Sloppy Joe Sliders
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 and make the perfect handheld main for easy dinners, parties, and potlucks!
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
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 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.
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- 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
Calories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 14gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 498mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 369IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 1mg
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.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!