• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Urban Bliss Life logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • contact
  • shop
  • cookbooks
  • cooking classes
  • resources
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • 30-Minute Meals
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Asian recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Dairy-free Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Entertaining Recipes
    • Filipino Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • 5 Ingredients
    • Kid-Friendly Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Dog Treats
  • Wine
    • Oregon Wine Guide
    • Washington Wine
    • California Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
    • Wine Country
    • Wine Tips & Wine Pairings
  • Travel
    • Europe
      • Greece
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Liechtenstein
      • The Netherlands
      • Switzerland
      • The UK (United Kingdom)
    • Canada
    • USA travel
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Montana
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • Oregon Travel Ideas
      • Utah
      • Washington
      • New Orleans
    • Travel Gear
    • Japan
    • Travel Tips
    • Hotels
    • Family Travel
  • Restaurants
  • About
    • Work With Urban Bliss Life
    • Press
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Work With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » Sloppy Joe Sliders recipe

    Published: March 18, 2020 / Updated: March 17, 2020 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Sloppy Joe Sliders recipe

    48 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Sloppy Joe Sliders
    Sloppy Joe Sliders

    Sloppy Joe Sliders are a fun and delicious way to enjoy a more delicious, lightened up version of a childhood cafeteria classic! Bonus: this can easily be made with pantry and freezer items you already have on hand!

    close up of one of the Sloppy Joe Sliders

    If you went to public school in the 1960s through 1990s, you most likely need no introduction to Sloppy Joes.

    This childhood cafeteria classic consisted of ground beef, onion, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and a few other fixings. The filling was ladled sloppily between a hamburger bun.

    It was messy, tangy, and filled you up. This was definitely a two-handed sandwich, plus countless napkins. It was ridiculous... and ridiculously satisfying.

    The hungry person's sandwich: a Manwich

    landscape photo of Sloppy Joe Slider meat with three sliders

    It was such a popular dish that in the 1960s, it was turned into a canned creation: Manwich. The overarching message of those television commercials back then was clear: if you are hungry and need a manly meal, you go for a Manwich.

    Now, I don't see these two-handed, messy sandwiches on restaurant menus as much these days. I don't even think they serve them at schools for hot lunch anymore. All probably with good reason: as they were, they were not the healthiest of dishes.

    So I've lightened them up a little with this recipe. If you're hungry for a little nostalgia, but you don't necessarily want the fat & calories of the original, try my version in sliders form!

    Sloppy Joe Sliders

    Sloppy Joe Sliders

    These Sloppy Joe Sliders:

    • have a rich, tangy sauce
    • are easier to eat than full-size Sloppy Joes
    • are made with ground turkey instead of the original ground beef/ground pork of the past
    • have more heart healthy veggies in them than the classic
    • can be made into true indulgent comfort food by adding shredded cheese to the top of the filling

    These can also be made with simple pantry & freezer staples you likely already have on hand: ground meat, canned tomatoes, ketchup, spices, frozen carrots and red peppers, onions and garlic.

    How do you make Sloppy Joe Sliders from scratch?

    Sloppy Joe Slider meat and two sliders

    Making Sloppy Joe Sliders from scratch is super easy!

    Simply sauté the onions, garlic, red peppers, and carrots. Add the ground meat and sauté until cooked through. Sprinkle in the spices and stir. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, water, and brown sugar. Stir, and then allow those beautiful ingredients to simmer together for about 20-25 minutes.

    Taste the filling regularly during this time and adjust the spices to your personal preference.

    Scoop onto Hawaiian rolls and gobble up!

    How much hamburger do I need for Sloppy Joes?

    Sloppy Joe Slider meat

    Traditional Sloppy Joes call for ground beef and/or ground pork. For this lightened up version, I use ground turkey. We almost always cook with ground turkey in my house.

    You will need one pound of ground turkey to make these sloppy joe sliders.

    What should I serve with Sloppy Joe Sliders?

    These meaty, rich Sloppy Joe Sliders go well with so many side dishes and salads. Because they're so filling on their own, opt for a lighter side dish that won't compete with the big bold flavors of Sloppy Joe meat.

    Try serving one or two of these recipes as side dishes with the sliders:

    • BLT pasta salad in a white bowl with wooden serving spoons overhead on an aqua checkered tablecloth. BLT Pasta Salad
    • Creamy confetti corn side dish recipe Creamy Confetti Corn
    • Summer Corn & Quinoa Caprese Salad with tomatoes Quinoa Caprese Salad with Summer Corn
    • Grilled or Sautéed Corn with Basil Butter Perfect BBQ Side Dish Recipe: Corn with Basil Lime Butter
    close up of one of the Sloppy Joe Sliders

    Sloppy Joe Sliders

    5 from 7 votes
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    Sloppy Joe Sliders are yummy hand-held bites packed with flavorful Sloppy Joe meat!
    Servings: 8 sliders
    PRINT PIN RATE

    Ingredients

    • 1 loaf of Hawaiian Rolls 12 rolls
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
    • ½ cup carrots finely chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • dash of salt
    • 1 pound ground turkey
    • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes
    • 1 6- ounce can tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ¼ cup water
    • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once pan is hot, add onion, carrots, pepper, and garlic. Lightly salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft and slightly translucent.
    • Increase heat to medium-high, then add the ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to stir and break up into smaller pieces while cooking until the meat is lightly brown with no pink visible, about 3-4 minutes.
    • Add ground paprika and chili powder, then stir to mix the spices well into the ground meat and vegetables.
    • Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, water, and brown sugar. Stir gently to combine all ingredients and cook at this heat for 1 minute.
    • Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes, just until the flavors permeate throughout all of the ingredients and the sauce has slightly thickened.
    • Meanwhile, halve Hawaiian rolls and place onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 5 minutes, just until lightly toasted.
    • When the meat mixture is done, scoop heaping spoonfuls onto each roll. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Best way to add cheese to Sloppy Joes: place bottom bottom halves of slider rolls onto a baking sheet, top with the cooked meat, then sprinkle on shredded cheese. Place tops of slider rolls on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F just until cheese has melted, about 3-4 minutes.
    MAKE AHEAD: Make the meat and refrigerate overnight. When you're ready to serve, remove the meat from the refrigerator and heat in a saucepan or microwave before making the sliders and serving. 
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

    PIN IT:

    Sloppy Joe Sliders
    « Air Fryer Whole Chicken
    Costco Meal Plan for One Month »
    48 shares

    Get recipes, travel tips, deals and more delivered to your inbox!

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Katie says

        March 18, 2020 at 3:30 pm

        5 stars
        This looks amazing! Can't wait to try it.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:24 am

          Let me know how you like it! Thanks, Katie!

      2. Anita says

        March 18, 2020 at 2:01 pm

        5 stars
        Sloppy Joe is indeed a great dish to serve for a family gathering. :)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:24 am

          Agreed! Thank you, Anita! :)

      3. Veena Azmanov says

        March 18, 2020 at 1:58 pm

        5 stars
        Tasty snack for any meal. Awesome picnic option too.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:23 am

          Thanks, Veena! :)

      4. Irina says

        March 18, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        5 stars
        What a great party idea these Sloppy Joes! Love the effortless making and gathering people around to help. It is a fun project for the summertime.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:22 am

          I'm definitely going to break these out this summer! Thanks, Irina!

      5. Andrea Metlika says

        March 18, 2020 at 1:04 pm

        5 stars
        These are perfect for a family meal. They look fantastic!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 20, 2020 at 12:22 am

          Thanks so much, Andrea!

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Primary Sidebar

      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

      Featured In

      Urban Bliss Life Press Featured In graphic

      Spring Recipes

      • overhead photo of stacked lucky charms cereal bars on a green plate.
        Lucky Charms Cereal Bars
      • grilled salmon with lemon, garlic, and herbs, with lemon slices on a white plate.
        Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Herbs
      • strawberry crinkle cookies on a plate
        Strawberry Crinkle Cookies
      • several cheesy spinach mini frittatas stacked.
        Cheese and Spinach Mini Frittata Recipe

      New Recipes

      • jar of crab stock and label that reads Crab Stock.
        Easy Homemade Crab Stock
      • Jolibee spaghetti in a bowl with parsley, shredded cheese, and side of salt and pepper.
        Jollibee Spaghetti (Filipino-style Spaghetti)
      • Jayme-Schotland Family with Chef Andrew Zimmern for Family Dinner TV Show.
        Family Dinner TV Show Features the Jayme-Schotland Family
      • crab pancit filipino noodles in a large bowl, with slices veggies and chunks of crab meat.
        Crab Pancit

      New Travel Tips

      • glass of red wine next to a bottle of Bells Up Winery pinot noir.
        Bells Up Winery
      • The Prayer Hall of Wat Chalong temple in Phuket, Thailand.
        Wat Chalong Temple
      • four dinner dishes of pasta, tacos, seafood benedict, and vegan mac and cheese with title text that reads Victoria BC restaurants.
        Downtown Victoria Restaurants
      • images of four different temples in Bangkok, Thailand with title text overlay.
        Best Bangkok Temples
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Pinterest
      • Instagram
      • YouTube

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      logos of media outlets that have featured urban bliss life.

      Recipes

      • 30-Minute Meals
      • 5-Ingredients
      • Air Fryer
      • Asian
      • Dairy-Free
      • Pasta
      • Seafood

      About

      • About
      • FAQs
      • Privacy & Accessibility Policy
      • Terms & Conditions

      Contact

      • Contact
      • Work with me

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
      Copyright © 2022 Urban Bliss Life

      All rights reserved. You may not use any photos or recipes on this site for any personal or commercial use without my express written permission.