Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread featured image
Sloppy Joe Breadsticks turn a traditional sandwich filling into a fun appetizer or game day snack. Easy to make in minutes by spreading a meat mixture onto a bread loaf, smothering it with cheese, and baking until bubbly.
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Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread is a delicious twist on a classic sandwich favorite, but with an added crunchy and savory kick. We’ve taken the messy goodness of your favorite sloppy joe and wrapped it in chewy, flavorful French bread for a snack or side dish that’s perfect for game day or family supper.

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About Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

Our Sloppy Joe French Bread recipe is a quick and easy way to transform a classic American sandwich filling into a flavorful and tasty topping.

This crowd-pleasing appetizer is simply prepared with ground beef and onions smothered in a Manwich sauce, spread on pieces of garlic bread, covered with cheese, and baked until bubbly and crispy brown.

Making a sloppy Joe on garlic bread is not quite as “sloppy” as preparing it as a sandwich, so it’s the perfect party food or appetizer game day appetizer to feed all of your guests!

Why We Love Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

  • Quick and easy to make.
  • Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
  • Manwich brand of sloppy joe sauce is the best blend of sweet and salty with a tangy taste.
  • Sloppy Joes and garlic loaves are a delicious combination.
  • Perfect after-school snack, football food, anytime appetizer, or even a simple supper.
Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread ingredients

Sloppy Joe Breadsticks Ingredients

  • Frozen garlic bread loaf: I used Pepperidge Farms brand but you can use another brand if you prefer.
  • Unsalted butter
  • Yellow onion
  • Lean ground beef
  • Can of sloppy Joe sauce: I used the Manwich Original brand for this recipe. You can also use your own homemade sloppy Joe sauce.
  • Salt 
  • Black pepper
  • Colby jack cheese
  • Fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Substitutions and Additions

  • Choose Your 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 and cheddar (Kraft brand), or any combination of the above.
  • More Meat Options: You can use ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter version of this sloppy Joe appetizer. 
Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Aluminum foil
  • Large skillet

How to Make Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

  1. Brown The Beef: Saute the onions in butter until soft and translucent. Add the ground beef and brown until fully cooked and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat and liquids from the skillet.
  2. Simmer In Sauce: Add the sloppy Joe sauce, salt, and black pepper to the meat mixture. Stir and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes.
  3. Assemble: Separate the two sides of the thawed loaf of bread and place them, butter side up, onto the baking sheet. Spread the sloppy Joe mixture over the two pieces of garlic loaf and top with shredded cheese.
  4. Bake: Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-18 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  5. Slice and Serve: Cool slightly before garnishing with fresh parsley and slicing into 2-inch wide breadsticks. Enjoy!

What is The Best Bread For Sloppy Joes Breadsticks?

There are a number of different brands available for a standard frozen garlic bread loaf. They seem to vary in size anywhere between 8-16 ounces in my local stores.

If your loaf is on the smaller side, then you will need to note that you may have some leftover sloppy Joe mixture that will not fit onto the garlic bread.

The opposite will be true if your loaf is on the larger side, your layer of sloppy Joe mixture will be spread slightly thinner. Any of these will still work just fine.

You may need to check your bake time at 10-12 minutes for the smaller loaves, and the larger loaves may need an additional 3-5 minutes.

This is a very forgiving recipe. Remember, you are only melting your cheese and heating your bread. Your meat mixture is already fully cooked.

hand picking up Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

How To Bake with Fresh Bread instead of frozen

If you use a fresh loaf of French bread, you will slice it down the center and follow the recipe as you would 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.

Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread on chopping board

Tips For Making Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

  • When adding the sloppy Joe mixture to the garlic loaves, I like to 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.
  • You may need to use a butter knife to help separate the two sides of the garlic loaf.
  • These sloppy Joe breadsticks are best served immediately while they are still warm.

More Easy Sloppy Joe Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I store leftover sloppy joe breadsticks?

These sloppy Joe breadsticks are best served immediately while they are still warm. They do not store well once made and baked. If you have leftovers, place them onto a baking sheet in a 350°F oven to reheat for about 7-10 minutes. Note that the bread will get soggy the longer these sit.

Can I prepare sloppy joe breadsticks in advance?

You can prepare the sloppy Joe mixture ahead of time and allow it to cool in the skillet. Once cool, transfer it to a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
You can store the sloppy Joe mixture in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling and baking these sloppy Joe breadsticks. Be sure to allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 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 4-5 minutes, before assembling.

Can I make my own homemade sloppy Joe sauce?

Yes, you can make your own homemade sauce. I love the ease of use with using the canned sloppy Joe sauce to flavor the hamburger meat.
However, you can certainly use your own from-scratch recipe if you desire. You will need approximately 2 cups of sauce per 1 pound of lean ground beef.

bitten sloppy joe garlic bread

More Easy Garlic Bread Recipes

5 from 7 votes
Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread featured image

Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread

Serves — 12
Sloppy Joe Breadsticks turn a traditional sandwich filling into a fun appetizer or game day snack. Easy to make in minutes by spreading a meat mixture onto a bread loaf, smothering it with cheese, and baking until bubbly.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients
  

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

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
  • Remove your loaf of garlic bread from the freezer to allow it to thaw while you prepare the sloppy Joe mixture.
  • In a large skillet, on medium-high heat, add the unsalted butter and chopped onions. Saute the onions until soft and translucent.
  • Add the lean ground beef to the skillet and brown the meat for 5-6 minutes or until fully cooked and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat and liquids from the skillet.
  • To the skillet of browned ground beef and onions, on medium heat-low heat, add the sloppy Joe sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir and simmer the sloppy Joe mixture for 5 minutes.
  • 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.
  • Divide the sloppy Joe mixture evenly between the two pieces of garlic loaf. Be sure to spread the mixture out into an even layer.
  • Top each of the loaves with 1 cup of the shredded Colby jack cheese.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Allow the sloppy Joe loaves to cool slightly before garnishing with optional chopped fresh parsley and slicing the bread into 2-inch wide breadsticks.

Jenn’s Notes

Yields:  12 (2-inch wide pieces)
Storage :
These sloppy Joe breadsticks are best served immediately while they are still warm. They do not store well once made and baked. If you have leftovers, place them onto a baking sheet in a 350°F oven to reheat for about 7-10 minutes. Note that the bread will get soggy the longer these sit.
Tips:
  • You can prepare the sloppy Joe mixture ahead of time and allow it to cool in the skillet. Once cool, transfer it to a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can store the sloppy Joe mixture in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling and baking these sloppy Joe bread sticks. Be sure to allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 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 4-5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe from step 7.
  • I love the ease of use with using the canned sloppy Joe sauce to flavor the hamburger meat. You can certainly use your own from-scratch recipe if you desire. You will need approximately 2 cups of sauce per 1 pound of lean ground beef.
  • When adding the sloppy Joe mixture to the garlic loaves, I like to 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.
  • 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 & cheddar (Kraft brand), or any combination of the above.
  • There are a number of different brands available for a standard frozen garlic bread loaf. They seem to vary in size anywhere between 8-16 ounces in my local stores. If your loaf is on the smaller side, then you will need to note that you may have some leftover sloppy Joe mixture that will not fit onto the garlic bread. The opposite will be true if your loaf is on the larger side, your layer of sloppy Joe mixture will be spread slightly thinner. Any of these will still work just fine. You may need to check your bake time at 10-12 minutes for the smaller loaves, and the larger loaves may need an additional 3-5 minutes. This is a very forgiving recipe. Remember, you are only melting your cheese and heating your bread. Your meat mixture is already fully cooked.
  • If you use a fresh loaf of French bread, you will just slice it down the center and follow the recipe as you would 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.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg

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