Elevate your sandwich night with TEXAS TOAST SLOPPY JOES & you’ll be fighting your kids for the last serving!
If you’ve ever looked at your loaf of Texas Toast and thought…how I love thee, let me count the ways….then congrats—you’re among friends here!
This Texas Toast Sloppy Joes recipe is a dinner miracle for those weeknights when the schedule is tighter than your kid’s soccer cleats. It’s fast, cheap, picky-eater approved, and a little bit messy in the best way. Think open-faced cheeseburger meets your childhood nostalgia—but you can be as sneaky with the veggies as you want.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SLOPPY JOE RECIPE:
✅30 Minute Start To Finish
✅Kid Approved (and picky eater friendly!)
✅Budget Dinner idea using pantry & freezer staples
✅Customizable for dietary needs
✅Great for batch cooking AND meal prep, too!
TEXAS TOAST SLOPPY JOE INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
- 1 lb ground beef (or turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 1 can sloppy joe sauce
- 1–2 Tbsp water (if needed to thin)
- 8 slices frozen Texas garlic toast
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: ½ bag frozen butternut squash cubes
BEST BREAD FOR SLOPPY JOES?
The ultimate twist on this recipe is the use of glorious frozen garlic butter Texas Toast. Throw on a little melty cheese, and these become the best open-face burgers you’ve ever stuffed your face with.
Added bonus: these little beauties will be gobbled up by the pickiest of eaters.
How do I know? …because I have one, too. We allllll have one, don’t we?
And, he just couldn’t resist.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT SLOPPY JOE?
In my opinion? Minimal ingredients. Short cuts. And, a few veggies to make me feel like a champion. If you’re skimming to get to the good stuff — here’s the quick & dirty behind the magic:
Step 1: Preheat & toast
Preheat oven to temp listed on your Texas toast box. Line a baking sheet with foil and bake toast per package instructions but pulling it out before it’s completely cooked. It’ll finish off when we build our sammies.
Step 2: Cook the filling
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Add diced onion and bell pepper. Stir and break apart beef until fully cooked and veggies are softened (about 5 minutes).
Step 3: Optional veggie boost
Chop up some bell peppers and onions to add to your ground beef mixture. And, if you’re feeling extra frisky throw in some frozen butternut squash. Microwave the frozen butternut squash until heated through. Add to the skillet and stir into the beef mixture.
Step 4: Add sloppy joe sauce
Pour in the sloppy joe sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add water if the mixture feels too thick. Add a little Worcestershire and hot sauce if you want a boost of flavor.
Step 5: Assemble & bake
Once toast is golden, remove from oven. Spoon about ½ cup of sloppy joe mixture onto each slice of toast. Top with shredded cheese.
Place back into the oven and bake at 400°F for 4ish minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
TEXAS TOAST SLOPPY JOES
Elevate your sandwich night with TEXAS TOAST SLOPPY JOES & you'll be fighting your kids for the last serving!
Ingredients
- 1 can sloppy joe sauce
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 small onion
- 1/2 large bell pepper or 1 small bell pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons water (if needed)
- 8 pieces Texas style toast
- 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- OPTIONAL ADD IN:
- 1/2 package frozen diced butternut squash
Instructions
- Heat oven to temperature required to cook Texas Toast.
- While oven is heating, dice onion & bell pepper.
- Line a cookie sheet with foil & cook Texas toast according to package directions.
- Over medium high heat, brown ground beef in a large skillet.
- Once beef is sizzling, add in diced onions and bell peppers. Stir to combine.
- Using the back of your spoon, make sure beef is broken apart and there are no large chunks.
- Cover & cook for about 5 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink.
- Onions and bell pepper should be softened & beef should no longer be pink.
- OPTIONAL INGREDIENT ADD IN:
- Heat butternut squash according to package directions in microwave.
- Add 1/2 package of thawed butternut chunks to beef mixture.
- Add sauce to beef mixture. Stir well.
- Bring to a simmer.
- When toast is cooked, pull out of oven & add 1/2 c. (or more) of mixture to top of each toast. Top with cheese.
- Cook in 400 degree oven for 4 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- SUB: ground turkey, veggie crumbles, or ground chicken can be substituted for the ground beef.
- SUB: Any cheese will work for the top.
- OMIT: you may omit any of the veggies you don't like & replace with your favorite veggies or beans.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 356Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 420mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 24g
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR SLOPPY JOE FILLING
No beef? Try turkey, ground chicken, or veggie crumbles.
No cheddar? Use mozzarella, pepper jack, or Colby jack.
No Texas toast? Sub hamburger buns, English muffins, or any thick-sliced bread. FYI: My mom used to use hamburger buns like this & it was my favorite weeknight dinner growing up!
Hiding veggies? This is a great recipe to sneak in extras like mushrooms, spinach, or riced cauliflower.
Batch it: Double the filling and freeze half for another night.
TEXAS TOAST SLOPPY JOE REMAKE IDEA
Okay, if you’re new to Freaking Delish, let me just tell you that I LOVE to remake my family’s favorite recipes into something that’s familiar but surprisingly unique. And, this recipe is no exception.
Got leftovers or getting ahead on next week’s dinner menu? Layer that beefy-cheesy goodness in a baking dish, top with tater tots and more cheese, and bake until golden brown.
Boom: new dinner, no complaints.
Pin this recipe for later! Texas Toast Sloppy Joes – A Cheesy, Kid-Approved Weeknight Dinner in Under 30 Minutes
And, if you try this recipe, please drop me a line in the comments & let others know it’s a total winner, too!
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