Sloppy Joe’s are a classic American dish that is often eaten on a bun.
The sauce can be either sweet or spicy, and the ground beef mixture is typically served with ketchup, mustard, and onions.
This blog post will give you nine side dishes that are perfect for serving with sloppy joes.
These side dishes range from easy and straightforward to more complex and time-consuming. There is something for everyone in this list of recipes, so take a look and pick what sounds best to you.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes? 9 BEST Side Dishes
There are various side dishes you can serve along with your sloppy joes, and each one will have a different effect on the flavors.
For example, if you’re serving your sloppy joes as a meal, it’s probably best not to load up on carbohydrates like rice or potatoes because they’ll make you feel super bloated (after all – these sandwiches were designed by someone hungry).
But some carbs offer something particular that could go well. Here are nine great options.
1 – Macaroni and Cheese
This dish is perfect for serving with sloppy joes because it can be served hot or cold.
It’s a hearty, filling side dish that will please most people. It doesn’t offer a lot of contrast to the flavor profiles in sloppy joes, but it’s still good.
2 – Coleslaw
It is easy to make at home and goes well alongside the diverse range of flavors in this sandwich, even if you’re not crazy about cabbage.
Choose your favorite dressing recipe, whip up some coleslaw (or buy a pre-made bag from the store.), then pile on top right before eating. The crunchy texture and tanginess of coleslaw is a welcome contrast to the hearty, meaty filling.
3 – Potato Salad or Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes are another excellent option for sides since they come mashed, cut into fries, boiled whole as new potatoes – whatever suits your fancy.
You may want to add some onion, celery, or parsley for a bit of flavor. It also pairs well with other dishes because its texture contrasts nicely with both dry and wet items.
4 – Cornbread
This is one of the most popular side dishes of all time. You can make it in just five minutes with ingredients you probably already have on hand and serve alongside your sloppy joes.
Cornbread is a great pairing to go with this dish as it is delightful, and the texture plays well against the filling.
5 – Cranberry sauce
The tartness from this condiment cuts through any richness present in the sandwich without overpowering its meaty taste.
A good choice if your main dish has flavors like barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or tomato paste which would otherwise clash with traditional cranberry sauces included corn syrup and sugar. The sauce also has a good level of acidity to help balance out the richness.
6 – Tzatziki
It’s a Mediterranean-style yogurt dip that is perfect for adding some tartness to Sloppy Joes.
It also offers up an excellent way to cut through any flavors you might not enjoy in your Sloppy Joe, such as too much onion or garlic sauce.
This side can be made from scratch without breaking a sweat (although it does take about 20 minutes).
It would be best to use plain Greek yogurt and cucumbers with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and dill weed.
Toss everything together until mixed well, then eat immediately so that all those healthy probiotics have time to do their work on your gut bacteria levels.
7 – French fries
It’s one of America’s favorite side dishes. Most importantly, these fries are easy to make and don’t require a lot of ingredients.
You can make them from scratch in your kitchen by boiling cut potatoes until soft, frying them up crisp, and adding salt right before taking them off the stovetop. They’re delicious served alongside anything – even if it is just plain old ketchup.
8 – Pasta Salad
This salad isn’t just for picnics. It has all those flavors you love – pasta, mayonnaise, onion, celery (and maybe even ham) so it helps add a new dimension of taste to your Sloppy Joes.
And it’s as easy to make as any other pasta salad – toss all the ingredients together and add salt. Moreover, pasta salad is a great dish to serve when you’re expecting people over for lunch or dinner because it’s easy to make and doesn’t require much cooking.
9 – French Onion Soup
This soup is delicious because it has a lot of depth in flavor, which will contrast against the simple tastes of Sloppy Joes but might also compliment them if you’re looking for a more savory dish.
It requires some work before you can serve this one up, too, so it’s not something that would be an everyday side dish – but for special occasions or even weekend dinners at home with friends? A perfect choice.
Conclusion
To sum up, Sloppy Joes are a delicious dish to serve with pasta salad, french onion soup, or any of these other dishes!
There are many different ways you can enjoy sloppy joes, and what better way than by adding some yummy sides that will compliment them.
They’re not only easy to cook but also great for feeding large crowds, too, if it’s something you’re planning on doing soon.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes? 9 Side Dishes
Ingredients
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Coleslaw
- Potato Salad or Sweet Potatoes
- Cornbread
- Cranberry sauce
- Tzatziki
- French fries
- Pasta Salad
- French Onion Soup
Instructions
- Choose your favorite recipe from the list of options.
- Organize all required ingredients and prepare a delicious meal in 30 minutes or less!