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Sloppy Joe Sliders use simple ingredients, are ready in only 30 minutes, and will be loved by both kids and adults! They work great as a party appetizer or serve for a fun family dinner.
Try my delicious Hawaiian Chicken Sliders next!
Why We Love This Recipe
- Family Friendly – Regular Sloppy Joes are a hit with both kids and adults and these Sloppy Joe Sliders are no different!
- Versatile – While ground beef is the classic choice, you can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a meatless alternative to make this recipe.
- Make Ahead Friendly – I love prepping the Sloppy Joe filling in advance then prepping and baking the sliders just before dinner time.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Sloppy Joe Sliders
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This recipe is easy to make and takes only 30 minutes start to finish!
Prep – Start by getting the oven preheating and heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil.
Cook Beef – Add the ground beef to the skillet and brown until nearly cooked through. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
Sloppy Joe Mixture – Drain the grease from the beef then add the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings. Stir to combine and cook until the beef is coated and everything has warmed through. Mixture should be a bit thicker than traditional Sloppy Joe’s.
Prep Buns – Meanwhile, place the bottom halves of the buns in a 9”x13” pan and toast for 5-6 minutes or until starting to get golden brown.
Assemble Sliders – Divide the Sloppy Joe mixture evenly over the bottom buns. Top each slider with a half slice of American cheese, if using, and place the top buns back on. Brush top buns all over with melted butter and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
Bake – Cover lightly with foil and bake until the cheese is melted. If you like, you can place the sloppy joes back in the oven, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes to crisp up the top buns. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
These sliders work great as a party appetizer or a family-friendly dinner! When serving for dinner, we like to round out the meal by adding a big salad like this copycat Olive Garden Salad or Steakhouse Chopped Salad. Or add a side of roasted vegetables like Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Carrots.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
These are best served right away and do not keep well as the buns will get soggy quickly. It is best to store the leftover meat sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and separately from the buns.
Recipe Tips
- Prep in Advance – Prepare the sloppy joe sauce and meat mixture and store in the fridge until ready to use. Assemble the sliders as directed.
- Cheese Choices – We like the meltability of American cheese, but cheddar or provolone would work well too.
- Other Slider Buns – You could substitute king’s Hawaiian rolls for the slider buns, but they are much thinner and more delicate and are likely to fall apart or break down sooner than a more sturdy slider roll.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning – If you do not have everything bagel seasoning you can make your own by combining sesame seeds, poppyseed, granulated garlic, dried onion flakes, and salt. You could also just use sesame or poppyseeds.
- Drain Excess Grease – After browning the beef, it’s important to drain off any excess grease. This helps prevent the final dish from being too oily. You can use a slotted spoon or transfer the meat to a colander lined with paper towels to remove the excess fat. Make sure not to pour the excess grease down the sink, as it can clog pipes, and instead discard in the trash.
More Slider Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Sliders (Instant Pot Recipe)
- Easy Meatball Sliders
- Roast Beef Sliders
- Muffuletta Sliders
- Taco Sliders
Sloppy Joe Sliders
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds Lean ground beef
- 1 Yellow onion diced small
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- ¾ cup Ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 12 Slider buns
- 6 slices American cheese optional
- 4 tablespoons Salted butter melted
- 1 ½ tablespoons Everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet large skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and brown until nearly cooked through; about 4-5 minutes. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Drain excess grease and return the pan to medium heat. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings and cook until beef is coated and everything has warmed through. The mixture should be a bit thicker than a traditional sloppy Joe mix. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
- While sauce cooks, place the bottom halves of the buns in a 9”x13” pan and toast for 5-6 minutes or until starting to get golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- Divide meat evenly over the bottom buns; a cookie scoop works great for this. Top each with a half slice of American cheese if using, and place the top buns back on. Brush top buns all over with melted butter and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
- Cover lightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. If you like, you can place the sloppy joes back in the oven for 3-4 minutes to crisp up the top buns. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
