Make these Sloppy Joe Sliders for your next party! You can make the sloppy joe ahead of time, then assemble your sliders when you are ready to eat!

two sloppy joe sliders on a plate with chips and pickles

A Note from Teri About Sloppy Joe Sliders

Sloppy Joes are an all time favorite of mine. I made them all the time when my kids were growing up, and it was an absolute staple in our home. I’ve had this recipe for many years and I’ve added some little tweaks along the way, such as adding sumac and aleppo pepper. So it’s not your mother’s recipe or a Manwich twist, but it adds some extra flavors that are so delicious and really make it next level. Everyone in the family is going to love this recipe!

While they are so great on a roll with mustard and a pickle, with the trend of pull apart sliders going around, I knew I had to make sloppy joe sliders! These are so delicious, and it’s a great way to feed a crowd at your next party. While the sloppy joes require a bit of prep time, you can do it in advance. You can even make a double batch and freeze the rest so it’s ready to use next time you want these sliders.

Ingredients And Variations

ingredients for sloppy joe sliders in small bowls on a baking sheet
  • Ground beef
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • White or yellow onion
  • Celery stalk
  • Red bell pepper
  • Garlic, minced
  • Smoked paprika, fresh dry mustard, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, Aleppo pepper, sumac
  • Dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  • Balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar
  • Tomatoes with their liquid (fire-roasted if possible)
  • Tomato paste
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Hot sauce, optional
  • Slider buns
  • Mozzarella or cheddar cheese
  • Sliced pickles
  • Marinated Red Onions
  • Potato chips

I absolutely love the flavor you get from adding Aleppo pepper and sumac, but you can omit them if you don’t have them on hand.

To keep these gluten free, simply leave out the Worcestershire (or grab a gluten-free Worcestershire) and make sure your slider buns are gluten free!

How to Make Sloppy Joe Sliders

Ground meat peppers celery onion
adding tomato puree

Step One: Make Your Sloppy Joe Mixture

Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add olive oil and the beef. Add half the salt and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat. 

Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic, and cook until meat is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rest of the salt, smoked paprika, dry mustard, pepper, cayenne pepper, and the optional Aleppo pepper and sumac, stirring to combine. 

Stir in the brown sugar and vinegars then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and all remaining optional ingredients (chipotle peppers, Worcestershire and hot sauce). Stir to combine well.

adding water to bain marie with a red dutch oven in it
teri stirring sloppy joe in a red dutch oven resting on an oven rack

Step Two: Cook Low and Slow

Transfer to a slow cooker, cover and cook on low, stirring every ninety minutes, until done, about 6 hours. I like to try a bit along the way and decide when it tastes perfect. You may end up cooking between 4-6 hours, depending on your idea of the perfect Sloppy Joe. Add more sugar or vinegar as desired.

You can also keep it in the Dutch oven and cook at 250F in a Bain Marie (set the Dutch oven in a large roasting pan with a few inches of water in it) for 4-6 hours. . Doing so will ensure the meat doesn’t dry out too much. Make sure to replenish the water in the pan as needed during cooking time. 

teri scooping sloppy joe mix onto slider buns
cheese layered on top of sloppy joe sliders

Step Three: Make the Sliders

When ready to make the sliders, turn your oven to 350F. Slice the buns horizontally, parallel to your cutting surface. Place the bottom of the buns in a baking dish or pan and top with a layer of cheese slices. Spoon a generous amount of the Sloppy Joe mixture and top with more cheese. Close the sliders with the top buns and brush with melted butter. 

Loosely cover the baking dish or pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese, then remove the foil and leave in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until the buns look golden brown. When done, remove the sliders from the oven.  Serve with pickles, marinated onions, and chips on the side! 

sloppy joe sliders on a baking tray on a red and white striped napkin

Storage and Reheating

You can make the Sloppy Joe’s sliders now, or you can let the Sloppy Joe’s mixture cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freezer. Simply thaw before using (if frozen), and warm in a pan before making your sliders!

Slow Cooker vs Oven

I know most people have a slow cooker, but not me! I’m a gal that loves to use my oven. I still use a bain-marie (pronounced “bane mah-REE”). It sounds fancier, but it’s really just a hot water bath in cooking. It’s my personal favorite way to cook these sloppy joes, but you can certainly use your slow cooker!

Try These Other Slider Recipes

If you are looking for a Whole30 version of Sloppy Joes, click here.

If you make this Sloppy Joe Sliders recipe, be sure to rate and review the recipe to let me know what you think. And if you want to follow along, head to Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest for more inspiration!

Print
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two sloppy joe sliders on a plate with chips and pickles

Sloppy Joe Sliders

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  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 40 min
  • Cook Time: 5 hr 30 min
  • Total Time: 6 hr 10 min
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

Make these Sloppy Joe Sliders for the perfect party food!

Ingredients

  •   1 1/4 pounds ground beef
  •   1 – 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, if needed
  •   2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided plus additional to taste
  •   1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped
  •   1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  •   ½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
  •   2 cloves garlic, minced
  •   2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  •   1 teaspoon fresh dry mustard (if yours is from 1989 it’s time to invest in a new one)
  •   ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  •   1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  •   1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper, optional
  •   1 teaspoon sumac, optional
  •   2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, firmly packed
  •   1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or 2 tablespoons if not using apple cider vinegar)
  •   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  •   1 14-oz can tomatoes with their liquid (fire- roasted if possible), 
  •   1 6 oz can tomato paste
  •   1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, optional (if you like your  Joes spicy!)
  •   1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, optional (if gluten-free, leave this ingredient out)
  •   A few dashes of hot sauce, optional
  •   2 packages of slider buns (6 count), small brioche rolls (6 count), or hawaiian rolls (12 count) (gluten-free or regular)
  •   24 ounces mozzarella or cheddar cheese, sliced

Optional:

Instructions

  1. Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and the beef. Add half the salt and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat. 
  2. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic, and cook until meat is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rest of the salt, smoked paprika, dry mustard, pepper, cayenne pepper, and the optional Aleppo pepper and sumac, stirring to combine. 
  3. Stir in the brown sugar and vinegars then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and all remaining optional ingredients (chipotle peppers, Worcestershire and hot sauce). Stir to combine well.
  4. Transfer to a slow cooker, cover and cook on low, stirring every ninety minutes, until done, about 6 hours. I like to try a bit along the way and decide when it tastes perfect. You may end up cooking between 4-6 hours, depending on your idea of the perfect Sloppy Joe. Add more sugar or vinegar as desired.
  5. You can also keep it in the Dutch oven and cook at 250F in a Bain Marie (set the Dutch oven in a large roasting pan with a few inches of water in it) for 4-6 hours. . Doing so will ensure the meat doesn’t dry out too much. Make sure to replenish the water in the pan as needed during cooking time. 
  6. Note: To make a double batch for meal prep, I suggest you double the ingredients except for the paprika, cayenne pepper, and Aleppo pepper and sumac, if using. For those, you can do 1.5 times the written amount. 
  7. You can make the Sloppy Joe’s sliders now, or you can let the Sloppy Joe’s mixture cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge or in the freezer. Simply thaw before using (if frozen), and warm in a pan before making your sliders!. 
  8. When ready to make the sliders, turn your oven to 350F. 
  9. Slice the buns horizontally, parallel to your cutting surface. Place the bottom of the buns in a baking dish or pan and top with a layer of cheese slices. Spoon a generous amount of the Sloppy Joe mixture and top with more cheese. Close the sliders with the top buns and brush with melted butter. 
  10. Loosely cover the baking dish or pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 10 minutes to melt the cheese, then remove the foil and leave in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until the buns look golden brown. When done, remove the sliders from the oven. 
  11. Serve with pickles, marinated onions, and chips on the side!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slider
  • Calories: 352
  • Sugar: 6.6 g
  • Sodium: 679.5 mg
  • Fat: 21.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.6 g
  • Protein: 25.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 84.4 mg


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