Garlic Bread Sloppy Joesrn

a close up shot of Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes with a bite taken out of it

This garlic bread sloppy Joes recipe is the ultimate comfort food with buttery garlic bread loaded with meat and cheese; it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

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Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Servings

Table of Contents

Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes Recipe
How To Serve
Storing This Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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If these garlic bread sloppy Joes don’t sound like a flavor explosion waiting to happen, then I don’t know what does! Tangy ground beef simmered in the perfect blend of ingredients and smothered with gooey melted cheese on top of crunchy garlicky bread; these delicious sandwiches are guaranteed to satisfy even your heartiest cravings.

a close up shot of Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes

Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes Ingredients

Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes raw ingredients that are labeled

Garlic bread sloppy Joe is a must-try for all comfort food lovers; one bite and you will be hooked!

Combining succulent ground beef, crisp onions, and tangy tomato sauce served on buttery garlic toast with plenty of melty cheese; this dish is truly a match made in heaven.

You’ll need:

10-ounce frozen garlic bread loaf, thawed (Pepperidge Farms brand)
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
½ cup of chopped yellow onion
1 pound of lean ground beef
15-ounce can of sloppy Joe sauce (Manwich Original brand)
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
2 cups of shredded Colby jack cheese
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)

PRO TIP:

There are various brands available for frozen garlic bread loaf. They vary in size between 8-16 ounces. If your loaf is on the smaller side, you may have some leftover sloppy Joe mixture. If your loaf is on the larger side, your layer of sloppy Joe mixture will be spread slightly thinner.

Substitutions And Additions

SLOPPY JOE SAUCE: I love the ease of using the canned sloppy Joe sauce to flavor the hamburger meat. You can certainly use your own favorite sloppy Joe recipe if you desire. You will need approximately 2 cups of sauce per 1 pound of lean ground beef.

CHEESE: I always have Colby jack cheese on hand in my refrigerator. It melts really well and pleases a lot of people. You can substitute it for shredded cheddar, a combination block of mozzarella cheese & cheddar cheese (Kraft brand), or any combination of the above.

How To Make This Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes Recipe

Making this recipe is just as simple as making traditional sloppy Joe, with one added step.

On the stovetop, you’ll cook the ground beef and onions with the sloppy Joe sauce. Pile generous amounts of the beef onto each slice of garlic bread, add plenty of cheese, and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

If using a fresh loaf of French bread, slice it down the center and follow the recipe as for the thawed garlic bread. You can leave your loaf plain, or you can spread a couple of tablespoons of softened butter onto the sliced loaves and sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of garlic salt evenly over the butter before topping the bread with the sloppy Joe mixture.

You will need to check your bread at the 10-minute mark to be sure it is not getting too crispy on the bottom.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set it aside.

STEP TWO: Remove your loaf of garlic bread from the freezer to allow it to thaw while you prepare the sloppy Joe mixture.

STEP THREE: In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add the unsalted butter and chopped onions. Sauté the onions until soft and translucent.

STEP FOUR: Add the lean ground beef to the skillet and brown ground beef for 5-6 minutes or until fully cooked and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat and liquids from the skillet.

STEP FIVE: Add the sloppy Joe sauce, salt, and black pepper to the skillet of browned ground beef and onions, on medium heat-low heat. Stir and simmer the sloppy Joe meat mixture for 5 minutes.

sloppy joe sauce, salt, and pepper added to a skillet

STEP SIX: While your sauce is simmering, remove the loaf of garlic bread from the wrapper and open the loaf. You may need to use a butter knife to help separate the two sides of the loaf. Place both sides of the garlic bread, butter side up, onto the prepared baking sheet.

STEP SEVEN: Divide the sloppy Joe mixture evenly between the two pieces of garlic loaf. Be sure to spread the mixture out into an even layer.

PRO TIP:

When adding the sloppy Joe meat sauce to the garlic loaves, I use a large slotted spoon. This allows any excess sauce to stay in the pan. I think these work best when there is not too much excess sauce on the bread.

sloppy joe mixture spread between the two pieces of garlic loaf

STEP EIGHT: Top each of the loaves with 1 cup of shredded Colby jack cheese.

STEP NINE: Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

PRO TIP:

You may need to check your bake time at 10 to 12 minutes for smaller loaves, and larger loaves may need an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Remember, you are only melting your cheese and heating your bread. Your meat mixture is already fully cooked.

Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes baked for 15-18 minutes

STEP TEN: Allow the sloppy Joe loaves to cool slightly before garnishing with optional chopped fresh parsley and slicing the bread into 2-inch wide breadsticks.

parsley garnished on top of the bread and bread sliced

How To Serve

These sloppy Joe breadsticks are best served immediately while they are still warm. Serve this tasty dish with a side of crisp coleslaw or mashed potatoes dotted with chives and parsley for an extra depth of flavor with these open-faced sandwiches.

If you’re looking for something fresh, serve garlic bread sloppy Joe with a Caesar salad or refreshingly cool tomato cucumber salad to create an easy weeknight meal. We have a few really fun ways to make sloppy Joes a little bit different. Try our grilled cheese sloppy Joe and Philly cheesesteak sloppy Joes too.

MORE GARLIC BREAD RECIPES

Quick Breads

Garlic Bread Toast

Rolls and Breads

Pull-Apart Garlic Bread

Storing This Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

IN THE FRIDGE: These sloppy Joe breadsticks do not store well once made and baked. If you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge for up to a day. Place them onto a baking sheet in a 350°F oven to reheat for about 7-10 minutes. You will need to note that the bread will get soggy the longer these sit.

IN THE FREEZER: We do not recommend freezing these sloppy Joes on garlic bread. If you have any leftover sloppy Joe meat, you can freeze that in an airtight container for up to three months.

MAKE AHEAD: You can prepare the sloppy Joe mixture ahead of time and allow it to cool in the skillet. Transfer it to a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days until ready to use. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about 5 to 10 minutes (while your oven preheats) to take the chill off the meat mixture.

You may need to bake your sloppy Joe breadsticks for an additional 5 minutes if your meat mixture is cold when assembling. Alternately, you can warm your sloppy Joe mixture in a medium saucepan, on medium heat, for 4 to 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe from step 7.

overhead shot of pieces of Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes sliced on a wooden board

This classic American comfort food gets a unique twist with the addition of cheesy garlic bread, and it’s the perfect meal for any occasion. Your whole family will go wild when they sink their teeth into this savory and garlicky garlic bread sloppy Joes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this easy recipe into a vegetarian version?

If you have a ground meat alternative you like, you can replace the ground beef to create a vegetarian version.

Can I make these easy sloppy Joes ahead of time?

The sloppy Joe meat mixture can be made ahead of time. You could whip up a double batch and store it in the freezer, and you’ll have easy meals for busy nights.

Can I use different ground meat for this sloppy Joe bread?

This garlic bread sloppy Joes sandwich can be made with ground beef, pork, chicken, Italian sausage, or turkey.

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