27 Easy Sides for Sloppy Joes
Looking for easy sides for Sloppy Joes? Look no further! From veggies, to salads to super quick ideas, you’ll find 27 delicious, EASY sloppy joe side ideas right here!
Sloppy Joes were a way of life growing up. They were constantly on our dinner rotation! And what’s not to love? They are affordable, delicious and super easy to make! When I was a kid, it was Manwich all the way!
And nothing wrong with that, but I have kicked up my Sloppy Joe game a bit since then. My updated sloppy joes are still super simple and classic! Here is my version of Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes on Texas Toast!
Need. healthier version? Try my perfect Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes!
Now that you have a great sloppy joe recipe, let’s talk about what to eat WITH your sloppy joes!
I’ve broken them down by: Veggie Sides, Salad Sides, Super Quick Sides and Other Sides. Refer back to this list so you’ll never have wonder to what to serve with Sloppy Joes again!
VEGGIE SIDES FOR SLOPPY JOES
1. French Fries
Frozen french fries are my personal favorite Sloppy Joe side! Just throw them in the air fryer or oven while your Sloppy Joe meat cooks up!
2. Sweet Potato Fries
I love the way frozen sweet potato fries cook up in the air fryer! Get all the tips and tricks for the perfect air fryer sweet potato fries here.
3. Tater Tots
Tater tots are a classic Sloppy Joe side! They are so tasty and crisp in the air fryer!
4. Onion Rings
I LOVE the Alexia Brand onion rings! They are crispy and delish and cook up in no time!
5. Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
These air fryer roast potatoes are nothing short of heaven! Full of flavor, perfectly crisp on the outside and soft in the inside, you will be absolutely addicted! The chipotle mayo brings in some heat and makes this a perfect side for Sloppy Joes!
6. Roasted Broccoli
Even if you aren’t a broccoli fan, roasting it up in the oven or air fryer might win you over! Try my Perfect Air Fryer Broccoli! It just might change how you feel about broccoli!
7. Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower is another veggie that gets so good when roasted! Just toss cauliflower in olive oil, salt and pepper. Then roast at 400 for about 20-25 minutes until you start to see some brown spots. So easy!
8. Glazed Carrots
Glazed carrots are soooo delish! You can do baby carrots for quick prep. I love this simple recipe from Dinner at the Zoo.
9. Roasted Green Beans
I am a huge fan of green beans and roasted green beans are a perfect veggie side for Sloppy Joes!
10. Fresh Veggies
If I don’t have a side dish for a meal, fresh veggies are often my go to! It’s also a great way to clean out your veggie drawer 🙂
My favorite fresh veggies to serve with Sloppy Joes are: cucumbers, baby carrots, mini bell peppers, sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes. Don’t forget a side of ranch dressing!
11. Corn
No matter in what form — frozen, canned, on the cob — corn is a perfect, EASY side dish for Sloppy Joes!
SALAD SIDES FOR SLOPPY JOES
12. Orzo Salad
This orzo salad is one of my go-side dishes for everything from burgers to chicken to Sloppy Joes!! Once you make this Perfect Orzo Salad, it will be on your rotation ALL THE TIME!! Orzo is tossed with sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives and fresh herbs, then dressed with a tangy, lemony dressing. DELISH!
13. Macaroni Salad
Another great salad for Sloppy Joes–Mac Salad! My BBQ Chicken Mac Salad is sooo yummy–just omit the chicken and you have yourself the perfect little mac salad to serve with your Sloppy Joes!
14. Arugula Salad
If you want something lighter, try just a simple green salad like this simple arugula salad. It takes minutes (seconds?) to make and it lightens up the meal nicely.
15. Corn Salad
Like I said before, corn in any form, goes perfectly with Sloppy Joes! This Simple Sweet Corn Salad is light and refreshing–and a cinch to make!
16. Pasta Salad
My kids LOVE pasta salad and it’s one of their go-to side dishes! To make mine, I keep it really simple: pasta, a few fresh veggies, olives and some Ken’s Light Northern Italian Dressing! So easy! You can also check this yummy pasta salad recipe from The Kitchn!
17. Potato Salad
Everyone has their own recipe and their own spin on Potato Salad (my fave is from The Pioneer Woman)…or….for a super quick side, grab some at the deli counter!
18. Caesar Salad
Another great side for Sloppy Joes if you want to keep things on the lighter side. I rarely make my own dressing since I discovered Girard’s Casear dressing! I also like Costco’s bagged Caesar salad kits for busy weeknights!
19. Fruit Salad
This is a great way to use up an extra fruit you have laying around! If you want to get a little fancy, you can make this Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad–YUMM!!!
20. Cole Slaw
Cole slaw and Sloppy Joes go hand in hand, in my opinion! I’ve even been know to throw some slaw ONTO my Sloppy Joe! I usually use this pre shredded slaw from the produce section and follow the dressing recipe here.
SUPER QUICK SIDES FOR SLOPPY JOES
21. Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit is my fall back “side dish” when I just don’t have time to make anything else!
My favorite fruits to go with Sloppy Joe’s are: apple slices, pineapple, watermelon, grapes, berries, peaches and nectarines.
22. Chips
You can pair your fruit and Sloppy Joes with some chips too! What’s easier than that??! I love Kettle-style chips to go with Sloppy Joes. They are nice and thick and I can scoop up any drips and Sloppy Joe meat with them! HA!
23. Pickles
Some people love them, some people hate them but if you love them, serve them up with Sloppy Joes! They are the perfect crunchy complement!
OTHER DELICIOUS SIDES
24. Mac and Cheese
Sure, you can go the Kraft route but if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby YOU MUST TRY their frozen mac and cheese! It’s so good I have even served it for Christmas dinner! Or if you want to make it homemade, this quick stovetop version is great too!
25. Baked Beans
Bush’s Grillin’ Beans are super yummy and a side dish I serve all the time with Sloppy Joes. I also love Pioneer Woman’s version of baked beans–it’s super easy, too!
26. Onion Soup
If you are making your Sloppy Joes with beef, onion soup is actually a great complement! Once again, Trader Joe’s to the rescue! Their frozen onion soup is SO, SO GOOD!! Look for it in the freezer section!
27. Tomato Soup
Tomato Soup is warm and comforting–perfect complement to Sloppy Joes. Once again, Trader Joe’s pre-made tomato soup is second to none, but it’s so easy to make, too! Whip up a big batch and freeze it!
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These are great suggestions for sloppy joes! It’s awesome to be able to mix it up a bit and now I can. Thank you!
This is a great collection of sides for meaty mains in general! Bookmarking!
Family loved the chips and slaw with our sloppy joes! Thank you for so many choices!
This was such a helpful list of side dishes! We are actually making sloppy joes tomorrow night and I think I’m definitely going to serve it up with your baked beans and mac and cheese!
The variety of options ensures that you’ll never get bored, making it easy to please even the pickiest eaters. Thanks for sharing these incredible ideas that will undoubtedly make Sloppy Joes nights at home an unforgettable experience!