These Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups are always devoured by everyone when I make them. My kids absolutely love them. They are so simple, yet so tasty. You can enjoy them as a quick snack, or eat several of them for a full meal. By the way, if you’re a Sloppy Joe fan, you have to also try my twist on traditional Sloppy Joes! These Instant Pot Hawaiian Sloppy Joes are amazing!
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When I first saw the Pillsbury Cornbread Swirls at the supermarket, I knew I had to get them! I quickly came up with a tasty way to use them and was so happy my kids loved them so much. Even the ones that claim they don’t like cornbread attacked them. In this post, I’ll show you how easy it is to make these savory treats. I’ll explain the ingredients and walk you step by step through making them, in case you need it.
Table of Contents
Tips for Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups
- Use Leftover Sloppy Joe Meat: If you had Sloppy Joes the night before, using your leftovers for these cups is a perfect way to add some variety to your meals!
- Use 85/15 or 90/10 Beef: If you use a good quality grass-fed beef that’s 85/15 or 90/10 then you don’t have to drain the beef after cooking it.
- Spray Your Muffin Pan: Spraying the muffin pan with oil ensures the cups won’t stick while baking them.
- Use Sharp Cheddar: Sharp cheddar cheese gives these Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups the perfect punch of flavor.
Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups
All you need is 5 ingredients to make these awesomely delicious Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups! Here is a list of everything:
- Ground Beef: I like to use grass-fed beef, and usually use 85/15 when cooking it on the stove. You’ll need one pound of ground beef.
- Pillsbury Cornbread Swirls: You’ll use at least two cans of Pillsbury Cornbread Swirls. You can find these in the refrigerated section with the biscuits, and other Pillsbury items.
- Sloppy Joe Sauce: I really like the H-E-B brand Sloppy Joe sauce, but you can use whatever brand you prefer.
- Diced Green Chiles: I like adding a small 4 oz can of mild diced green chiles to the meat mixture. My kids don’t complain at all, they don’t even notice them. I do feel they enhance the flavor.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: You will top these Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups with some shredded cheddar.
How To Make Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups
Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups are a simple and delicious recipe that is perfect to have as a snack or even a weeknight meal. They are easy to make, take only about 30 minutes from start to finish, and require very few ingredients. I’ll walk you through each step below. So grab your apron and let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather The Ingredients
Start gathering the ingredients. Here’s exactly what you’ll need:
- Ground Beef: 1 pound
- Sloppy Joe Sauce: one 16-ounce can
- Diced Green Chiles: one 4-ounce can
- Cornbread Swirls: 2 cans
- Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese: approximately 1 cup
Step 3: Make The Sloppy Joe Filling
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a large wooden spoon or spatula break the meat into small pieces as it’s cooking. Once the meat is cooked through, reduce the heat to medium and add the Sloppy Joe sauce and green chiles to the skillet. Mix them into the ground beef and cook the mixture until it’s thick and bubbling.
Step 4: Form And Fill The Cornbread Cups
Now that the Sloppy Joe filling is ready, it’s time to start assembling the cornbread cups.
Grease The Pan
First, spray a 12-cup muffin or cupcake pan with a non-stick spray.
Form The Cornbread Cups
Open the cans of cornbread swirls and separate each swirl. Place each swirl in an empty slot in the pan and use your fingers to press the swirl down into the slot forming a cup that will hold the meat filling.
Fill The Cornbread Cups
Fill each cup with one or two spoonfuls of the meat filling and then top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Step 6: Enjoy Your Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups
Now that you know how to make Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups, it’s time to enjoy them! This recipe is simple and easy to follow, so there’s no excuse not to try it. Plus, the end result is a delicious meal that your whole family will love. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to grab a cup and enjoy!
Essential Items
Here are some essential prep tools, utensils, and appliances I used to make this recipe.
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Substitutions for Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups
Below are some substitution questions you may have about this recipe. If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comment section at the bottom of this post.
can I use biscuits instead of cornbread swirls?
You can substitute the cornbread swirls for biscuits if you’d like. I personally think the slight sweetness of the cornbread swirls goes perfectly with the sloppy joe mixture. I encourage you to try them with the cornbread even though you may think you don’t love cornbread. As I mentioned above, some of my kids don’t like cornbread, yet they love this recipe! If you use biscuits, make sure to flatten them out into the muffin tin as I do with the cornbread swirls.
can I use ground turkey or Ground Chicken?
You can absolutely use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef. Just swap out the beef for the turkey or chicken and follow the rest of the recipe as written. There are no other adjustments that need to be made.
can I use another type of cheese?
I love sharp cheddar to top these Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups, but feel free to use your favorite shredded cheese. I think mozzarella, Mexican blend, or even pepper jack would go great on these.
can I make these with chili instead?
Yes! When creating this recipe, I debated between chili and Sloppy Joes. For the sake of ease, I decided on Sloppy Joes. Chili would work wonderfully in this recipe. You can use leftover chili and make two meals out of your chili!
If you have leftover Sloppy Joe meat or lefotver chili, these cups are perfect for using that up.
IT’S YOUR TURN TO MAKE THese sloppy joe cornbread cups!
Did you make this recipe for Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups yet? I know you will absolutely love them when you do! Let me know in the comments section below when you make this recipe and how much you enjoyed it.
5-Star Rating: If you loved your Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups, I’d appreciate it if you could give this recipe a 5-star rating to show how much you loved it.
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Sloppy Joe Cornbread Cups
Cornbread Cups Filled With Sloppy Joe Meat and Topped With Cheddar Cheese
Essential Equipment
Ingredients
for the Sloppy Joe Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 can Sloppy Joe sauce 16-ounces
- 1 can diced green chiles 4-ounces
for the Cornbread Cups
- 2 cans cornbread swirls 6 each
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F
- Make Sloppy Joe Filling: Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add the Sloppy Joe sauce and green chiles. Mix until combined. Cook until warmed through, thickened, and bubbling.
- Grease Muffin Tin: Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.
- Form Cornbread Cups: Open the cornbread swirls and separate them. Using fingers, press each swirl into the muffin tin until they form a cup.
- Fill Cornbread Cups: Fill each cup with a spoonful or two of the meat filling and top with shredded cheddar.
- Bake 14 Minutes: Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 14 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
