The Best Sloppy Joe Fries Recipe

If you love gooey fries and are searching for an easy loaded comfort food recipe, you have to try these sloppy joe fries.

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Sloppy Joe Fries

We took our air fryer french fries and topped them with a zesty homemade sloppy joe sauce and then baked them with cheese. The end result is a perfect loaded fries recipe that you’ll make for simple dinners and events like game day parties.

Sloppy Joe Cheese Fries Ingredients

Base Ingredients

• French fries: Choose your favorite type of fries, such as shoestring or crinkle cut. They can be baked or fried, depending on your preference. We used our air fryer recipe.
• Sloppy joe sauce: The star of the dish, ground beef provides a hearty and savory base for the Sloppy Joe sauce.
• Cheese: Use your favorite cheese or cheese blend. We used old cheddar cheese (aka sharp cheddar).

Sauce Components

• Onion and bell peppers: Diced onions, red, and green bell peppers add texture, fiber, veggies, and flavor to the Sloppy Joe sauce.
• Tomato paste: This thick paste helps create a rich and tangy base for the sauce.
• Beef broth: You can also use water, but beef broth adds more flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce: A classic ingredient that adds depth and umami to the sauce.
• Chili powder, mustard powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper: These seasonings provide a kick of spice and warmth to the dish and give it the sloppy joe flavors you love.

Garnishes

• Green onions: Thinly sliced green onions serve as a colorful and flavorful garnish to finish off the dish.
• Parsley: Another green garnish that makes this dish pop.
• Tomatoes: Adds eye catching red to the dish for presentation.

Ingredient Substitutions and Recipe Alternatives

Customize the sloppy joe gooey fries to your liking and lifestyle with the below suggestions.

Sweet Variation

If you prefer a sweeter sloppy joe sauce you can add up to a tablespoon of brown sugar to the pan while sauteeing.

Spicy Variation

If you’re a fan of spicy flavors, consider adding a kick to your homemade Sloppy Joes with the following:

• Red pepper flakes
• Hot sauce
• Diced jalapeño peppers
• Cayenne pepper

Vegetarian Version

If you prefer a meatless option or wish to incorporate more vegetables into your meals, try a veggie version.

• Substitute the ground beef with your favorite meat alternatives, such as lentils, black beans, or a plant-based meat substitute.

Kitchen Tools Needed

Storage and Leftovers

Before storing leftovers, make sure everything cools down.

We recommend storing the sauce separately from the fries in an airtight container, as leftover fries are never as good (and the sauce will only make them soggy).

The sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can use any leftover sauce in a traditional sloppy joe sandwich.

Freezing sloppy joe sauce

If you’d like to keep the leftovers for an extended period, freezing is a great option.

Place the sloppy joe mixture in a freezer container or a resealable plastic bag, removing any air before sealing.

The sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating from Frozen

When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover sloppy joe fries, first thaw the sauce in the refrigerator if it was stored in the freezer.

To reheat, place the sloppy joe sauce in a saucepan and warm it over low heat, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a bit of water or beef broth if the mixture appears too thick.

Then add it to freshly baked (or air fried) frozen fries and top with cheese.

How to Make Sloppy Joe Fries

Grab a large skillet and heat it up over medium-high heat.

Toss in the ground beef, onions, red and green peppers, and sauté them until the meat is no longer pink. Give the fat a quick drain, but leave about a tablespoon behind in the pan.

Add in all the sauce ingredients and give them a good stir until everything melds together beautifully. Once that’s done, remove the skillet from the heat.

Arrange your fries on the sheet pan.

Here comes the best part: spoon that flavorful sloppy joe sauce generously over the fries and don’t forget to top it all off with a generous sprinkle of cheese.

Pop your loaded fries in the oven, until the cheese is melted. You can also do this in an air fryer.

What to Serve with Loaded Fries

Side dishes that pair well with Sloppy Joe fries include:

• coleslaw
• corn on the cob
• a refreshing salad
• grilled vegetables
• baked beans
• veggies and dip

Loaded fries dipping sauces

You can also serve them with a variety of dipping sauces such as:

• ranch
• garlic aioli
• chipotle mayo
• blue cheese
• barbeque sauce

Easy Dinner Ideas You’ll Love

• Sloppy Joe Casserole
• Baked Italian Meatballs Recipe