Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

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Garlic Bread Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches! An easy, under 20 minutes, family-friendly dinner idea full of protein and packed with flavor.

an italian sloppy joe sandwich with garlic bread on a plate

I’m giving the traditional sloppy joe sandwiches an Italian makeover today.

We’re going to take that sweet and tangy flavor and chuck it out the window for fresh Italian herbs, marinara sauce, garlic and mozzarella.

You in? I know my family is. The kids can turn their nose up at sloppy joe sauce, but when garlic bread Italian sloppy joe sandwiches are in the house, there is no hope of leftovers. Italian flavors always win!

About Garlic Bread Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

  • Flavor: You’ll find that the buttery garlic bread flavor takes center stage. This recipe calls for already made spaghetti sauce, so choose a flavor since that flavor will be dominant.
  • Texture: Buttery garlic toast with slightly crisp edges and beefy spaghetti sauce.
  • Method: Toast the garlic bread in the oven while you make the sauce on the stovetop. An easy dinner ready in 20 minutes!

How to Make Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

  • Cook the garlic Texas toast according to the package directions. 
toasted garlic bread piled on a plate
  1. While the garlic toast is baking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the beef is browned and no longer pink, drain off the excess fat. Add the two jars of marinara sauce. 
meat spaghetti sauce in a pan
  1. Simmer the beef and sauce over medium-low heat until the sauce is heated through.
  2. To serve, place a piece of garlic toast on a plate. Top with sloppy joe mixture, then cheese and garnish with basil or fresh parsley if desired. Top with another layer if you’d like a full sandwich!
an open faced italian sloppy joe sandwich

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

  • Use a crusty Italian loaf instead of premade garlic bread for these garlic bread sloppy joes. The you can control the amount of butter and seasonings you want to put on. Cut the loaf in half lengthwise, then butter and season. Bake in the oven until the bread is toasted.
  • Looking for a gluten-free option? Make baked potatoes, top with garlic butter and then top with the saucy meat mixture. It will remind you of our pizza potatoes! The ultimate in comfort food.
  • Make a homemade spaghetti sauce. Then you can add onions, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and even bell pepper to your sauce.
  • Replace the hamburger with ground turkey, ground chicken or Italian sausage.
a fork cutting into an Italian sloppy joe sandwich

What to Serve with Garlic Bread Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

For an appetizer, try our Italian tomato sandwiches, garlic cheese ball or Italian pinwheels. Or start with Italian vegetable soup!

For side dishes, try a caesar salad, baked french fries or antipasto salad.

Finish with chocolate sandwich cookies as a dessert.

You may also love our sloppy joe pasta, oven baked French toast and twinkie cake!

two pieces of garlic bread with spaghetti meat sauce
two pieces of garlic bread with spaghetti meat sauce

Garlic Bread Italian Sloppy Joes

5 from 1 vote
Garlic Bread Italian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches! An easy, under 20 minutes dinner idea full of protein and packed with flavor.
Servings 8 people
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

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Ingredients
 

  • 16 slices frozen garlic Texas toast
  • 2 pounds 93% lean ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 32 ounces spaghetti sauce Rao's is our favorite brand
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 8 ounces
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil for topping

Instructions
 

  • Cook the garlic Texas toast according to the package directions. 16 slices frozen garlic Texas toast
  • While the garlic toast is baking, brown the ground beef over medium heat. 2 pounds 93% lean ground beef
  • Once the beef is browned and no longer pink, drain off the fat. Add the two jars of marinara sauce. 32 ounces spaghetti sauce
  • Heat the beef and sauce over medium-low heat until the sauce is heated through.
  • To serve, place a piece of garlic toast on a plate. Top with meat sauce, then cheese and basil if desired. 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup freshly chopped basil

Video

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8, with 1 serving being 1 sloppy joe sandwich with two slices of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1263mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 680IU | Vitamin C: 7.9mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 16mg
Course Main, Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Calories 547
Keyword 20 minute dinner, easy dinner recipe, sloppy joe sandwiches
About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
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Sandy
7 years ago

Your Italian sloppy Joe’s look delicious. I cannot wait to give them a try. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us all.

eleanor
8 years ago

Where do you buymezzetta Italian plum tomato marinara sauce>

Karly
8 years ago

Crying from deliciousness overload. The garlic bread, the meat, the sauce… I. CAN’T. HANDLE IT.

Shadi
8 years ago

These look so good! I love sloppy Joe and this recipe makes me wanna get into the kitchen right now and make me some yummy Italian Sloppy Joe!