What to Serve with Sloppy Joes: 25 Incredible Side Dishes

Wondering what to serve with homemade sloppy Joes? You’ve come to the right place.

Sloppy joes are deliciously meaty, smoky, and hearty. So, finding the right side for this messy sandwich is a must!

I’ve included all the classics like mac and cheese, potato salad, and corn on the cob.

If you’re looking for something outside of the box, you have to try my recipe for Irish mashed potatoes or cheesy funeral potatoes!

So, without further ado, let’s check out these tasty side dishes for sloppy Joes!

1. BBQ Baked Beans

Baked beans and sloppy joes are a messy match made in heaven. These are sweet, smokey, savory, and so easy to make. 

Seriously, they’re about as easy to make as sloppy Joes! With these meaty beans and sloppy joes on the menu, no one will go to bed hungry. 

It’s one of my favorite summertime duos.

2. Cheesy Funeral Potatoes

Typically, funeral potatoes are for holidays and special occasions. But why? This cheesy potato recipe is so easy to make on hectic weeknights!

The pairing of super creamy, cheesy potatoes with that cornflake crust is almost a meal on its own. 

However, paired with the smoky notes from sloppy joes, it’s the perfect comfort food meal.

3. Tater Tots

To me, nothing better goes with potatoes than cheese. Those two are truly a match made in heaven.

So why not make yourself and your friends some cheesy tater tots to go with your Sloppy Joes?

Both dishes are so decadent and flavorful, that you surely must make more.

4. Mac and Cheese

These two are a match made in heaven.

The cheesy mac pairs perfectly with the sweet and savory Sloppy Joe. Classic comfort food that even the kids will agree on.

Quick Tip: For extra creamy mac and cheese, use rich cream in your recipe instead of milk. You can also use a combo of half milk and half cream.

5. Potato Salad

Any type of sandwich goes with potato salad. The rich notes of sloppy Joes and the creaminess of this potato salad recipe are fantastic. 

Ina Garten’s potato salad recipe isn’t your average potato salad. With a fresh summery kick from fresh dill, it makes those potatoes sing. 

This creamy potato salad recipe is such an amazing pairing with meaty sloppy Joes this summer!

6. Sweet Potato Fries

Burgers and fries are a classic. Sloppy Joes need something a little extra, and that’s where sweet potato fries come in. 

The smoky, tangy notes from sloppy Joe’s with the subtle sweetness of these sweet potato fries are perfection. 

These combating sweet and smoky flavors accent each other so well. It’s hard to resist.

7. Dill Pickles

The spiciness and crunchiness of dill pickles offer a wonderful contrast to your sloppy joes. They’re easy to make at home, as well! 

The trick to the most delicious homemade pickles is fresh garlic, dill, mustard, and peppercorns. Seriously, they taste better than anything you’d buy at the grocery store!

It’s the perfect sloppy Joe side dish!

8. Macaroni Salad

Sloppy joes and macaroni salad are another classic duo. The creamy notes from macaroni and the smokiness from the Joe’s are magical. 

This macaroni salad doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheel. It’s 100 percent classic, and I couldn’t be happier. 

It pairs tender macaroni with all the classics: mayo, veggies, mustard, and celery. Delicious!

9. Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

If you want to stray from the classics, you have to try this bacon ranch pasta salad. It’s perfect for picky eaters!

I mean, who can resist the pairing of pasta, bacon, and ranch? 

With a few savory accents from black olives, cheese, and garlic, it’s sure to be a big hit at the family dinner.

10. Corn on the Cob

Sloppy joes and corn on the cob have one thing in common: they’re both messy!

The sweetness from fresh corn and the smokiness from the Joe’s are a great summery combo.

This easy-peasy corn on the cob creates the most tender corn in the microwave. How easy is that? Just have the butter and salt ready.

11. Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a sloppy joe side dish because it is super cool and creamy.

Plus, the cool temperature of the coleslaw makes a perfect contrast.

Sweet, creamy, and always delicious. This combo always reminds me of a summer picnic.

12. Broccoli Salad

Need some more greens in your life? If you have a hard time getting the fam to eat veggies, whip up this broccoli salad. 

It pairs fresh broccoli with plenty of crispy bacon, onions, and an ultra-creamy sauce. 

The fresh, creamy notes of this broccoli salad work so well with sloppy Joes.

13. Garlic Bread

AKA a fantastic way to clean up your messy and meaty plate.

Sandwich and bread? Heck yeah! This is especially ideal when you’re feeding a starving crowd.

Whether you buy them from your favorite bakery or make them yourself, they’ll surely be a big hit. 

14. Onion Rings

Onion rings bring a nice crunch to the meal, which balances out the softness of the sandwich.

And, just like Sloppy Joes, they’ll also bring out the kid in you!

You can also give these rings an adult twist with a hoppy beer batter. Delicious!

15. Irish Mashed Potatoes

Irish mashed potatoes, aka colcannon, are one of my favorite ways to serve up spuds. 

Adding Savoy cabbage to the buttery potato mixture takes it to a whole new level. Plus, it’s a clever way to sneak in some veggies for those picky eaters. 

Bonus points: it’s almost as easy to prepare as sloppy Joes!

16. French Fries

You can never go wrong with french fries. These aren’t your average fries, however. They’re Popeye’s fries. 

Recreating these perfectly seasoned fries at home is easier than waiting in a long drive-through line. 

Tossing them in a signature spice blend tastes even better than the real thing! 

17. Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice

If you love a good rice pilaf, you’ll fall in love with this Texas Roadhouse seasoned rice copycat. 

It takes ordinary rice to new heights with bold seasoning and a few clever hacks. 

Plus, it’s picky-eater-approved! Outside of spices, the only crunchy component is onion, which you could always leave out.

18. Corn Salad

The smoky notes from sloppy Joes and the sweetness of corn salad are a summertime classic. 

Ina Gartens corn salad is a must-have recipe for all BBQ-based sides. It’s so sweet with lovely accents from onion and fresh basil. 

Plus, it comes together in under 15 minutes!

19. Green Beans Almondine

Here’s another classic veggies recipe that works so well with sloppy Joes. 

While it’s heavy on the greens, the addition of butter and almonds takes the flavor over the edge. 

The green beans are vibrant, buttery, and oh-so-crispy, and the nuttiness from the almonds shines through.

20. Air Fryer Hush Puppies

Does it get any better than sloppy Joe’s and hush puppies? If you think hush puppies are too complicated to make at home, think again!

Your air fryer does all the heavy lifting for you. All you need to do is prepare the batter, and pop them in the air fryer!

Plus, since they’re not fried in oil, they’re a little healthier.

21. Olive Garden Salad

For a healthier side, you can’t go wrong with salad. Who makes a better salad than the Olive Garden?

I must say, this copycat recipe nails it! The homemade vinaigrette tastes even better than the real thing. 

All that’s missing is that fancy cheese grater for a generous dusting of fresh cheese on top.

22. Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

Here’s another great way to serve veggies that your whole family will love. You’ll also love how easy this side comes together!

These roasted root veggies crisp up on the outside with tender, mashed potato-like insides. 

The addition of rosemary adds such a fragrant, earthy component to these root veggies. They’re hard to resist.

23. Smashed Brussels Sprouts

This is one of my favorite ways to serve Brussels sprouts. 

Smashing them ensures more surface area for a nice, crispy crust. They’re crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and so insanely delicious. 

All they need is a dusting of garlic and Parmesan cheese to take the flavor over the edge.

24. Herby Cucumber Salad with Feta and Chickpeas

Nothing screams summer quite like this herby cucumber salad with feta and chickpeas. 

It’s so light, bright, and delightful! Paired with meaty sloppy Joes, it’s the ideal combo of creamy and hearty. 

I love that this salad comes together in a flash, and you don’t have to fire up the stovetop.

25. Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Want fries but want to keep things healthy? Then say hello to these Parmesan zucchini fries!

Thick zucchini wedges get a hearty panko breadcrumb treatment, then baked to perfection. They’re light, nutty, fragrant, and highly addictive. 

The only thing that’s missing is a creamy dipping sauce.