Sloppy Joes are a longtime favorite at my dinner table, and my kids go wild for this bite-sized slider version. Meet your new weeknight winner: Sloppy Joey’s — easy to make, family-approved, and full of savory flavor.
This recipe keeps things simple: a savory beef and vegetable mixture seasoned with tomato paste, mustard, and coconut aminos, layered with provolone and pickles, then baked inside soft dinner rolls brushed with garlic butter. It’s fast to prepare, easy to customize, and perfect for feeding a hungry crowd or packing into lunches the next day.
Why you’ll love these sliders
These Sloppy Joey’s come together quickly and are built for picky eaters and busy weeknights. The provolone adds a mild, melty layer that balances the tang from mustard and pickles, while the garlic butter brushed on top gives the rolls a golden, aromatic finish. Swap ingredients to suit allergies or preferences, and scale the batch easily to serve more or fewer people.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (plus 2 more for the garlic butter)
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10 recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons butter (for garlic butter)
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 package dinner rolls (I used Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Rock ‘N’ Rolls)
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- ¼ cup sliced dill pickles
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1 — Preheat and prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat a sheet pan or baking dish with non-stick spray.
Step 2 — Sauté the vegetables
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic, and sauté until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Step 3 — Cook the beef
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. Break it up with the edge of a spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat and return the pan to the stove.
Step 4 — Finish the meat mixture
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the salt, pepper, chili powder, tomato paste, mustard, and coconut aminos. Cook until the tomato paste is incorporated and the flavors meld, then remove the skillet from the heat and cover until you’re ready to assemble.
Step 5 — Make the garlic butter
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt together the butter, the remaining minced garlic, and dried parsley. Stir briefly, then remove from heat, cover, and set aside so the butter stays warm while you assemble the sliders.
Step 6 — Assemble the sliders
Slice the rolls in half horizontally so you have tops and bottoms. Arrange the bottom halves in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the bottoms with yellow mustard and spread it evenly. Lay down 4 slices of provolone to create a cheese base, then spoon the beef mixture over the cheese. Top the meat with sliced dill pickles, then add the remaining 4 slices of provolone. Place the roll tops over each slider and brush generously with the garlic butter.
Step 7 — Bake and serve
Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the tops and melt the cheese. Pull apart the sliders and serve immediately.
Tips and Variations
- Make it lighter: Use turkey or leaner ground beef and reduce the butter for the garlic topping.
- Omit the cheese: If you prefer dairy-free sliders, skip the provolone and brush the tops with extra garlic butter or olive oil.
- Spice it up: Add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce to the meat mixture for extra heat.
- Swap the roll: Hawaiian rolls or any soft dinner rolls work well — use what your family prefers.
- Meal prep: Prepare the meat mixture ahead of time and assemble just before baking for quick weeknight dinners.
Recipe Details
Total time: about 30 minutes. Servings: makes 12 sliders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soft dinner rolls work best. I used Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Rock ‘N’ Rolls, but Hawaiian rolls or a similar soft roll are excellent alternatives.
Yes — the sliders are still delicious without cheese. Leave it out to keep the sliders dairy-free or lighter.
Final notes
These Sloppy Joey’s are ideal for busy nights, casual gatherings, and lunchboxes. They’re customizable, kid-friendly, and reliably delicious. Try them as written first, then experiment with your favorite add-ins or swaps to make this recipe your family’s new classic. Comment and share how yours turn out — I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!