This easy Sloppy Joe Garlic Bread recipe is a quick and delicious meal that will satisfy the whole family! The classic flavors of homemade sloppy joe are combined with the cheesy goodness of garlic bread to create absolute perfection.
🛒 Ingredients
For the bread:
- 1 ciabatta loaf
- 2 tablespoons (26 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- To taste: Salt and pepper
- 1 cup (112 g) shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup (112 g) shredded sharp cheddar
For the sloppy joe mixture:
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cup (360 ml) ketchup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- To taste: Salt and pepper
👩🍳 Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Prep Bread: Slice a ciabatta loaf in half lengthwise, spread with softened butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Cook Beef: Heat a Dutch oven or a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, and cook ground beef breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it’s no longer pink. Drain fat if needed.
- Add Aromatics: Add onion to the skillet, and cook until softened. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Make Sauce: Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine, and cover with the lid.
- Simmer: Reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and pepper) to your preference.
- Assemble & Bake: Divide the sloppy joe mixture between ciabatta bread halves, and top with shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar). Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges of the bread are golden brown. Remove from the oven, slice and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
💡 Notes
- Use Different Meat: Sloppy Joes are delicious with ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or even meatless ground meat alternatives.
- Don’t Overcook: You want to simmer the meat in the sauce for a bit to thicken it up, but you should avoid letting it reduce down too much. We want the beef to be saucy!
- For Extra Crispy Garlic Bread: Toast the bread with the garlic and butter under the broiler before adding the sloppy joe mixture. This will keep the bread from absorbing so much of the sauce, and make the resulting garlic bread nice and crisp.
- Take a Shortcut: My homemade sloppy joe recipe is incredibly easy and delicious, but if you have a can of Manwhich lying around, feel free to use it to make this recipe even more quickly.
- Storage: Make the ground beef mixture and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to six months.