Sloppy Joes are one of America’s favorite dishes, and they’re perfect as an easy weeknight meal!
Whether you’re serving them to your family or making them for your new football-watching friends on Saturday, it’s always nice to know what to serve with sloppy joes.
Have more than just the same sloppy joes dish. Try serving Sloppy Joes with one of these lists if what to serve with sloppy joes.
1. Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
This is the first on the list of what to serve with sloppy joes. This tasty side dish goes really well with sloppy joes.
Baked wedges of sweet potatoes drizzled in olive oil, salt, and pepper take only 30 minutes to make, so they’re perfect for when you need a quick and satisfying side dish for your meal.
The roasted sweet potato wedges also go great with grilled meats and vegetables. If you have any leftovers, simply store them in an airtight container or wrap them up in plastic wrap and reheat them later.
2. Beer-battered Onion Rings
This is next on our list of what to serve with sloppy joes. The Beer-battered onion rings are an awesome alternative to classic french fries.
Beer, baking soda, and hot oil are beer batter’s three ingredients, making deep-fried onion rings extra crispy.
3. Sauteed Zucchini with Garlic and Chili Flakes
For those who want a lighter side dish that is just as tasty, try sautéed zucchini with garlic and chili flakes. It’s easy to prepare and goes very well together with spicy meat dishes such as Sloppy Joes!
Meanwhile, if you like your food really spicy, don’t forget a glass of cold milk at hand. Sliced cucumbers or melon chunks can be used instead if zucchini doesn’t agree with you or doesn’t grow in your area.
4. Butter Lettuce Salad
If you’re looking for a great side dish perfect for what to serve with sloppy joes, try a simple Butter lettuce salad. To make it, use a small head of Butter lettuce.
Top with red bell pepper, green bell pepper, diced ripe tomato, minced sweet onion, and blue cheese crumbles.
Toss lightly, and drizzle extra virgin olive oil and Fresh lemon juice over the top before serving. Use your favorite bottled dressing as a substitute for fresh lemon juice.
5. Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips
The salt in these chips enhances your perception of sweetness and suppresses bitterness and acidity. This combination is what makes your taste buds tingle.
Look no further than salt and vinegar potato chips if you want a simple side dish that perfectly compliments your sloppy joes.
Choosing high-quality potatoes is vital when making homemade potato chips To make these awesome side dishes for sloppy joes even better, season them with some fresh ground pepper.
6. Classic Coleslaw
This classic side dish is perfect for serving at backyard barbecues. Like many homemade coleslaw recipes, there’s plenty of opportunity to get creative: This recipe makes enough for a crowd, but you can easily adjust it if you need less or more.
Also you can also change up a few things if you want; many people add red onion or extra veggies like cucumbers in their slaw recipes.
The exact measurements don’t matter much as long as you stay consistent, so taste and adjust accordingly.
7. Homemade Peach Ice Cream
You’ll want to eat peach ice cream all summer long. Made with fresh peaches, you won’t believe how delicious it is.
It is perfect for serving with sloppy Joe. Feel free to substitute if you prefer other stone fruit (or seasonal fruit) instead of peaches.
The recipe makes a bit more than will fit in your ice cream maker, so save what you can’t use immediately and freeze it for later use. You could even double or triple it if you have an extra freezer available.
And while we love vanilla ice cream, peach pairs well with almost any flavor – chocolate being our favorite option (the darker and richer, the better).
8. Carrots and Peas
Instead of serving potatoes or rice as a side dish for your Sloppy Joes, try grilling up some carrots and snow peas on skewers.
These fresh vegetables are deliciously grilled, and they’re high in fiber. Top them off with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you have a light but filling meal that will pair perfectly with any sandwich or wrap. And it’s all just right at 400 calories per serving!
9. Fried Dill Pickles
What to serve with sloppy joes? Another yummy appetizer to serve alongside your Sloppy Joe is fried dill pickles.
Cut some dill pickles into slices, dredge them in flour, dip them into an egg mixture and fry in a skillet until crispy.
It’s an easy dish that combines sweet and sour flavors while adding a crunchy texture to any meal. These also make a great alternative when you’re craving onion rings instead of fries.
10. Milk Boiled Corn on the Cob
There are many side dishes that can be served alongside sloppy joes. But milk-boiled corn on the cob stands out.
If you are looking for what to serve with sloppy joes, you can’t go wrong with milk-boiled corn on the cob. To make it!
Corn on the cob is an excellent side dish for most kids who love sloppy joes. To boil corn, simply place four cobs of corn in a large stockpot and fill it with enough water to cover the cobs.
Bring water to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached. Then remove from heat, drain, and serve immediately.
This delicious side dish can be served alone or paired with sloppy joes for a complete meal your family will love!
11. Apple Crisp
Nothing complements a hearty, filling meal like a light and flavorful dessert. This healthy apple crisp recipe is just what you need.
The apples are baked until they are soft, then mixed with cinnamon and sugar before topping a crumble of oats and almonds. It’s as tasty as it is quick to make—just perfect for weeknight dinners or busy weekends.
12. Ranch Stuffed Celery Sticks
Another great option for what to serve sloppy joes. Celery is a nutritional all-star and one of those foods that you can eat as much of it as you want—it’s low in calories, low in fat, and high in fiber.
If your kids like celery (and most do!), add some ranch dressing for dipping and stuff each celery stick with a piece of chicken or ham.
13. Greek Orzo Salad
To add some crunch and a little zing to your meal, try serving your homemade Sloppy Joe sandwiches on a bed of orzo salad.
Orzo is also called rice pasta, making it a great alternative to rice in salads. For four cups of cooked orzo, bring one gallon of salted water to a boil; then, cook for 10 minutes.
Strain and pour into a large bowl; stir in olive oil, red wine vinegar, black pepper, fresh oregano leaves, fresh basil leaves, and salt if necessary. Your sloppy joe ingredients will love it as an addition!
14. No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
A delicious treat for a summer BBQ or picnic. You won’t even miss dessert after enjoying a meal of sloppy joes and blueberry cheesecake for dessert.
For those who can’t have gluten, try using an alternative like sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, or almond flour instead of regular all-purpose flour.
For those who don’t eat dairy products, skip using butter in favor of coconut oil and use dairy-free ice cream instead of whipped cream.
15. Carrots and Peas
You probably wouldn’t think of serving carrots and peas together. However, give it a try if you’re looking for a fresh side dish that would complement your family’s favorite sloppy joe recipe. When paired together, these two go quite nicely with each other.
For example, in addition to being a great combination flavor-wise, peas are known for having extremely high levels of antioxidants.
Not only is this pair good for you, but they also taste great together! So don’t be afraid to mix things up next time you serve sloppy joes—you won’t regret it! That is what to serve with sloppy joes.
16. Lemon Bars
Wondering what to serve with sloppy joes? Have a lemon tree in your backyard? Nothing quite beats biting into a fresh, juicy lemon wedge with your mouth-watering Sloppy Joe.
If you don’t have a lemon tree handy, you can always pick up some lemons at your local supermarket—they add an extra zing and pair well with hamburgers.
Nothing is as refreshing as eating a warm, thick hamburger while taking a bite of tangy and crispy lemon.
This side dish will give your mouth that pucker power it has been craving for so long. Prepare these Lemon Bars using Martha Stewart’s recipe below.
17. Roasted Green Beans
If you are wondering what to serve with sloppy joes, roasted green beans is a great option. After cutting green beans into two-inch pieces, toss them in olive oil and salt.
Transfer them to a baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees F until they’re crispy and golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Top them with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
18. Steam Fried Vegetables
Steam-cooked vegetables like asparagus, peas, and broccoli make excellent side dishes for sloppy joes. Simply steam fresh vegetables in a pot over boiling water with a little bit of butter or olive oil.
Also, you can add steamed vegetables to your sandwich to transform it into a healthy meal. If you are not vegetarian, you can add some meat or fish slices like chicken breast or salmon to provide more protein in your meal.
19. Ambrosia Salad
The first thing that comes to mind regarding what to serve with sloppy joes is ambrosia salad. So, let me tell you why it’s a perfect side for sloppy joes.
First of all, if you are serving these to children or just need something healthy, ambrosia salad is a great option as it has fruit, which makes it special and different from other side dishes. Also, it can double up as a dessert too if your guests love grapes and oranges.
20. Cheddar Bacon Ranch Stuffed Celery Sticks
If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy celery that doesn’t involve dipping it in ranch, try this cheddar bacon ranch stuffed celery sticks recipe. This dish pairs perfectly with sloppy joes and will keep you feeling full throughout your meal.
Meanwhile, you can prepare it ahead of time and then just throw it in the oven when you’re ready to serve.
Once again, combining two different meals into one is a great way to get more out of your meals while also cutting back on time spent cooking.
21. Parmesan Spinach Mac and Cheese
This parmesan spinach mac and cheese recipe is one of my new favorite side dishes. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for guests, too. Make it as-is, or add chicken for a main dish that everyone will love! -Recipe here
22. Bourbon Peach BBQ Baked Beans
Wondering what to serve with sloppy joes? This is the right option. Ingredients; cooked or canned pinto beans (rinsed and drained), light brown sugar, bourbon whiskey, peaches (sliced), salt, and pepper.
Next, Mix together all ingredients except peaches in a mixing bowl; pour into a baking dish and bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.
Stir in sliced peaches and serve as a side dish for Sloppy Joe Sandwiches. Tips: This can be made as early as a day ahead of time; chill before baking. Instead of bourbon.
Conclusion
There are a number of delicious side dishes perfect for what to serve with sloppy joes, including creamy coleslaw and smoky baked beans.
Have your favorite? Or do you have a go-to meal for those evenings when dinner is in a rush? Next time, take things up by making use of these lists of what to serve with sloppy Joe.
