cooking. 
3. To skillet with onions, ground turkey and peppers, add in one can of Hunt's Manwich and one can of Ro*tel. Combine. 
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray and add reserved cooked pasta. Pour turkey mixture over the pasta. Stir. Add enough of the second can of Hunt's Manwich to thoroughly coat the meat, veggies and pasta. (I added the entire second can). Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Sprinkle top of casserole with cheddar cheese. (you can cover with foil and refrigerate to bake later at this point if you like.  You may need to add a few minutes to the bake time if baked from refrigerator.) 
5. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped sweet pickle, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Total time: 20 mins.
Tags: sloppy Joe, turkey, casserole, easy recipe, main dish, pasta, beef