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Sloppy Joe Sliders take everything you love about a classic sloppy joe and turn it into the ultimate pull-apart party food, with saucy homemade ground beef, sweet caramelized onions, and melty Colby Jack all baked into buttery Hawaiian rolls. The tops get brushed with a garlicky sesame butter that bakes up golden and irresistible. I make a pan for every game day and they are gone before kickoff. If you love an easy slider bake, they are right up there with our cheeseburger sliders.
Made with a homemade sloppy joe filling, caramelized onions, Colby Jack cheese, and Hawaiian rolls brushed with garlic sesame butter, these sloppy joe sliders bake up golden and saucy.
Sloppy Joe Sliders Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 sliders
- ⚡ Calories: 290kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Saucy, savory beef with sweet caramelized onions and melty cheese
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our cheeseburger sliders
Quick Answer
To make sloppy joe sliders, first caramelize sliced onions in oil with a splash of Coca-Cola until soft and browned. Brown ground beef, drain it, then simmer with ketchup, Worcestershire, beef stock, brown sugar, and seasonings to make the sloppy joe filling. Slice a pack of Hawaiian rolls in half, set the bottoms in a baking dish, and layer on cheese, the meat mixture, the caramelized onions, more cheese, and the roll tops. Brush with a garlic sesame butter and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. These sloppy joe sliders are a saucy, cheesy, crowd-pleasing party food that slices into 12 servings.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A homemade filling tastes better. Simmering the beef with ketchup, Worcestershire, and brown sugar makes a from-scratch sloppy joe filling far richer than any canned version.
- Caramelized onions add sweetness. Slow-cooked onions with a splash of cola bring a deep, sweet contrast to the savory, saucy beef.
- Hawaiian rolls bake up buttery. Sweet, soft rolls turn into a golden, pull-apart base that holds all the saucy sloppy joe sliders together.
- Cheese on both layers. Colby Jack under and over the meat melts into gooey, cheesy bites in every slider.
- A garlic sesame butter finishes them. Brushing the tops with garlic, Worcestershire, and sesame butter gives these sliders a savory, golden, bakery-style crust.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They turn a classic sloppy joe into easy, shareable sliders perfect for a crowd.
- They are the ultimate game day and party food, saucy, cheesy, and built to pull apart.
- They come together in one pan and bake in minutes, just like our
Key Ingredients
Pantry staples and a pack of Hawaiian rolls make these saucy party sliders.
- Ground Beef: The base of the sloppy joe filling. Drain it well after browning so the sliders are not greasy.
- Hawaiian Rolls: Sweet, soft rolls that bake into a buttery, pull-apart base.
- Colby Jack Cheese: Layered above and below the meat for melty, cheesy bites. Cheddar or American work too.
- Sweet Onions and Coca-Cola: Caramelized together for a sweet, deep flavor that balances the saucy beef.
- Ketchup, Worcestershire, and Beef Stock: The trio that builds a rich, tangy sloppy joe sauce, sweetened with a little brown sugar.
- Butter, Garlic, and Sesame Seeds: Brushed over the tops for a golden, savory finish.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These sloppy joe sliders are easy to make your own.
- Use a shortcut sauce: Stir in canned sloppy joe sauce instead of the homemade mix in a pinch.
- Switch the cheese: Cheddar, American, or pepper jack all melt beautifully.
- Make them spicy: Add a diced jalapeno or a few dashes of hot sauce to the filling.
- Skip the onions: Leave out the caramelized onions for a faster, kid-friendly version.
- Use turkey: Ground turkey or chicken works in place of the beef for a lighter slider.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Sliders
- Cook the sliced onions in olive oil with salt and pepper, add a splash of Coca-Cola, and continue cooking until caramelized, soft, and browned. Set aside.
- Brown the ground beef and drain, then stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire, beef stock, brown sugar, and seasonings. Simmer 5 minutes to make the sloppy joe filling.
- Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half, set the bottoms in a baking dish, add a layer of cheese, then spread the sloppy joe meat evenly over the top.
- Spread the caramelized onions evenly over the meat layer.
- Top with the remaining cheese and the roll tops.
- Brush with the garlic sesame butter and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Take your time with the onions, letting them caramelize slowly for the sweetest, deepest flavor.
- Drain the beef well after browning so the sliders do not turn greasy.
- Keep the rolls connected when slicing so you can build and cut all the sliders at once.
- Cheese on both layers helps hold the saucy filling in and keeps every bite gooey.
- Cover with foil if the tops brown too quickly, then uncover to finish.
- Let them rest a few minutes after baking so they slice cleanly.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve these sloppy joe sliders hot from the oven, sliced into individual portions, with plenty of napkins. They are the perfect game day, potluck, and party food.
Pair them with classic sides like potato chips, our Silly Girls Kitchen Homepage 2024
classic-potato-salad/”>classic potato salad, or a big green salad for an easy crowd-pleasing spread.
For more shareable party bites, make our Silly Girls Kitchen Homepage 2024
cheeseburger-sliders/”>cheeseburger sliders and a batch of Silly Girls Kitchen Homepage 2024
frito-chili-pie-casserole/”>Frito chili pie casserole.
Sloppy Joe Sliders FAQs
Yes. Make the sloppy joe filling and caramelized onions up to two days ahead and refrigerate. Assemble and bake the sliders just before serving, or assemble fully, cover, and refrigerate a few hours ahead, then bake.
No, but they add wonderful sweet depth. For a faster version, skip them or simply saute the onions until soft. The sloppy joe sliders are still delicious either way.
One pack of 12 Hawaiian rolls makes 12 sliders, perfect for a small party. For a bigger crowd, simply double the recipe and bake in a larger dish or two pans.
Store cooled sliders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in a 300 degree oven, covered with foil, until warmed through.
Absolutely. Colby Jack melts beautifully, but cheddar, American, mozzarella, or pepper jack all work great in these sloppy joe sliders.
Yes. Wrap cooled, baked sliders tightly and freeze for up to two months. Reheat from frozen in a covered dish in the oven until hot in the center.
Love a good slider bake? Try our cheeseburger sliders next.
You will also love our honey BBQ meatballs.
Sloppy Joe Sliders
Ingredients
Coca-Cola Onions
- 2 medium sweet onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup Coca-cola
Sloppy Joe Meat
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup beef stock or broth
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
Slider Assembly
- 12 Hawaiian rolls
- 8 slices colby jack cheese
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Coca-Cola Onions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the onions into ¼ inch rounds, discarding the root and skin. Separate the rings and set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil, onions, salt, and pepper, stir to coat the onions in the oil and seasonings. Cook, occasionally stirring, for 15 minutes until the onions are translucent and starting to soften.
- Add the Coca-Cola to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Continue to cook until caramelized, browned, and soft, and almost all of the liquid is cooked out, 15-20 minutes stirring frequently. Take off the heat and set aside.
Sloppy Joe Meat
- While the onions are cooking, make the meat filling. Add the ground beef and brown in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles until cooked through and there is no pink left. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, stock, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and sugar. Mix to combine, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and take off the heat.
Slider Assembly
- Cut the rolls in half lengthwise. Place the bottoms of the rolls into an 11×7 or similar-sized baking dish. Top with half of the cheese, spread the meat mixture evenly on top, spread the onions evenly on top, top with the remaining cheese, and place the tops of the rolls on.
- Mix together the melted butter, sesame seeds, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a small bowl, and pour evenly on top of the rolls. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- This makes a large batch, but you can easily double it to feed more.
- If you don’t like onions or don’t want to spend the time making them, just leave them out, still delish!
- Lots of customizable options above, including swapping out cheeses, breads, and proteins.
- Use Dr. Pepper in place of Coca-Cola for a fun twist.
- This reheats and freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
Nutrition
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