Easy, meaty, and saucy, Sloppy Joe Sliders are packed with delicious flavors, including plenty of melted cheese. They are in Hawaiian rolls and baked into a hot, gooey mini sandwich. It’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Ground beef is browned with a savory sauce, which includes BBQ flavors for an extra kick of deliciousness. It is mixed with onion, peppers, and garlic and simmered to create a rich, thick filling. The filling is placed inside sweet Hawaiian rolls, and Cheddar cheese is added. Tops of the buns are brushed with melted butter before their session in the oven. The result? A hot and melted mini sandwich burger that’s irresistible to kids and adults!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s perfect for game days, snacks, or appetizers
- Can feed a crowd by just doubling or tripling the recipe
- These sliders are kid-approved, even for picky eaters
- It can be an easy weeknight meal ready in under 30 minutes!
How To Make Sloppy Joe Sliders
Ingredients Needed
Lean Ground Beef: you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken.
Bell Peppers: use red and green. Chop them for flavor.
Onion: dice it for flavor.
Garlic: mince it for flavor.
BBQ Sauce: use your favorite brand. This provides a rich tomato-based sauce.
Chili Powder adds a bit of spiciness.
Brown Sugar: gives a touch of sweetness.
Mustard: provides a kick of spice.
Worcestershire Sauce adds depth to the flavor.
Cheddar Cheese: sliced or grated.
Hawaiian Rolls are great, but other slider-sized or dinner rolls also work.
Butter: melted and brushed on top of the rolls before baking.
Sesame Seeds And Parsley are optional garnishes on top.
Note: this is a summary of the instructions. For the complete steps, refer to the recipe card down below.
STEP 1: Brown the ground beef, bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Drain off any grease.
STEP 2: Add the seasonings and BBQ sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes until thick.
STEP 3: Slice the Hawaiian rolls. Place the bottom half on a parchment-lined baking pan. Top with half of the cheddar cheese slices.
STEP 4: Spoon on the sloppy Joe mixture and top with the remaining cheddar cheese slices.
STEP 5: Place the top half of the Hawaiian rolls on and brush the top with melted butter. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and parsley.
STEP 6: Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Variations
- Meat: Swap out the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Seasonings: Do you want a spicy slider? Add a few dashes of hot sauce while browning the meat. You can also add hot peppers for extra heat.
- Are you craving a smoky one? Add a dash of liquid smoke to the filling while simmering.
- Cheese: Swap out the cheddar cheese for Swiss, American, Monterey Jack, or smoked Gouda. Sliced or shredded, it all works!
- Buns: I love Hawaiian rolls, but you can use plain slider buns or even dinner rolls.
How To Slice The Hawaiian Rolls
The Hawaiian Rolls come in a “sheet,” all connected. You want to cut them in half. Slice horizontally with a bread knife. Note: Make sure the bottom half of the buns isn’t too thin. The meaty and saucy filling will weigh down the bun if it is too thin, making it hard to handle once it’s baked.
Can I Make These Ahead Of Time?
You can make the beefy filling ahead of time. Keep refrigerated for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 2 months. Note: I would not make all the baked sliders ahead of time. The filling will soak the buns and make them soggy, even when reheated. You can store baked slider leftovers in the fridge for a few days. Be aware they will be softer. You’ll need a fork to enjoy them!
What To Serve With Sliders
Potato chips, French fries, and onion rings are always classic sides. These salads are also ideal for rounding out these sliders as a complete meal. Try my easy Creamy Macaroni Salad or my delicious Potato Salad. If you like crunchy salads, you’ll want to try my
Broccoli Salad or my Coleslaw.
Storage
Store any leftovers, wrapped in tin foil, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven until hot. I would not reheat in the microwave as this will cause the sliders to become too soft and soggy.
More Delicious Slider Style Recipes
Thanksgiving Sliders
Instant Pot Italian Meatball Sliders
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Easy Funeral Sandwiches
Sloppy Joe Sliders
These Sloppy Joe Sliders are a delicious and easy weeknight
dinner. The flavorful sloppy joe mixture is piled high on soft slider buns with
cheddar cheese. Baked in the oven until the cheese is nice and melty. Always a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Half of a small red bell pepper
- Half of a small green bell pepper
- Half of a small onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 12 slices cheddar cheese
- 12 count Hawaiian Rolls
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- Sesame seeds and parsley for topping
Instructions
- Gather all of the ingredients.
- Add the ground beef, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook until the beef is brown, and drain off any grease.
- Add garlic, BBQ sauce, chili powder, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to the skillet.
- Let everything cook together for about 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Slice Hawaiian rolls in half, place six slices of cheddar on the bottom, and top with the sloppy joe mixture.
- Top the sloppy joe mix with the remaining six cheese slices and the buns' tops.
- Brush the bun tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and parsley.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve while hot.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Add jalapenos to the mixture for a spicy kick.
Use your favorite cheese, pepperjack, or provolone, which would be delicious.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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365 Everyday Value, Unsalted Butter, 16 oz
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McCormick Onion Powder, 2.62 oz
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Amazon Brand - Happy Belly Garlic, Granulated, 3.9 Ounces
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McCormick Chili Powder, 2.5 oz Shaker
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Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce All Natural Kosher - Pack of 2 Bottles - 20oz Each !
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Cattlemen's Kansas City Classic BBQ Sauce, 18 oz
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C&H, Cane Sugar, Golden Brown, 2lb Bag (Pack of 2)
-
King's Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls 12 CT (Pack of 1)
-
13 x 9 Casserole Dish
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 422Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 83mgSodium 833mgCarbohydrates 40gFiber 2gSugar 23gProtein 21g