Sloppy joes are one of those weeknight dinners that always deliver, and these 32 sloppy joe recipes prove how far the format can stretch when you start playing with the sauce, the spice level, and even what you serve them on. From a Gochujang version with real Korean heat to a Bombay take with Indian spices, slow cooker casseroles, and formats that skip the bun entirely, there is a version in here worth saving for every situation.
Jump to:
- What makes these recipes special?
- Top Tips
- Big Mac Sloppy Joes
- Gochujang Sloppy Joes
- Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes
- Old Fashioned Chicken Gumbo Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Pasta Skillet
- Wimpies (Easy Sloppy Joes)
- Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
- Whole30 Sloppy Joes (Paleo)
- Chipotle Sloppy Joes (No Ketchup)
- Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe
- Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
- Easy Sloppy Joe Bake with Crescent Rolls
- Tex Mex Sloppy Joes
- Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joes with Cheese
- Bombay Sloppy Joes
- Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups
- Big Mac Sloppy Joes
- Taco Sloppy Joes
- Texas Toast Sloppy Joes
- Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
- Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Dairy Free Sloppy Joes
- Easy Slow Cooker Mississippi Sloppy Joes
- 3-Ingredient Sloppy Joes
- Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Cheesy Sloppy Joe Macaroni Casserole
- Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joe Sliders
- Easy Instant Pot Sloppy Joes (Pantry Meal)
- Comments
The sloppy joe format works because the sweet-savory ground beef filling is almost impossible to mess up once you understand the formula, and that reliability is exactly what makes it take on other flavors so well. Swapping ketchup for chipotle peppers or gochujang paste still lands with the same satisfying saucy result, which is why the boldest versions in this collection feel just as at home as the straight classics.
Format changes are just as interesting here as the flavor twists. A Sloppy Joe Pasta Skillet tosses the filling with noodles in a single pan, the crescent roll bake turns it into something you scoop rather than stack, and a Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese presses it between buttered bread for a version that is far easier to eat than a traditional sandwich. Slow cooker fans will find a Mississippi-style take and a Korean Beef version in here too, and there are Whole30 and gluten-free directions covered for anyone who needs them.
Top Tips
- Actually brown the meat before you add anything else. Sloppy joe filling is only as flavorful as the beef underneath it, and meat that is barely cooked through tastes flat no matter what sauce you pour over it. Get the pan hot, break it up, and let it develop real color before you start building anything.
- Drain the fat after browning. Ground beef releases a lot of fat as it cooks, and leaving it in the pan makes the filling greasy and prevents the sauce from thickening properly. Drain completely before adding your liquid ingredients so the sauce can actually reduce and stick to the meat.
- Let the sauce simmer uncovered until it thickens. A sloppy joe filling that hits the bun too early will soak through and fall apart in about 30 seconds. Give it 10 to 15 minutes of uncovered simmering over medium-low heat so the moisture cooks off and the sauce gets thick enough to hold its shape.
- Toast or upgrade whatever you put it on. A standard hamburger bun is no match for wet sloppy joe filling unless it has been toasted first. Two minutes in a dry skillet or under the broiler creates a surface that actually stands up to the sauce. Texas toast, garlic bread, and slider rolls all work even better and are worth trying.
- Season at the end, not just the beginning. The sauce reduces as it cooks, which concentrates the salt and sweetness, so what tastes right before simmering can be off by the time it finishes. Taste and adjust right before serving rather than front-loading all your seasoning at the start.
Big Mac Sloppy Joes
All the flavors of a Big Mac in sloppy joe form with special sauce, pickles, and the works on a toasted bun. A drive-thru inspired weeknight dinner that delivers on the concept.
Photo credit: The Salted Pepper
Gochujang Sloppy Joes
Gochujang paste brings fermented, spicy, slightly sweet heat to a sloppy joe that is genuinely different from every other version here. Worth making if you keep gochujang in your fridge.
Photo credit: Chili Pepper Madness
Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joe filling loaded onto toasted garlic bread instead of a bun for a version that holds up better and adds garlic flavor to every bite. A small swap with a noticeable payoff.
Photo credit: The Cookin Chicks
Old Fashioned Chicken Gumbo Sloppy Joes
A retro version that uses canned chicken gumbo soup as part of the sauce. Nostalgic and unlike anything else in this collection.
Photo credit: Recipes Made with Love
Sloppy Joe Pasta Skillet
All the sloppy joe flavors tossed with pasta in a single skillet for a bun-free dinner that comes together fast. A format change that actually works and is easier to serve than a sandwich.
Photo credit: Cooking with Curls
Wimpies (Easy Sloppy Joes)
Wimpies is the old-school name for sloppy joes in a lot of households, and this version leans into the classic sweet-savory sauce that made it popular in the first place. Straightforward and reliable.
Photo credit: It Is a Keeper
Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
A slow cooker version that stays warm and ready without any active attention once it is going, which makes it ideal when dinner needs to happen on your schedule. Low-maintenance and reliable.
Photo credit: Slow Cooker Meals
Whole30 Sloppy Joes (Paleo)
A Whole30 and paleo version that skips refined sugar and ketchup while still delivering familiar sloppy joe flavor. A solid option when you are doing a reset and do not want to give up a comfort food staple.
Photo credit: Organically Addison
Chipotle Sloppy Joes (No Ketchup)
Chipotle peppers replace ketchup entirely for a smoky, spicy filling that skips the sweet-tangy base altogether. Worth making when you want real heat and depth in the sauce.
Photo credit: Midwexican
Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe
A scratch-made sloppy joe with a sweet and tangy sauce that skips anything from a can and builds real flavor from the ground up. Reliable and uncomplicated for a quick weeknight dinner.
Photo credit: The Food Hussy
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
Sloppy joe filling pressed between buttered bread with melted cheese and grilled until golden for a version that is far easier to eat than a traditional sandwich. A mashup that works better than it sounds.
Photo credit: The Cooking Duo
Easy Sloppy Joe Bake with Crescent Rolls
Sloppy joe filling baked under crescent roll dough for a casserole-style dinner you scoop rather than stack. A bun-free format that serves a crowd without individual assembly.
Photo credit: The Freckled Cook
Tex Mex Sloppy Joes
Tex-Mex spices take the sloppy joe somewhere with cumin, chili, and southwestern heat that goes well past what the classic sauce delivers. A solid direction when you want more going on in the filling.
Photo credit: Chew Out Loud
Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes
Clean-ingredient sloppy joes built from scratch without any processed shortcuts in the sauce. A foundational recipe for understanding how the classic is actually supposed to taste.
Photo credit: 100 Days of Real Food
Sloppy Joes with Cheese
Classic filling on Texas toast with melted cheese on top for a version that feels more substantial than the standard bun approach. The thick toast and cheese make this one a proper sit-down dinner.
Photo credit: Happy Honey Kitchen
Bombay Sloppy Joes
An Indian-spiced take with warm spices that takes the filling completely away from the tomato-ketchup classic. One of the more adventurous directions in this entire collection.
Photo credit: Good Dinner Mom
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Set it in the morning and it is warm and ready by dinner, with no active attention needed once the lid goes on. A low-maintenance version worth keeping in regular rotation.
Photo credit: I Heart Eating
Sloppy Joe Biscuit Cups
Filling baked inside individual biscuit cups for a portable, portion-sized format that works well when feeding a group. A fun alternative to the standard sandwich that is easier to serve.
Photo credit: Kitchen Gone Rogue
Big Mac Sloppy Joes
Another take on the Big Mac sloppy joe with the signature toppings and sauce in a fast weeknight format. Worth comparing to the other Big Mac version in this list to see which approach you prefer.
Photo credit: My Rad Kitchen
Taco Sloppy Joes
Taco seasoning and sloppy joe sauciness on a bun, a mashup that brings two familiar weeknight flavors together in one quick dinner. A fun direction when you cannot decide between the two.
Photo credit: Tessie's Table
Texas Toast Sloppy Joes
Filling served on thick Texas toast that holds up to the sauce far better than a standard hamburger bun. A simple change that keeps the whole sandwich intact and makes it more satisfying to eat.
Photo credit: Mess for Less
Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
A classic from-scratch sloppy joe with a sweet, tangy sauce that does not need a can of anything to get there. Reliable and familiar every single time you make it.
Photo credit: Copy Kat
Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
Sliced beef, peppers, onions, and provolone in a sloppy joe-style sandwich that captures Philly cheesesteak flavors in a faster weeknight format. A hearty dinner that stands on its own.
Photo credit: The Rustic Foodie
Sloppy Joe Casserole
Sloppy joe filling baked into a casserole format that is easy to serve to a larger group without assembling individual sandwiches. A practical option when you need dinner on the table for more than a few people.
Photo credit: Living Chirpy
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Gluten-free filling stuffed into baked sweet potatoes for a bun-free version that is filling on its own. The sweet potato works surprisingly well against the savory sloppy joe base.
Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear
Dairy Free Sloppy Joes
A sloppy joe made without any dairy for a version that works for anyone avoiding it, without losing the classic flavor the filling is known for. Clean and approachable for any weeknight.
Photo credit: The Urben Life
Easy Slow Cooker Mississippi Sloppy Joes
Mississippi pot roast flavors applied to sloppy joes in the slow cooker, with ranch, butter, and pepperoncini doing most of the work. A version that stands out from every other slow cooker sloppy joe here.
Photo credit: Simply Stacie
3-Ingredient Sloppy Joes
Three ingredients is all it takes for this gluten-free version, keeping the process as stripped down as a sloppy joe can get. A pantry dinner for the nights when you have almost nothing to work with.
Photo credit: The Short Order Cook
Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe
A smoky chipotle sloppy joe that comes together in 15 minutes with bold flavor that does not taste rushed. A fast weeknight dinner with actual depth in the sauce.
Photo credit: The Slow Roasted Italian
Cheesy Sloppy Joe Macaroni Casserole
Sloppy joe filling combined with macaroni and melted cheese in a baked casserole that feeds a crowd from one pan. A comfort food mashup that works for potlucks and busy weeknights equally well.
Photo credit: Noshing With the Nolands
Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joe Sliders
Vegetables blended into the sloppy joe sauce and served on slider rolls for a portion-sized version that sneaks in extra nutrition without anyone noticing. A practical option for picky eaters at the table.
Photo credit: Dizzy Busy and Hungry!
Easy Instant Pot Sloppy Joes (Pantry Meal)
Pantry ingredients and an Instant Pot make a quick sloppy joe ready in a fraction of the time. A convenient option when dinner needs to happen fast and the fridge is not fully stocked.
Photo credit: Recipes From A Pantry
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