What to Serve with Sloppy Joes | 20 Recipes Your Family Will Love!
Don’t know what to serve with sloppy joes? These kid-friendly recipes will have your family coming back for seconds.
Sloppy Joes are a staple in many homes, and what you serve them with can make or break the meal. If you’re looking for some new ideas on what to serve with sloppy joes, here are some kid-friendly recipes that I think go great with these sandwiches!
Sloppy joes are perfect for kids because they can be served on buns, as sliders, or even over pasta. If you’re looking for what to serve with sloppy joes that are creative and healthy, this blog post is just what you need!
When I was a kid, I always requested sloppy joes for my birthday. It’s always been one of my favorites and to this day, sloppy joes bring me back to my childhood. Typically my mom would serve sloppy joes with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and some steamed broccoli.
Since sloppy joes have always been a family favorite in my house, I thought I’d share some delicious and easy recipes that you can serve with sloppy joes.
Table of Contents
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
If you’re a new cook or have never made sloppy joes for your family you may be wondering what to eat with sloppy joes and I’m here to help! Check out these easy recipes below!
Smothered Potatoes are a very versatile Southern side dish that goes with just about any Southern meal. Learn how to cook smothered potatoes with bell peppers, onions and Cajun or Creole seasonings.
These cheesy scalloped potatoes are super creamy and decadent. Easy to make and absolutely delicious!
This four-cheese Mac and cheese is the ultimate side dish! Made with a creamy cheese sauce and elbow pasta.
This Homemade Creamed Corn Recipe is made with sweet and delicious corn kernels mixed in a creamy sauce made from milk, butter, and cream cheese. Learn how to make this mouthwatering six-ingredient Creamed Corn Recipe on the stove or directly in your slow cooker and enjoy with friends and family!
Veg casserole is absolutely delicious and flavorful. It is a perfect side dish for any occasion.
It doesn’t get much better than golden brown and crispy potatoes with plenty of cheese. That’s why this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole makes a perfect side dish for every meal of the day.
This air fryer baked potato recipe takes the classic method of preparing the dish and makes it a less stressful, more enjoyable experience.
Very easy and simple wedges without pre-boiling the potatoes. You can make this recipe with or without skin.
An easy side dish recipe that tastes like a dessert. Tender sweet potato rounds are covered in a rich, buttery glaze.
Look no further, because this is truly The Best Squash Casserole recipe you'll ever taste. It has everything you love without the added preservatives, and the flavor is amazing!
Fluffy and fork-tender Instant Pot Baked Potatoes from the inside and golden and crispy from the outside! This is a great way to bake potatoes on busy nights.
Melting potatoes are best ever melt-in-your-mouth, super delicious potato recipe! These oven roasted melting potatoes are wonderfully caramelized on the outside, delicate and creamy inside.
Sweet corn casserole is a delicious southern homemade side dish made easily done from scratch.
These rich and Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Thyme are the perfect side dish you will want to enjoy them throughout the year!
When I make sloppy joes for my family, I like to choose a yummy casserole or cheesy dish along with a healthier side option like broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
So the meal would look something like this:
- sloppy joes on a bun
- cheesy scalloped potatoes
- steamed broccoli
Or it might look something like this:
- sloppy joes on a bun
- baked mac and cheese
- steamed peas
Or another option:
- sloppy joes on a bun
- instant pot baked potatoes
- steamed mixed vegetables
It’s important to eat a variety of foods and you always want to think about the colors of the rainbow when you plan your menu! Eat as many colors as possible!
Veggie sides that go great with sloppy joes
- steamed broccoli
- steamed peas
- buttered corn
- mixed vegetables
- Brussels sprouts
Other easy sides that go with sloppy joes
- potato chips
- french fries
- tater tots
- Kraft Mac and Cheese
- apple slices
- raw veggies and dip
Drinks to serve with sloppy joes
I don’t serve a lot of soda in my house, but if the meal is a special occasion like a birthday party, Sprite, Coke, and Rootbeer are great drinks to serve with sloppy joes!
Kool-aid is another one my mom regularly served with sloppy joes when I was a kid.
If you’re from the south like me, you can’t go wrong with sweet tea! And of course, juice is always a great option.
Desserts for kids after eating sloppy joes
Since sloppy joes are a great weeknight meal option, keeping dessert simple is the way to go! Some simple dessert ideas are:
- Cookies and milk
- Fruit salad
- Vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup drizzled on top
- Cake or cupcakes served with milk.
- Rice pudding topped with whipped cream is also a delicious option to serve after sloppy joes!
How to make this dish vegetarian friendly
If you’re looking for a way to make sloppy joes vegetarian, it’s really so simple! Just substitute a package of Morning Star Farms Crumbled Grillers in place of the ground beef in your sloppy joe recipe. You can find Crumbled Grillers in the frozen section of your local grocery store.
Recipes for Other Meals You Can Make With Leftover Sloppy Joe Meat
We rarely have leftover sloppy joes in our house, but when we do, I like to add it to chili, pre-make sandwiches and wrap them in plastic wrap, or serve the sloppy joe meat sauce over mac and cheese!
Tips on Making the Best-Ever Sloppy Joe Sandwich
It’s hard to go wrong with a sloppy joe sandwich no matter how you make it, but here are few tips for making the best-ever sloppy joe sandwich:
- Choose the best, soft and tender buns you can find
- Warm the buns in the oven just before serving
- Top the bottom bun with a generous scoop of sloppy joe sauce and add a dill pickle or two on top of the meat before placing the other bun on top
- Serve with a fork!
I hope that you find these recipes to be a helpful guide when it comes time to put dinner on the table for your family. Don’t forget, if you have any questions about what goes well with sloppy joes or how to make them better for kids, I’m always happy to help! And don’t worry – this isn’t my last blog post on kid-friendly foods.
What’s your favorite side dish to serve with sloppy joes?
