What to Serve with Sloppy Joes: 39 Incredible Side Dishes

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Sloppy Joes is a classic, tried, and true dish that has been enjoyed down through the generations. It tastes delicious and is perfect to serve small groups as well as large groups of people and is easy to make. But before you get going on your Sloppy Joe meal, you’ll want to decide what to serve with Sloppy Joes. Here are some ideas. Let’s dig in.

sloppy joe in a bun on white background

What Goes Well with Sloppy Joes?

Since you’re thinking about what to make with Sloppy Joes, you should know you can make an easy appetizer, soup, salad, potato, pasta, vegetable sides, or even dessert. We have suggestions for each one.

How to Serve Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes are typically served as browned ground beef, with sauce, on a sandwich bun. You can use store-bought hamburger buns, homemade Kaiser buns, everything buns, onion buns, potato buns, or whatever your preference.

If you’re in a pinch and you don’t have access to buns, a couple of slices of bread will also do. And you’ll be glad to hear that we’re having Sloppy Joes.

How to Eat Sloppy Joes

The traditional way to eat Sloppy Joes is to serve the ground meat on a hamburger bun and eat the sandwich by picking it up with your fingers.

Manwich Ideas

You might be familiar with Manwich as the sauce solution for your menu with Sloppy Joes. But actually, we think there’s a better tasting solution. Have you ever tried using ketchup, mustard, and a bit of brown sugar instead of Manwich toppings to make your Sloppy Joe sauce? If not, you should.

After you’ve browned the ground beef and drained the grease, drizzle it with ketchup and mustard until the meat is moistened to the desired amount. Then add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar to the mixture. It’s a favorite!

Sloppy Joe Meal Ideas

Sloppy Joes are perfect eaten alone, but you want to turn it into a meal. Following are Sloppy Joe dinner ideas. Just choose your favorite side from your favorite category to create the best side dish to serve with Sloppy Joes.

Appetizer that Goes with Sloppy Joes

Potato chips and baked beans tend to be a popular go-to sides for Sloppy Joes. But perhaps you want to kick it up a notch and put together sandwich sides other than chips. Here are delicious, but easy homemade appetizers that pair well with Sloppy Joes.

Southwest Snack Mix

Southwest Snack Mix is made with Chex cereal, bagel chips, corn chips, and popped popcorn. Add the homemade Southwest seasoning and mix.

It makes one of those addicting snack mixes as well as an appetizer side dishes for sandwiches at a party. It might be your perfect solution for what to eat with a sandwich besides chips.

Southwest Snack Mix top down view

French Onion Dip

Homemade French Onion Dip is the perfect appetizer if you know you want to serve chips but are looking for those sides for sandwiches besides chips. It kicks it up a notch. Just caramelize your onions and add sour cream, mayonnaise and other ingredients according to the recipe.

barbers french onion dip with garlic

Garlic Parmesan Fries

Use plain fries, but jazz them up a bit by making and applying the perfect garlic parmesan seasoning. These taste like Red Robin’s Garlic Parmesan Fries and have the perfect flavors to go with Sloppy Joes.

Red Robin Garlic Parmesan Fries Recipe verticle

Queso Dip

Queso dip is among other popular appetizers that go with Sloppy Joes. Buffalo Wild Wings Queso Dip Recipe is a homemade cheesy sauce that includes a roux base along with delicious onions, garlic and optional chilies that make it taste great.

You get to custom make it just how you like it. It goes great with chicken wings, fresh tortilla chips, celery slices or even crackers.

buffalo wild wings queso dip with chips

Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms stuffed with a mixture of cheeses, green onions, and Italian flavors to give it a delightful taste. You can make these stuffed mushrooms at home and serve them as an appetizer with your Sloppy Joes.

Stuffed Mushrooms on a plate

Best Soup to Serve with Sloppy Joes

If you’re planning a heartier, comfort food kind of meal, you might select a homemade soup to serve as a side dish to go with Sloppy Joes. Here are our carefully selected, top choices of soups that pair well with Sloppy Joes.And soup can be one of the most popular sides for hot sandwiches.

French Onion Soup

If you’re serving French Onion Soup, you can serve it in a bread bowl or in a regular oven safe bowl. Either way will work. This recipe is quick, easy, and makes a low-cost meal that appears to be very fancy. 

French Onion Soup in a bread bowl

Wonton Soup

Wonton soup can be a very healthy dinner option if you’re in the mood for Asian cuisine along with your Sloppy Joe sandwich. We’ll show you how to easily fold and cook your own wontons using wonton wrappers.

wonton soup homemade

Creamy Tomato Soup

Creamy tomato soup adds a rich flavor to a Sloppy Joe meal. It pairs perfectly as many Sloppy Joe side dishes ideas or most any sandwich for that matter. Creamy tomato soup comes together in a matter of a few minutes with some basic ingredients.

4Bs Tomato Soup side view

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Our recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup is a knockoff from the Applebee’s version of chicken tortilla soup. If it’s made with pre-cooked chicken, it can be put together in 30 minutes or less. And if you used canned vegetables and beans, it can be put together very quickly.

applebees chicken tortilla soup

Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque is a lot like a creamy chowder soup, only kicked up a notch. You can add lobster or crab if it is available. However, a more economic option is to simply use shrimp. Even frozen shrimp is readily available and very acceptable.

Baked Potato Soup

Copycat Saltgrass Steakhouse baked potato soup recipe makes a tasty soup, that tastes like you are eating a baked potato in a bowl. This soup is filling, and easy to make.

finished potato soup

Best Veggie Sides for Sloppy Joes

Serving vegetables with your Sloppy Joes can sometime provide a healthy option. Here are some of the best vegetable side dishes to serve with Sloppy Joe Sandwiches, and healthy sides for sandwiches in general.

Fried Green Beans

PF Chang’s Crispy Green Beans Recipe is one of a kind delicious. The green beans are prepared and deep fried in tempura batter and served with a wonderful zesty dipping sauce. Who wouldn’t love to eat green beans prepared this way?

pf changs crispy green beans in dip

Baked Beans

Van Camp’s Pork and Beans is a great canned bean you can buy from the store. But did you know you can easily make these at home? And they’re the perfect traditional solution for what to eat with sandwiches besides chips.

Van Camps Pork and Beans

Green Bean Bundles

Green Bean Bundles are the perfect combination of fresh green beans melded with the delicious aspects of freshly cooked crispy and salty bacon. They can be put together in a matter of a few minutes and then cooked in the oven to bring the bacon to its browned perfection. Green bean bundles work great as side dishes for roast beef sandwiches and Sloppy Joes.

Green Bean Bundles Paula Deen. Photo by CookThink

Broccoli Salad

Broccoli Salad is a delicious and beautifully colorful dish. If you use lower fat salad dressing it certainly is one of the more healthy sides with sandwiches. And the tangy and creamy flavor of the sauce adds to the wanting to come back for more craving.

From the green of the broccoli to the red of the tomato, purple of the onion, and orange of the cheddar cheese, the salad is visually appealing because of all the wonderful colors.

paula deen's broccoli salad consists of broccoli florets, tomatoes, red onion, bacon, cheddar cheese chunks

Wedge Salad

The wedge salad is one of the more wonderful healthy sides for lunch sandwiches, melding of crisp lettuce with delicious blue cheese dressing as well as some other toppings that make you want to return to it time after time. Some think of a wedge salad as a way of using a plain head of Iceberg lettuce and stepping it up to make it quite classy.

wedge salad calories

Broccoli and Cheese

Broccoli and Cheese Recipe is a delicious way to serve broccoli. It includes a wonderful homemade cheese sauce with seasonings that tastes just like the version that can be ordered at Outback Steakhouse.

Outback Broccoli and Cheese Recipe. Photo by CookThink.

Best Salads to Serve with Sloppy Joes

Salads can often be healthy option to go with Sloppy Joes. Here are our best picks for recommendation to you.

Tomato, Basil, Cucumber

We’d rank this one near the top for healthy side dishes for Sloppy Joes. The fresh flavor of tomato, basil, and cucumber is a healthy option to make with your Sloppy Joes. It’s easy to make for a large or small group of people too.

Panera Tomato Basil Cucumber Salad top down

Strawberry Fields

Strawberry Fields Salad at Culvers begins with a fresh bed of mixed lettuce, deliciously sliced fresh strawberries, roasted salted pecans, blue cheese crumbles, grape tomatoes, chopped green onions and topped with juicy grilled chicken. Serve with raspberry vinaigrette or your favorite salad dressing.

Consider serving Strawberry Fields as one of your sides for sandwiches at a party.

Strawberry Fields Salad Culvers. Photo by CookThink.

Tequilaberry Salad

Once you’ve tried Tequilaberry’s salad, you’ll likely agree that the combination of flavors and textures are addicting. The salad is addicting and it’s good. And you’re bound to want to come back for more. It’s also a good recommendation for healthy sides for blts or lunch sides with sandwiches.

tequilaberry salad with bacon

Watermelon, with Tomato and Feta

In this delightful recipe, and healthy side dishes for sandwiches, the salty feta and slightly bitter olive oil make this salad completely satisfying. And add in some sweet heirloom tomatoes along with wonderfully ripe watermelon. And you have a beautiful treat! 

Greek Salad

What pairs well with Sloppy Joes? Traditional Greek Salad consists of tomatoes, cubes of feta cheese, cucumbers and red onion which can be served plain or even over greens, if desired. The vegetables are prepared in large chunks and tossed with the homemade vinaigrette recipe.

Cabbage Slaw with Dill

What to serve with Sloppy Joes at a party? This cabbage slaw with dill is not your everyday soggy coleslaw. This cabbage slaw is crisp and fresh as well as delicious. It just might be labeled as good sides to go with sandwiches.

It is made with high quality and it’s one that you will want to come back to again and again. Slaw is another traditional side dish for beef sandwiches.

The Best Potato Sides to Eat With Sloppy Joes

What goes with Sloppy Joes? We’ve included our list of starch potato side dishes to pair with Sloppy Joes.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Perhaps you are familiar with your average twice-baked potatoes, but a twice-baked potato casserole is taking it to a whole new level and serving at a side dish with your Sloppy Joes. 

Emeril Twice Baked Potato Casserole close up

Red Skin Potato Fries

Red Skin Potato Fries are a healthy and delicious snack, appetizer, or side dish. Just sprinkle them with bacon bits, green onion trimmings and shredded cheddar cheese. We’ve used a baked recipe to keep them nice and healthy.

And who wouldn’t want Red Skin Potato Fries to add to their list of side dishes to serve with roast beef sandwiches or Sloppy Joes.

Red Skin Potato Fries. Photo by CookThink.

Classic Baked Potato

Oftentimes baked potatoes are bland, and the skin is usually left behind. This recipe for baked potatoes will have you savoring the entire baked potato, even down to the very last bite! It’s one of those easy side dishes for sandwiches, you shouldn’t overlook.

You’ll be tempted to use the remains of your Sloppy Joe Sandwich to mop your plate. Classic baked potato can be an easy solution for what to serve with sandwiches at a party.

red lobster baked potato

Potato Salad

If you’re thinking about what to serve with Sloppy Joes for a crowd, potato salad could be the perfect solution. Potato salads have a base of potatoes, and most contain celery. Hard boiled eggs are often added to the potato salad, along with a dressing and a mixture of seasonings. It’s one of our favorite ways to eat Sloppy Joes.

Costco potato salad close up

Scalloped Potato Roll

A scalloped potato roll is a delicious variation of your typical scalloped potatoes. These unique potatoes look extremely elegant and taste amazing. If you are looking to step up the presentation of your meal, this dish will be perfect for you. 

Scalloped Baked Potato Roll

Hashbrown Casserole

Hashbrown Casserole is made using shredded hash browns then mixed with a sauce made from various ingredients, and finished off with shredded cheddar cheese and Corn Flakes on top. This hash brown casserole is a great recipe for any occasion, especially if you are feeding a large group of people. We’d recommend this one for what goes with hamburgers at a potluck.

Mr Dells Hashbrown cassarole scoop out

Pasta Sides That You Need With Sloppy Joes

Pasta sides are also great sides for Sloppy Joes. There are hot pasta recipes as well as cold pasta recipes. But regardless of whether they’re hot or cold, these are each carefully chosen as Sloppy Joe sides.

Ultimate Mac and Cheese

Ultimate mac and cheese is everyone’s favorite when looking for sides for sandwiches. It is a traditional mac and cheese dish that gives an ultimate spin on the cheese aspect. You can’t go wrong with homemade mac and cheese as a side for your Sloppy Joes.

Ultimate Mac And Cheese scoop close up

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Not only does this delicious dish feature pasta, but it also includes broccoli, chicken, cheese, and tomatoes. This dish is all-around delicious and makes for a low-cost, easy dinner recipe. 

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Cheesecake Factory close up

Four Cheese Pasta

Four cheese pasta typically is made with cooked penne pasta topped with red sauce and four different types of cheese. The cheesecake factory uses Penne Pasta, Mozzarella, Ricotta, Romano cheese, and Parmesan Cheese. You can use whatever types of cheese you prefer. It just might get added to your list of best sides for sandwiches.

Cheesecake Factory Four Cheese Pasta picture 1

Garlic Cream Fettuccine

Pasta with a delicious garlic cream sauce topped with fresh parsley is what makes our mouths water with this California Pizza Kitchen Garlic Cream Fettuccine Recipe. And it will with yours too. If you like pasta, this easy recipe with just 4 steps and a few basic ingredients will become a new favorite for those who gather around your table and will be added on your list of what to serve with sandwiches.

california pizza kitchen creamy garlic fettuccini

Cajun Mac and Cheese

Looking to add a little spice to your Sloppy Joe dinner? Then Cajun mac and cheese just might be the perfect side. It uses a traditional mac and cheese base and then we add some spices to give it that Cajun flair.Cajun mac and cheese might become one of your top sides to go with sandwiches.

cajun mac and cheese with spoon

Best Desserts to Have With Sloppy Joes

To complete your Sloppy Joe meal ideas, why not top it off with an impressive dessert? Dessert can be one of the favorite things to make with Sloppy Joes. Here are some great pairings for dessert.

Banana Split Lasagna

Easy banana split lasagna no bake recipe is a spin off from the traditional ice cream banana split. It includes a wonderful creamy layer and all the classic banana split toppings such as bananas, strawberries, crushed pineapple, topped with whipped cream, a cherry, sprinkles, and nuts.

banana split lasagna

Brownies

Our copycat recipe for Texas Roadhouse’s big ol brownie is super delicious. The big old brownie is a brownie that is topped with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top. 

Big Ol Brownie Texas Roadhouse cover photo

Lemon Pie

Making lemon pie has never been easier than with this Arizona sunshine lemon pie recipe. To make this delicious pie, we will only need a few basic ingredients for the filling, along with your favorite pie crust recipe, or a prepared pie crust. 

Arizona Sunshine Lemon Pie side view

Lemon Bars

Homemade classic lemon bars will make you delighted with the crispy yet buttery crust that is topped with the sweet and sour lemon filling and sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar for a well-rounded delicious lemon treat. Lemon bars are classic sides to serve with sandwiches.

Lemon Bars side view

Lazy Man’s Peach Cobbler

Peach cobbler from scratch has never been easier than with this lazy man’s recipe. Making peach cobbler using this recipe is a version of making peach pie, only much more efficient. It’s so good, you’re going to want to list it as one of your side dishes for sandwiches.

Better than peach cobbler with whipped cream

Cream Soda Cake

Cream soda cake is an easy to make recipe that results in a delicious and moist cake. It can be put together with only 4 ingredients, in a matter of 10 minutes and is ready to bake.

Cream Soda Cake Recipe. Photo by CookThink.

Favorite Sloppy Joe Recipe

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 cup mustard
1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:
1. Brown the ground beef and diced onion over medium heat in a skillet on the stovetop. Drain grease.

2. Add ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Mix well. Warm until heated through. Serve and enjoy.

Conclusion

Whether you came here looking for a healthy side dish for Sloppy Joes, side dishes to go with sandwiches, or to try to figure out what to have with sloppy joes, we trust we were able to help you come up with a solution.

We always love to hear from our readers, so let us know what you chose to make as the perfect side for your Sloppy Joes.

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sides to serve with sloppy joes pinterest pin

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Sarah
Sarah is known for her extra fancy yeast breads, melt in your mouth pies, and everything salads. She has won awards as a home cook, and is passionate about helping others feel smarter in the kitchen. Sarah is the cooking genius of the sister duo.

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