Seriously delicious Sloppy Joe Sliders, made with zesty homemade filling, Hawaiian rolls, and melty provolone cheese- so good my family always celebrates when they’re on the menu. These sliders come together in a few beginner-friendly steps with pantry staples (no preservative-laden sauces here!) and make the perfect handheld main for easy dinners, parties, and potlucks!
Why You’ll Love This Hawaiian Roll Sloppy Joe Sliders Recipe:
- Totally Tasty: Soft and buttery rolls are topped with sweet, zesty, and saucy ground beef and melted cheese for a finger-licking good meal. If your family is anything like mine, they won’t stick around for long!
- Versatile: This sloppy joe slider recipe is always a hit, whether serving for an easy weeknight meal, potluck, game day party, or picnic.
- Great for a Crowd: Friends and family can easily grab individual servings and the recipe is super simple to double.
- Simple Prep: If you can chop onions and cook ground meat, you can make this sloppy joe slider recipe. No fancy appliances or advanced cooking skills are needed!
Let’s Get Started! Here’s What You’ll Need:
Ingredients
Ground Beef - I recommend meat that is 85% lean or more for flavor without too much excess grease to drain. If preferred, you can also use ground turkey or chicken.
Onion - We will lightly brown these before the beef, adding naturally sweet flavor. You can use one medium yellow or white onion.
Butter - This adds richness to the sloppy joe filling while keeping the onions from sticking and is also brushed onto the rolls, helping them to crisp up. Use salted butter if possible; otherwise, use unsalted and add a pinch of salt.
Ketchup - The base of the sloppy joe sauce! You will need ¾ cup.
Worcestershire Sauce - Adds a bit of tang and savoriness to the sauce. Don’t have it? Simply substitute soy sauce.
Brown Sugar - Just one tablespoon adds a touch of sweetness!
Seasonings - Grab chili powder, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper for the sauce. If opting for the glaze, you will need additional mustard powder for the glaze and sesame seeds to sprinkle, if desired.
Hawaiian Rolls - These sweet and soft enriched buns are my favorite for this sloppy joe sliders recipe because they come in a large sheet, are easy to slice in half, and their light richness complements the sweet and saucy filling. You can find Hawaiian rolls in the bakery aisle of well-stocked grocery stores.
Provolone Cheese - What are sliders without gooey, melty cheese?! It’s simply a staple. If you can’t find or don’t prefer provolone, substitute sliced sharp or white cheddar cheese.
Equipment:
Saucepan - Use a wide medium or large saucepan to sauté the onions and beef. If needed, you can also use a medium skillet.
Heat-Safe Spoon - A wooden or silicone spoon (or spatula) is a great option for cooking the onions and beef.
Measuring Cups and Spoons - For measuring the ingredients.
Mixing Bowl - You will need a small or medium bowl for combining the sauce ingredients.
9x13-Inch Baking Dish - Or another rectangular dish that can accommodate the full package of Hawaiian rolls. Grease the dish well with non-stick cooking spray or butter before adding the rolls to keep them from sticking.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Sliders
Cook the Onions
Melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and turning golden brown.
Brown Meat
Preheat the oven to 350°F and add the ground beef to the saucepan. Stir, crumbling the meat as it cooks, for about 10 more minutes or until it is cooked through.
Make Sloppy Joe Sauce
While the beef cooks, add the ketchup, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, dried mustard, salt, and pepper to a medium mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
Drain Meat
Drain the fat from the beef and onion mixture using your preferred method. For ease, I recommend removing the pan from the heat and blotting the mixture with a paper towel. If needed, deglaze the pan with a splash of water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add Sauce
Add all but a few tablespoons of the sauce to the ground meat mixture. Stir aggressively and continue to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce starts to thicken beyond your liking, stir in the remaining sauce. If you’d prefer the extra sauce for dipping, reduce the heat to medium-low. Once cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Prepare Rolls and Slider Pan
Grease a 9x13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Remove the sliders from the package as one big roll, being careful not to separate them. Slice horizontally in half as one large roll. Set the top piece to the side and place the bottom piece in the prepared pan.
Assemble Sliders
Layer half of the cheese on the bottom piece of the slider rolls. Evenly spread the sloppy joe mixture on top and cover with the remaining pieces of cheese. Top the second layer of cheese with the top piece of slider rolls.
Make Slider Roll Glaze (Optional)
In a small mixing bowl, combine two tablespoons of melted butter with the dried mustard. Brush the glaze on the top of the slider rolls and sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using).
Bake Sloppy Joe Sliders
Leaving the sliders uncovered, bake them for 10 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Serve the sliders hot with the reserved sloppy joe sauce to dip!
Recipe Success Tips
- Draining the beef. Removing the excess fat keeps the sloppy joe filling from being greasy. Use 90% or leaner beef if you prefer to skip this step. Otherwise, drain the beef easily by removing the pan from the heat and blotting with a few paper towels. Alternatively, you can also drain the beef in a colander placed on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Deglazing the pan. Adding a splash of water to the hot pan of cooked beef and onions will help to release the browned bits from the bottom, adding delicious flavor to the sauce.
- Adjust the heat as needed. If the sauce thickens too fast, reduce the heat to low to simmer gently.
- Adding the butter glaze. For buttery and crispy rolls, brush them with the butter and mustard glaze. My young kids and husband prefer the sliders with the topping, but you can omit it (or just the ground mustard) if desired.
- Reserve the sauce for dipping. Save about 2-3 tablespoons of sauce for dipping if preferred. Otherwise, add all of it to the meat mixture while simmering for a looser, saucier filling.
Serving Suggestions
These sloppy joe sliders with Hawaiian rolls are just as perfect for a weeknight family meal as they are for game day parties, potlucks, and picnics. Pair them with veggies and dip, chips, or any of the following easy side dishes for a tasty and complete meal:
Storage Directions
- Refrigerating: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the mini sloppy joes to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: The cooled sliders can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before warming.
- Reheating: Heat the sliders covered in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on the quantity, until heated through and the cheese has melted.
FAQs
Certainly! Multiply the ingredients by your desired amount and follow the recipe instructions, using a large skillet (or cooking the onions and beef in batches) and one baking pan for each sheet of Hawaiian rolls.
Yes! Make the filling, assemble the sliders, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking and serving. For longer storage, place the assembled sliders in a single-use aluminum pan, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.
More Favorite Slider & Sandwich Recipes
Enjoy!
I hope your family loves these sliders whenever you decide to make them. Be sure to come back and let me know what you made them for or what you served them with!
📖 Recipe
Sloppy Joe Sliders
Equipment
- Skillet or wide saucepan
- Cutting board and knife for onions if not pre-diced
- spatula
- Paper towels for easily draining beef
- mixing bowl for sauce
- Bread knife
- 9 x 13 pan
- small microwave safe bowl for optional butter glaze
- pastry brush for optional butter glaze
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Sliders & Sauce
- 2 tablespoon butter, salted
- 8 oz onion, diced about one medium onion
- 1 lb Ground beef, 85% lean
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 oz Hawaiian Rolls
- 6 oz provolone cheese
Glaze & Topping (Optional)
- 2 tablespoon butter, salted
- ¼ teaspoon dried mustard
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoon butter in a medium or large saucepan over medium heat, and add onions. Saute until translucent and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.2 tablespoon butter, salted, 8 oz onion, diced
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Add ground beef and stir regularly until cooked through, about 10 more minutes.1 lb Ground beef, 85% lean
- Meanwhile, combine ketchup, worchestershire sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, dried mustard, salt and pepper and mix until well combined.¾ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon dried mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Drain beef and onion mixture of excess fat with your preferred method- I recommend a paper towel for ease. If desired, deglaze the pan with a touch of water.
- Add all but a few tablespoons of the sauce to the meat mixture. Stir aggressively to deglaze with the sauce, and allow mixture to cook down for about 8 minutes. If thicker than desired, add in remaining sauce, otherwise reserve it for dipping.
- Slice the slider rolls horizontally as one large roll. Set the tops to the side and set the bottoms in a greased 9x13 pan. Layer half of the cheese on the bottoms, and spread sloppy joe mixture on top of the cheese, then layer remaining cheese on top of the mixture.12 oz Hawaiian Rolls, 6 oz provolone cheese
- Place the roll tops back on top and if desired, melt butter and combine with dried mustard. Spread over rolls with a pastry brush and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until golden brown and the cheese melted, about 10 minutes.2 tablespoon butter, salted, ¼ teaspoon dried mustard, ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
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Notes
- Refrigerating: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the mini sloppy joes to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: The cooled sliders can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw the sliders in the refrigerator overnight before warming.
- Reheating: Heat the sliders covered in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on the quantity, until heated through and the cheese has melted.
-
- Draining the beef. Removing the excess fat keeps the sloppy joe filling from being greasy. Use 90% or leaner beef if you prefer to skip this step. Otherwise, drain the beef easily by removing the pan from the heat and blotting with a few paper towels. Alternatively, you can also drain the beef in a colander placed on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Deglazing the pan. Adding a splash of water to the hot pan of cooked beef and onions will help to release the browned bits from the bottom, adding delicious flavor to the sauce.
- Adjust the heat as needed. If the sauce thickens too fast, reduce the heat to low to simmer gently.
- Adding the butter glaze. For buttery and crispy rolls, brush them with the butter and mustard glaze. My young kids and husband prefer the sliders with the topping, but you can omit it (or just the ground mustard) if desired.
- Reserve the sauce for dipping. Save about 2-3 tablespoons of sauce for dipping if preferred. Otherwise, add all of it to the meat mixture while simmering for a looser, saucier filling.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. It is recommended to use your preferred calculator with the actual ingredients you use for optimal accuracy.
Anne Aslanides says
My husband raved about these and asked to add them to our rotation!