Veggie ground “meat,” veggies, shredded cheese and a rich tomato-based sauce make these mini sandwiches a crowd-pleaser every time! Fair warning, you’re definitely gonna want more than one of these yummy sloppy joe sliders.
You may remember me sharing some vegan sloppy joes with you all a while back that had lentils and veggie meat crumbles (soy-based crumbles). Those are always a huge hit!
I’m sharing another delicious sloppy joe recipe, but we’re mixing things up a bit.
This is a stick-to-ya-ribs, make your belly happy, comfort food recipe.
Cheesy sloppy joe sliders are always a favourite, especially for game day or Friday night supper.
These are super duper easy to prepare and so good; plus, who doesn’t love mini food?
With all kinds of hidden veggies (like shredded carrot and finely minced mushrooms) you can have tasty comfort food and still feel good about it!
I don’t about you, but that makes me happy.
How To Make Sloppy Joe Sliders
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
Make the filling
- In a pan, cook onion in some olive oil until softened.
- Next, add bell pepper, finely chopped mushrooms, shredded carrot, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Give everything a mix to combine and cook for a little.
- Add Dijon mustard, tomato paste, tomato sauce, vegetable broth and a little water. Cook until thickened. Tip: If you want a looser or thinner consistency, feel free to add a tad more broth.
- Add veggie meat crumbles. Stir in and cook for a few minutes. Stir in cider vinegar.
Assemble and bake
- Slice buns in half and place bottom half into a baking dish.
- Top buns with sloppy joe mix and plenty of shredded cheese.
- Top with the other half of buns (top buns). Brush with garlic butter and sprinkle over some sesame seeds (they add great texture and flavour).
- Cover and bake (removing cover partway through). Once they’re done, you can cut out individual sliders.
Can I Make These With Ground Beef?
Sure!
If you prefer to use ground beef (like lean or extra lean ground beef), add after you cook the onion and heat through for about 8 to 10 minutes (or until fully cooked). Season with salt and pepper if you like.
Continue with the recipe (aside from using the veggie meat crumbles, of course).
Once the sauce is added, cook until you’ve reach your desired consistency. Make them as messy (or not) as you like!
Can I Make These Vegan?
Absolutely!
This recipe is super versatile.
For vegan sliders, use vegan cheese instead of dairy and, of course, ensure the buns and garlic butter are vegan.
Tips and Variations
- Packages of slider buns vary. Sometimes you can get in a 12-count pack, other times a 15-count pack. The sloppy joe mixture yields enough for 12 to 15 sloppy joes (with the 12 count being jam-packed).
- Can’t find slider buns? Use your fave dinner roll. You can totally remove some of the centre bun if you want less bread.
- Make these as sloppy as you like. If you like your sloppy joe mix to be on the looser side of things, don’t reduce your sauce too much. If you like your sauce to be denser, cook a little more.
- Reduced your sauce too much and you want a looser consistency? No worries! Add a little broth until you’ve loosened to your liking!
- Canned tomato sauce can vary in sodium. Keep that in mind when adding salt. You want want less (or more) depending on what you use and your personal preference.
- To make your own garlic butter, you can melt some butter with garlic powder to taste (I like to start with ½ teaspoon or so).
- I topped the buns with sesame seeds, but poppy seeds (or a combo) would work. Heck, I’ve even topped with everything bagel spice and they’re delicious!
- Shredded cheese would be a lovely addition to the top of the buns before baking.
- Veggie broth was used here, but for more of a “meatier” and hearty flavour, try mushroom broth.
Make It a Meal
Round things out with some sides. These sloppy joe sliders work great with any of these:
If you make these meatless sloppy joes, be sure to leave a comment below!
Sloppy Joe Sliders
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
- 1 bell pepper, small dice
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped or minced (about 227 grams or ½ a pound)
- 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce, 1 ¾ cups
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth, or water or mushroom broth
- ¼ cup water, rinse out the empty can of tomato sauce and use that water
- 12 ounces plant-based "meat" crumbles, about ¾ of a pound
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 15 slider buns
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, about 2 cups
- 3 to 4 tablespoons garlic butter, melted
- Sesame seeds, garnish to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for use later.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 12-inch sauté (or deep) pan on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add onion to pan. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes until onion has softened.
- Stir in bell pepper, mushrooms, carrot, garlic, chili powder, smoked paprika, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Stir in Dijon mustard, tomato paste, tomato sauce, vegetable broth and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in plant-based meat crumbles and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in apple cider vinegar.Note: When the veggie meat crumbles are added it will thicken things. If you want a looser or thinner consistency, stir in more broth or water (a little at a time).
- Cut slider buns in half horizontally (so you have a top portion and bottom portion, while still leaving slider buns in tact) and place bottom half (cut side up) in a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Top with sloppy joe mixture. Sprinkle over cheddar cheese, then place the top buns over top (cut side down) to form your sliders. Brush top buns with melted garlic butter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove aluminum foil and bake for another 5 minutes more or until the cheese has melted.
- Cut into individual sliders. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Packages of slider buns vary. Sometimes you can get in a 12-count pack, other times a 15-count pack. The sloppy joe mixture yields enough for 12 to 15 sloppy joes (with the 12 count being jam packed).
- Can’t find slider buns? Use your fave dinner roll. You can totally remove some of the centre bun if you want less bread.
- Make these as sloppy as you like. If you like your sloppy joe mix to be on the looser or thinner side of things, don’t reduce your sauce too much. If you like your sauce to be denser or thicker, cook a little more.
- Canned tomato sauce can vary in sodium. Keep that in mind when adding salt. You want want less (or more) depending on what you use and your personal preference.
- To make your own garlic butter, you can melt some butter with garlic powder to taste (I like to start with ½ teaspoon or so).
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Valentina
I really should’ve known better than to look at this at when I’m so hungry. I wanted one! Actually three! 🙂 YUM! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! 3 sounds good to me. 😉 Thanks Valentina!
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl
Wow! Looking at that picture I would have never known they didn’t have any meat in them!! These look dangerously good..the . perfect appetizer for a holiday party! YUM!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thank you Haylie 🙂
Kevin
Comfort food at its finest! Sure do love sliders for holiday get together, so quick and easy to put together and not much fuss in the kitchen! Great share!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Kevin 🙂
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Oh my goodness – your pictures kill me! They’re so warm and yummy! Just like these sliders! I’m hungry for one or two or three, right now!! Happy Tuesday, my friend! xoxo
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Annie!! So sweet! XOXO
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Making, making, making!!! I’m always looking for meatless options that my kids will actually eat, and these will definitely check that box (with some extra cheese, of course). Since i”m mostly surviving on cookies these days, these sloppy joes will be a nice way to fill my belly with some nutrition!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thank you Katherine! Enjoy 🙂
Cyna
What a wonderful recipe, Dawn! Love that these are vegetarian and made with so many healthy veggies!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Cyna 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I love sloppy joes, so I’m loving this mini, cheesy version! Such a great idea for this time of year and feeding a crowd.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thanks Jennifer!!
Leanne
They look so hearty! You’d never say they were meatless. Loving the hidden veggies too. These would be perfect for entertaining over the holidays or for our super bowl eats! Happy Monday Dawn!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Totally! Thanks Leanne 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I love sandwiches like this for a crowd Dawn. They look simply delicious. I want to grab one right through my screen! Pinned!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Same here! Thank you Mary Ann!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I do love a good sloppy joe sandwich and these look delicious! I love that you’ve made them into mini size which is perfect for dinner or a party. I’m betting no one will even know these are vegetarian sloppy joes!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Kathy!! We love ’em 🙂
David @ Spiced
Sloppy Joe sliders are perfect not only for a holiday comfort food, but also for New Year’s Eve and then football playoffs right after that. I see many opportunities for these to make an appearance…and then a disappearance if you catch my drift. Haha! These sliders look amazing, Dawn! 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
I agree!! Thanks David 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
You know the ways to my heart: veggies and cheese! These look and sound DELICIOUS! I definitely see myself making them often during football and basketball season–they’re perfect! Have a great week ahead!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Lol! Thank you Kelsie! You too 🙂
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes
I love that these are vegetarian, Dawn! They look so delicious and satisfying!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Alexandra! Totally 🙂