Garlic Bread Sloppy Joes (Printer-friendly)
Savory sloppy joe filling tucked into garlic-buttered baguette halves, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Sloppy Joe Filling
01 - 1 pound ground beef
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 cup tomato sauce
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
08 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon brown sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
→ Garlic Bread
14 - 1 large French baguette or Italian loaf
15 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
16 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
18 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
19 - 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
20 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned, breaking up with a spoon. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add onion, green bell pepper, and minced garlic to skillet. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are softened.
04 - Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
05 - Slice baguette in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, finely minced garlic, chopped parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
06 - Spread garlic butter evenly over both bread halves. Arrange cut side up on prepared baking sheet.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven.
08 - Generously distribute sloppy joe filling onto one half of each bread loaf. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top.
09 - Return bread to oven and bake for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Sandwich top and bottom halves together, press gently, and cut into desired portions. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It takes two beloved comfort foods and smashes them together in a way that feels almost illegal.
- Everything cooks in about 40 minutes so you can pull this off on a busy weeknight without breaking a sweat.
- Kids devour it and adults quietly go back for seconds when nobody is looking.
02 -
- Drain the beef fat properly or your garlic bread will turn soggy and sad.
- Letting the filling simmer long enough to thicken is the difference between a great sandwich and a sloppy mess that falls apart.
- Softened butter is non negotiable because cold butter shreds the bread to pieces.
03 -
- Toast the bread just until pale gold because it goes back in the oven with cheese and will darken further.
- A thin layer of filling is better than an overstuffed mountain because it actually stays in the sandwich when you bite down.