Sloppy joe sandwiches are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Hearty and savory with just a little bit of sweetness, sloppy joes are loaded with flavor and are oh-so satisfying. Here are some of our favorite sides for sloppy joes to make your meal complete.

 

There are so many side dishes that pair well with sloppy joes. You can serve your sandwiches with potatoes, pasta, salads, veggies, and more. 

This list includes so many of the best side dishes — including a selection of simple recipes that are made with just a few ingredients — that there’s sure to be something for everyone. Many of these recipes take anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes to prepare, making for an easy addition to your dinner table.

While entrees certainly taste incredible on their own, there’s no question that sides make everything better. Serving your sloppy joes with any of these delicious sides will take the meal to the next level.

1. Homemade French Fries

Seasoned french fries pair well with so many meals. These copycat Wingstop fries are so easy to make at home and taste just like the ones you’ll find at the restaurant. Tossed in garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, sugar, and brown sugar, these fries have a savory taste with the perfect amount of sweetness to round out all of the flavors. If you love fries, don’t forget these fun waffle fries.

2. Sweet Potato Fries

Air fryer sweet potato fries are crispy, delicious, and ready in under 10 minutes. We love using the frozen Alexia brand that you can find at the grocery store. Popping sweet potato fries in the air fryer is the best way to make them since they will cook much faster than they would in the oven. 

Best of all, you won’t need any additional oil for this easy side dish, making these sweet potatoes a healthier option than most other fried potato sides.

3. Tater Tots

Tater tots are one of the best forms of potatoes and are among the most popular sides for sloppy joes. These bite-sized potatoes take 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer, and the result is crispy golden perfection. Each tater tot has crispy edges and a soft, fluffy interior. 

We prefer to use the Ore-Ida frozen brand –– which has amazing seasonings –– but any frozen tater tots will work just fine.

4. Onion Rings

Level up your sloppy joe sandwiches with a side of onion rings. An easy side dish made of thinly sliced onion rings are dipped in batter, coated in flaky panko breadcrumbs, and air fried to perfection. 

Six simple ingredients are all you need to recreate this recipe: flour, cornstarch, seasoned salt, milk, panko, and onion. Yellow onions or sweet Vidalia onions are some of the best onions to use because of their natural sweetness when cooked.

5. Pasta Salad

Add some color to your plate with this beautiful Italian pasta salad! This recipe takes just 20 minutes to prepare and is made with plenty of vegetables, cheese, and meats like pepperoni and salami. 

Our favorite thing about this recipe is how easy it is to customize with your favorite ingredients. It’s also the perfect side dish to prepare in advance and enjoy as leftovers.

6. Potato Salad

Creamy, classic potato salad is a fan-favorite dish and is one of the most popular sides for sloppy joes. The secret ingredient in this recipe is vinegar, adding another layer of flavor. Including chopped hard boiled eggs is optional but will add extra texture and flavor to make the recipe complete. 

7. Mashed Potatoes

Simple mashed potatoes are always a great go-to side dish. This recipe uses red potatoes and keeps the skins on, meaning that you won’t need to spend any time peeling potatoes! 

Better yet, keeping the skins on will add a great texture to the dish and also ensure that you get the nutritional benefits from them.

8. Corn Salad

Light, refreshing, and loaded with flavor, this sweet corn salad is made with simple ingredients like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and of course, fresh corn. Top it off with a homemade dressing made from extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and ground black pepper.

9. Green Salad

This quick and easy house salad is ready in just a few minutes. Grab your favorite greens, vegetables, croutons, and cheese, and serve them up with your favorite dressing. A classic side dish to balance out the hearty beef sandwiches.

10. Rice

You can recreate Texas Roadhouse’s seasoned rice recipe at home in just 30 minutes! Made with 10 ingredients, this simple rice pilaf recipe is perfectly fluffy and is loaded with so much flavor. 

For best results, be sure to rinse your rice before cooking. This will ensure that excess starch is removed and that the rice doesn’t get mushy.

11. Tennessee Onions Bake

Tennessee onions are such a comfort food. This recipe is made by layering sliced onions with butter, cheese, and delicious seasonings. Prepare it in a baking dish, pop in the oven, and bake until golden and bubbling. 

You will love how this creamy, cheesy recipe tastes alongside sloppy joe sandwiches!

12. Pineapple Casserole

Here’s a classic Southern recipe that is sure to be a hit. This unique casserole has a crispy, buttery cracker topping, a sweet pineapple base, and shredded cheddar cheese to round out all of the flavors. 

The combination of sweet and salty ingredients makes this casserole one of the best sides for sloppy joes to balance their savory flavor.

13. Corn Casserole

Made with Jiffy corn muffin mix, corn kernels, creamed corn, and a few more simple ingredients, this Southern corn casserole has a creamy pudding-like texture. You’ll know it’s ready once the top and edges start to turn golden and the center of the casserole is set without jiggling. 

This recipe is easy to customize to your liking: try adding shredded cheese, diced jalapeños, or green onions.

14. Macaroni And Cheese

Loved by kids and adults alike, macaroni and cheese is a crowd-favorite side. This comforting mac and cheese recipe has a rich, creamy texture from the combination of Velveeta and cheddar cheese. There’s also a secret ingredient that enhances the flavor: nutmeg!

15. Stuffing

Stovetop stuffing is the perfect side dish to enjoy year round, and not just during the holiday season! The addition of celery, onion, and poultry seasoning adds a fantastic texture to the stuffing mix, as well as plenty of flavor. 

Pro tip: covering the stuffing with foil when baking will result in a softer, moist texture. For crispier results, bake uncovered.

16. Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables are a great way to add color and nutrients to your meal. The vegetables I like to use have a similar cooking time and are ready in just 10 minutes in the air fryer. You may need to cook them a bit longer depending on which veggies you use. 

The key to getting perfect air fried veggies is spreading them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cooking in batches if needed. 

17. Buttered Noodles

Four ingredients and ten minutes are all you need to make these delicious buttered noodles. This simple recipe is made in a single pan. 

Egg noodles are the best type of noodles to use for this recipe, not only because they have a great flavor and texture, but also because they will easily soak up the broth while cooking.

18. Fried Squash

Fried squash is a tasty treat that will add so much to your meal! After dipping in a light batter, this recipe takes slices of yellow squash and fries them to perfection. You can deep fry these squash rounds in oil, or pop them in the air fryer until crispy and golden. 

19. Slaw

This creamy slaw has a gorgeous purple color and is coated with a creamy mayonnaise dressing. The combination of cabbage, carrots, and sunflower seeds means that you’ll enjoy a nice crunch in every bite. 

Ready in just 10 minutes, this cabbage slaw is one of the best easy sides for sloppy joes.

20. Pea Salad

Sweet and tender crisp peas, savory bacon, cheese, and onion come together in this delicious side salad. The rich and creamy salad dressing is made by combining mayonnaise with sour cream. 

You can use frozen peas for this recipe if preparing it in advance, or defrost them first if you plan to serve it immediately.

21. Hash Brown Casserole

This copycat Cracker Barrel casserole features tender frozen hash browns loaded with plenty of cheese. Beef broth is the key ingredient that gives this recipe a savory flavor. 

Cheesy, golden, and comforting, this hash brown casserole is perfect to serve with sloppy joe sandwiches any time of day.

22. Broccoli Salad

Take broccoli and cauliflower to the next level by tossing them with bacon, cheese, red onions, and a homemade dressing. Want to add some extra flavor and color? Try mixing in dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts, or green onions.

23. Corn

A side dish that always pleases is corn on the cob. The air fryer will help you prepare juicy seasoned corn in under 15 minutes. Be sure to check out the recipe details for our tips on how to pick and prepare the best corn for this recipe.

24. Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is the perfect side dish to satisfy any sweet tooth and balance out a savory meal like sloppy joes. This easy fruit salad recipe is made with fresh fruit, citrus zest, freshly squeezed fruit juice, and a little bit of added sweetener. 

The best thing about fruit salad is that there isn’t one right way to make it. You can use any combination of your favorite fruits!

25. Green Beans

Garlic green beans are a healthy and flavorful side dish. These green beans are flavored with garlic butter and are roasted to perfection. All you need is four ingredients and 10 minutes to prepare this dish.

26. Cucumber Salad

One of our favorite sides for sloppy joes is this simple cucumber salad. You can make this recipe in just 15 minutes by combining cucumbers, onion, sour cream, white vinegar, and sugar. Adding fresh dill will make this salad even more refreshing and flavorful.

27. Dill Pickles

Making homemade dill pickles in a jar is as easy as can be. These pickles are crunchy and packed with so much flavor! Preparing them is simple and will take under an hour. 

The hardest part will be waiting for them to be ready. They will taste great after sitting in the fridge for 24 hours, but waiting 2-3 days before consuming them will give you the best results.

28. Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad is creamy and comforting and features plenty of delicious mix-ins that add color, flavor, and texture. The homemade dressing for this recipe is what makes this recipe the perfect side dish. 

With vinegar, pickle juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and more, this salad has a balance between sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.

29. Fried Green Tomatoes

If you’ve never tried fried green tomatoes, you’re in for a treat! This Southern inspired recipe takes unripe tomatoes, dips them in a spicy buttermilk batter and breadcrumbs, and fries them until golden and crispy. 

The fried tomatoes will already have so much flavor once cooked, but we recommend garnishing with a little bit of salt to enhance them even more.

30. Sweet Potato Hash

Delicious hash made with sweet potatoes is a great side dish for a sloppy joe sandwich. Made with diced sweet potatoes and bell peppers, this is an easy recipe to make.

31. Asparagus

Vegetables are always a great choice for a simple side dish. This roasted asparagus is tender crisp and roasted to perfection with the help of an air fryer. Try topping with grated parmesan cheese or crumbled feta.

Which one of these sloppy joe side dishes will you be making first?

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