Save This On Pinterest!

Comfort food, made super easy! This crockpot Sloppy Joe meatloaf requires just 5 simple ingredients, and it makes for a beautiful family meal served over mashed potatoes. If you love meatloaf but want to shake things up a little bit and branch out from your usual recipe, this is the one to try.

Whilst you’re here, I think you’ll also enjoy my crockpot garlic parmesan pork chops, crockpot chicken noodle soup, crockpot Mexican beef enchilada casserole, crockpot hamburger helper, and crockpot poor man’s stew!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

That sticky Sloppy Joe glaze is the best part.
Uses a couple of clever shortcuts without tasting like a shortcut dinner.
A fun way to change up your usual meatloaf routine.
The leftovers make incredible sandwiches for lunch the next day.
The slow cooker keeps the meatloaf tender and juicy.
Guaranteed to disappear quickly if you’ve got meatloaf lovers in the house!

Ingredients & Recipe Overview

You’ll need lean ground beef, Sloppy Joe sauce, cornbread stuffing mix, eggs, and a little brown sugar. That’s it!

The stuffing mix replaces the usual breadcrumbs and seasonings, while the Sloppy Joe sauce adds loads of flavor without you having to measure out a long list of ingredients.

Everything is mixed together, shaped into a loaf, and cooked right in the slow cooker. Half of the Sloppy Joe sauce is brushed over the top before cooking, with the rest added during the final 30 minutes to create a rich, sticky glaze. Super easy!

Recipe Notes

Use lean ground beef: An 85/15 or 90/10 blend works best. It keeps the meatloaf juicy without leaving too much grease behind.
Line the slow cooker with foil: This makes it much easier to lift the meatloaf out in one piece once it’s cooked.
Don’t overmix: Stir everything together until it’s just combined. Overmixing can make the meatloaf a little dense.
Save some sauce for the end: Adding the second layer of Sloppy Joe sauce during the last 30 minutes gives you a rich, sticky glaze instead of letting it cook away all day.
Want a little heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to the meat mixture.
Add some veggies: Thinly sliced green bell pepper can be arranged over the top before cooking for a classic Sloppy Joe flavor, if you like.
Let it rest before slicing: Give the meatloaf 5-10 minutes to rest after cooking. It’ll hold together much better when you cut into it – ask me how I know!

Serving Ideas

This is proper comfort food, so I like to keep the sides simple.

Creamy mashed potatoes: My first choice every time. They’re perfect for soaking up that sticky Sloppy Joe sauce.
Mac and cheese: If you’re leaning into comfort food, this is a combination that’s hard to beat.
Roasted or steamed vegetables: Green beans, broccoli, peas, or carrots all work well alongside the rich meatloaf.
A simple side salad: If you want to lighten things up a little, a crisp green salad is a great contrast.
Dinner rolls or garlic bread: Perfect for mopping up any extra sauce left on your plate.

Don’t forget about the leftovers, either. Cold slices of this meatloaf make an incredible sandwich the next day, especially loaded into soft buns with a little extra Sloppy Joe sauce.

Storage & Reheating

Let the meatloaf cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can freeze the whole meatloaf or individual slices for up to 3 months. Wrap well and store in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating. Warm slices in the microwave or cover with foil and reheat in the oven until heated through.

Spoon over a little extra Sloppy Joe sauce before reheating to keep the meatloaf nice and juicy!

Substitutes

Ground beef: Lean ground turkey or ground chicken work well if you’d prefer a lighter version.
Sloppy Joe sauce: Use your favorite brand, or homemade Sloppy Joe sauce if you have some on hand.
Cornbread stuffing mix: Any boxed stuffing mix, such as chicken or herb, can be used instead.
Brown sugar: Swap it for honey or maple syrup if that’s what you have in the pantry.
Ground pork: Replace up to half of the ground beef with ground pork for an even juicier meatloaf.

Crockpot Sloppy Joe Meatloaf

This crockpot sloppy Joe meatloaf is an easy twist on a classic comfort food dinner. Made with a few clever shortcut ingredients, it's tender, juicy, and finished with a rich, sticky Sloppy Joe glaze that's perfect served with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetables.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Course Main Course

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 (15 ounce) cans sloppy joe sauce
1 (6 ounce) box cornbread stuffing mix
2 eggs
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

Line the bottom of your slow cooker with foil.
In a large bowl combine the ground beef, 1 can of sloppy joe sauce mix, the stuffing mix and the 2 eggs.
Once all combined form into a loaf and place into your slow cooker.
Mix the remaining can of sloppy joe sauce with the brown sugar.
Spoon half of the sloppy joe brown sugar sauce over the meatloaf and set the rest in the refrigerator for later.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking add the remaining sloppy joe brown sugar sauce.
Garnish with parsley if you prefer.
Slice and serve!

If you’ve tried this recipe at home, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a comment and a star rating below. It means the world to me, and it also helps other readers who might be thinking about trying one of my recipes for the first time.

Save This On Pinterest!