Pizza Sloppy Joes

Get a family favorite dinner on the table in just 30 minutes with these deliciously cheesy Pizza Sloppy Joes! Ground beef is paired with all the pizza flavors you know and love like parmesan cheese, seasonings, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. Serve a scoop onto a toasted bun and top it off with more cheese for a meal that everyone loves. 

Pizza Sloppy Joes Recipe

I just love sloppy joes in all forms! Wether it’s a Sloppy Joe Casserole, Crock Pot Sloppy Joes, or even creative twists to the classic like Frito Pie Sloppy Joes, Gumbo Soup Sloppy Joes, or Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes. They’re all huge family favorites at my house and some form of sloppy joes always seems to appear each week on my dinner plan. 

Let’s dive right in and learn how to make these pepperoni pizza inspired sloppy joes that will be on your dinner table in just 30 minutes. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Ground Beef – I prefer using a leaner ground beef like 96/4 or 93/7. 
• Onion – A yellow onion is what I use but a white onion or sweet vidalia onion can also be used. 
• Green Bell Pepper
• Pizza Sauce – This is just a jar of store-bought pizza sauce. The other ingredients will ‘doctor it up’ so you actually can’t even tell that this short-cut ingredient is used. 
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Chopped Pepperoni
• Italian Seasoning
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Garlic Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – For the best melt and creamy texture make sure that you shred this from a block of mozzarella cheese. Of course, the pre-shredded cheese will work just fine if that’s what you prefer.  

How To Make Pepperoni Pizza Sloppy Joes

Follow these simple, step-by-step instruction for how to make pizza sloppy joes for your own family. 

– Step 1 : In a large skillet pan, cook and crumble the ground beef, onion, and green bell pepper over medium-high heat. Once the ground beef is no longer pink, drain any excess grease from the pan or soak it up with a paper towel. 

– Step 2 : Add the pizza sauce, chopped pepperoni, grated parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the skillet and stir everything together. 

– Step 3 : Allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes. If the heat is too high, the sauce is splattering, then turn it to medium or medium-low. The timer will thicken up the sauce and allow the flavors to all meld together. It really makes a huge different in the final taste of the dish. 

– Step 4 : Toast the buns under the broil (if wanted). 

– Step 5 : Using a slotted spoon, serve some of the sloppy Joe onto a bottom bun and then sprinkle on some shredded mozzarella cheese, and finally top it off with the top half of the bun. Enjoy!

FAQ’s For Pizza Sloppy Joes

• Can I Make It Spicy?

  • Yes! Add some red pepper flakes, diced jalapeños, or try using red cayenne pepper rather than black pepper. 

• What Are Some Changes or Substitutions I Can Make?

  • Ground Meat : You can use ground chicken or ground turkey if you prefer. Or try using ground Italian sausage for a twist. 
  • Cheese : Any variety of cheese can be used as the topping for these sloppy joes. Try using an Italian blend cheese, sliced provolone cheese, sliced mozzarella cheese instead of shredded, or sliced muenster cheese or havarti cheese are all great options. 

• How To Toast Buns For Sloppy Joes

  • Separate the buns and place each half onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or tin foil. There are two ways to do this, spread butter on each half before you broil OR just put the baking sheet directly in the oven and broil for a few minutes. The butter adds a nice layer of flavor and crispy texture but if you’re short on time then just putting the buns under the broil (without butter) is really good too. 
  • I always tell people that sloppy joes are a million times better on toasted/broiled buns. 
  • Broil for about 3-5 minutes and be sure to watch it closely as they can burn pretty quick. 

• Serving Suggestions

  • Our preferred way of eating these is sloppy Joe style. Served on toasted hamburger buns with some cheese. 
  • You can also serve the pizza mixture over cooked pasta, rice, or egg noodles. 
  • Try pepperoni pizza baked potatoes and use the ground beef pizza mixture served inside a cooked potato, and top it with ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, and some shredded mozzarella cheese. 

Expert Tips

Here are a few tips that will hopefully make it easier to successfully recreate this recipe in your own kitchen ♥

• Simmer Time : It’s so important to let the mixture simmer for at least 15 minutes. This will help the sauce thicken up and the flavors work magic together during the simmer time. So don’t rush the simmer time or skip it. You will want to simmer it uncovered to allow the moisture to evaporate and thicken up the ground beef pizza mixture. 
• Toasted Buns : If you or your kids think you don’t like sloppy joes then try toasting the buns. It makes a world of difference. Separate the hamburger buns and place each half onto a baking sheet (cookie sheet) that has been lined with parchment paper or tin foil. Spread softened butter on each half (or skip this step entirely and just broil them plain) and then broil for 3-5 minutes or until they’re toasted to your preference. 
• Cheese : Feel free to use sliced cheese or shredded cheese. Other great options (besides mozzarella of course) is provolone, muenster cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or try a shredded blend of pizza cheese or Italian cheese. 

Try These Other Pizza Recipes

• French Bread Pizza
• One Pot Pizza Pasta
• Pepperoni Pizza Biscuit Casserole
• Pepperoni Calzones
• Taco Pizza
• Pizza Sliders