Pizza Sloppy Joes are a great recipe that uses ground beef, and can be made using clean ingredients. Crockpot instructions included!
If you’ve ever stood in the kitchen, fridge door wide open, wondering what to make with that pound of ground beef…you’re not alone. Been there. A lot. And that’s exactly how Pizza Sloppy Joes came to the rescue at our house.
These are everything you love about pizza (the garlicky tomato sauce, the melty cheese, those pepperoni bits) smashed into a warm, toasty bun. These can easily be made with clean, good for your body ingredients! These also work great to load up in your crockpot! Another ground beef crockpot recipe our family loves is this Crockpot Philly Steak & Cheese.
Let’s get into how to make pizza sloppy joes and why this might be your new favorite loose meat sandwich.
What Are Pizza Sloppy Joes?
Think of them like a cross between a slice of pepperoni pizza and your childhood cafeteria sloppy joe, but made with real ingredients and way more flavor. This is the kind of meal that feels indulgent but is still quick and easy enough for a Tuesday night.
Plus, you can customize them based on what you have on hand. Want to add olives? Go for it. Use shredded mozzarella instead of slices? Totally works.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe starts with basic pantry and fridge staples. You probably already have most of these:
- ground beef
- onion, diced
- parmesan cheese- I like to grate my own using my electric cheese grater so I know it’s just pure parmesan goodness!
- minced garlic
- mushrooms diced
- garlic salt
- black pepper
- Italian seasoning
- crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- pepperoni cut into smaller pieces- I like to use nitrate free, Applegate, Hormel Uncured and Kroger Private Selection are nitrate free
- pizza sauce-I like Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce, no added junk or sugar!
- mozzarella- slices or shredded work to top your sandwich
- buns
- Optional: butter for toasting the buns
How to Make Pizza Sloppy Joes
- Brown the beef.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until mostly browned. Drain excess grease if needed. - Add the veggies.
Stir in diced onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until the veggies are soft. - Season it up.
Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the chopped pepperoni and cook for another minute so everything gets a little toasty. - Sauce + simmer.
Pour in the pizza sauce and stir everything together. Let it simmer for 5–6 minutes, just long enough to thicken slightly and meld the flavors.
- Add cheese.
Stir in your parmesan cheese and turn off the heat. - Toast the buns (optional but worth it).
For extra flavor, brush the inside of your buns with a little garlic butter and toast them under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. - Assemble and devour.
Scoop that cheesy pizza-meets-sloppy-joe mixture onto each bun- like to use a large cookie scoop. Add mozzarella cheese, more pepperonis and serve! You can also add your favorite pizza toppings or put them back under the broiler to melt the cheese, yum!
What to Serve With Pizza Sloppy Joes
These sandwiches are the main event, but to round out the meal, try one of these sides:
- A simple green salad with Italian dressing
- Roasted broccoli or these roasted parmesan garlic green beans
- Sweet potato fries
Crockpot Option
Pizza Sloppy Joes work really well in the crockpot, which makes them a great option for busy days or when you want dinner ready and waiting. Who doesn’t love a quick ground beef crockpot meal?! Time saving hack, brown and freeze lots of ground beef at a time and meals like this are even quicker to dump together!
Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet and draining off any excess grease. Add the cooked beef to your crockpot along with the diced onion, mushrooms, garlic, pepperoni, seasonings, and pizza sauce. Stir everything together, cover, and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or HIGH for 1½–2 hours, just until heated through and the flavors have time to meld.
Right before serving, stir in the parmesan cheese. Keep the crockpot on WARM and serve on toasted buns with mozzarella and your favorite toppings.
Using frozen browned ground beef:
If you keep frozen cooked ground beef on hand, this recipe is even easier. Add the frozen beef directly to the crockpot with the remaining ingredients and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, stirring once or twice if you can, until everything is fully heated.
This method is perfect for parties, game days, or those afternoons when you just want to dump everything in and move on.
Tips and Variations
- Add toppings: Black olives, jalapeños, banana peppers or pineapple chunks—whatever your pizza heart desires.
- Use slider buns for a party: These make a great game-day snack or casual get-together bite.
- Freeze the filling: Double the batch and freeze half for another week. Just reheat on the stove and serve.
Final Thoughts
So the next time you’re staring at ground beef with zero motivation, remember this: sloppy joes don’t have to be boring, and pizza doesn’t have to be round. This Pizza Sloppy Joe recipe is a fun twist that brings the best of both worlds to your dinner table in less than 30 minutes.
Let me know if you try it and what toppings you throw in!
How to Make Pizza Sloppy Joes
Pizza Sloppy Joes are a great recipe that uses ground beef, and can be made using clean ingredients. Real food that your family will love! This also works great to put in a crockpot after cooking. Perfect for nights when everyone is coming and going or even for a party! Crockpot Instructions in the notes!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- 4 oz diced mushrooms
- 2 oz pepperonis (20/25 pepperonis) cut into smaller pieces
- 8 oz pizza sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- pepper to taste
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Mozzarella- slices or shredded top your sandwich
- 4 to 6 Buns
- Optional: butter for toasting the buns
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until mostly browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Stir in diced onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until the veggies are soft.
- Add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the chopped pepperoni and cook for another minute so everything gets a little toasty.
- Pour in the pizza sauce and stir everything together. Let it simmer for 5–6 minutes, just long enough to thicken slightly and meld the flavors. You can add more pizza sauce if it's not looking "sloppy enough" 😉
- Stir in your parmesan cheese and turn off the heat.
- Toast the buns (optional but worth it).
For extra flavor, brush the inside of your buns with a little butter and toast them under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. - Assemble and devour. Scoop that cheesy pizza-meets-sloppy-joe mixture onto each bun- I like to use a large cookie scoop. Add mozzarella cheese, more pepperonis and serve! You can also add your favorite pizza toppings or put them back under the broiler to melt the cheese, yum!
Notes
Better for you ingredient suggestions are on the recipe post at thegoodstuffbakeshop.com
Crockpot Instructions
Brown ground beef and drain. Add beef, onion, mushrooms, garlic, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and seasonings to crockpot. Stir. Cover and cook on **LOW 3–4 hours** or **HIGH 1½–2 hours**. Stir in parmesan before serving. Serve on toasted buns with mozzarella.
**Using frozen cooked beef:** Add frozen beef with remaining ingredients. Cook on **LOW 4–5 hours** until heated through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 305Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 956mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Accuracy is not guaranteed as values can vary based on specific brands and preparation methods used.
These pizza sloppy joes are such a fun twist on a classic and perfect for busy nights. I love that they use simple ingredients and can even be made in the crockpot.