How long has it been since you’ve had a sloppy joe? Ten, maybe 20 years? The go-to dinner of your childhood may have had a temporary reprieve, but now it’s back in all of its saucy glory. The only difference is, instead of relying on the canned stuff, you can hack your ketchup bottle to get unique recipes that would win an episode of Chopped. To try out a modern version of the classic sloppy joe, take a gander at the 20 unique recipes listed below.
<strong>Ha</strong>waiian Vegan Sloppy Joe
Make your next meatless Monday a sandwich night with these sweet and spicy Hawaiian sloppy joes. They have a tang from fresh pineapple and the lentils boast a wonderful meat-like texture. (via Vodka and Biscuits)
<strong>Bu</strong>ffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes
You love Buffalo sauce and sloppy joes, so it’s only natural to bring the two together for dinnertime perfection. Whip up an easy blue cheese ranch sauce to balance the heat and you’re in for a delicious mess. (via Recipe Runner)
Sloppy Joe French Bread Pizza
Could this pizza be any more vintage? Frozen French bread pizzas AND sloppy joes used to be the most popular choices for easy weeknight dinners. Now that you’re adulting, you can mix the two and pay homage to all those meals in front of the TV. (via Yellow Bliss Road)
Curried Turkey Sloppy Joes
If you’re trying out Paleo or Whole30, nix the bun and stuff your sloppy joe mix in a hollowed-out baked sweet potato. You can even add a splash of coconut milk and curry spices to make the flavor a bit more interesting. (via Little Bits of)
Hoisin Peanut Sloppy Joes With Asian Slaw
One thing that a classic sloppy joe is missing is texture. Skip the mush and add a crunchy slaw and peanuts on top of this Asian-inspired twist. (via Cooking for Keeps)
Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joe Sliders
These healthy bite-sized treats would be a welcome addition to any potluck. Dress them up with scallions, cilantro, and broccoli slaw for a perfectly appetizing presentation. (via The Real Food Dietitians)
Low-Carb Sloppy Joes
Fans of a low-carb diet, you’re covered too. Jut sub in romaine leaves for hamburger buns. (The Low-Carb Diet)
<strong>Ligh</strong>tened-Up One-Pot Sloppy Joe Noodle Skillet
No one ever said a sloppy joe has to be handheld. Use the traditional ingredients to make the sauce, adding egg noodles for a simple one-pot meal the whole family will love. (via A Spicy Perspective)
Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes
So, one kid wants Philly cheese steak and another wants a sloppy joe. Solve this dinner conundrum by combining the best of the two worlds to satisfy both palates. (via Belly Full)
Pizza Sloppy Joes
Call the delivery boy RN and tell him you won’t be needing your usual weekly pizza. Why would you, when you could have this sloppy joe on a buttery garlic ciabatta roll? (via Celebrating Sweets)
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese:
Next time you have a hangover, refer to this recipe for treatment and then come back and thank us. Seriously, this is everything your cheesy and greasy dreams are made of. (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)
Sloppy Joe Potato Skins
Never has a more perfect game day snack ever existed. Put these front and center on your buffet table and prepare for them to be scooped up in a hurry. (via Sweet and Savory by Shinee)
Sloppy Joe Sliders
When you need to feed a starving mob in a hurry, sliders are *definitely* the way to go. These have an uber-cheesy twist that you may have to adopt for all of your sloppy joes from now on. (via Oh Sweet Basil)
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Shells
Spend a few extra minutes with the family by enlisting them to help you fill all of these stuffed shells. They’ll love getting to be a part of the process, and you’ll love how quickly the task gets done. (via Tornadough Alli)
Sloppy Joe Baked Sweet Potatoes
Eating healthy is a piece of cake when the food is as delicious as these sloppy joe sweet potatoes. (via Skinnytaste)
Sloppy Joe Nachos
You’re freaking out because you made way too much sloppy joe mix and you have a ton of leftovers. Don’t worry; we’ve all been there! Use the rest to top nachos the next day and you’ll have the most epic snack ever. (via Home Cooking Memories)
Sriracha Sloppy Joes With Roasted Jalapeños
This spicy sloppy joe isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s seasoned with Sriracha, roasted jalapeños, and gobs of cheddar — the only thing that it might be missing is an ice cold beer. (via Real Food by Dad)
Vegan Sloppy Joes
Vegan ground round makes a very convincing beef substitute for recipes like this one. Add that to chopped veggies and a meaty portobello cap and this plant-based joe might just be your new favorite rendition. (via Abbey’s Kitchen)
Whole30 Sloppy Joe Bowls
Finding Whole30 compliant versions of your favorite comfort foods isn’t always an easy task. Thankfully, this sloppy joe bowl will hit all the same notes and leave you feeling very satisfied. (via Physical Kitchness)
Zesty Sloppy Joe Casserole
This zesty casserole is inspired by your favorite sloppy sandwich. Lucky for you, it freezes wonderfully, so you can double the recipe and save one for when you’re in desperate need. (via Renee’s Kitchen Adventures)
Paige Johnson
Paige is a blogger, food writer and culinary master from Louisville, Ky. She's a newlywed who's obsessed with dogs and renovating her 117 year old home. When she's not working on her blog — My Modern Cookery — you can find her binge watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S with a triple shot latte in-hand.
