What to serve with Sloppy Joes: 35 Yummy Side Dishes!

Now – an alternative to Sloppy Joes are Maid-Rites!!! (You can also make Cheese-Rites.) They’re an Iowa specialty and I absolutely love them. I even made them into a Maid Rite slider recipe that everybody loves! Maid Rites are also known as a loose-meat sandwich – or – a sloppy joe without the sauce – and I’ve been eating them since I could chew!

OK – now that you’ve got your joes – let’s dive into what to serve with these little delights!

Veggie Side Dishes for Sloppy Joes

Technically Sloppy Joes have vegetables – I mean there’s ketchup! But – you probably need more than that! So here’s some favorite veggie recipes that go great with Sloppy Joes or Maid Rites!

• Ranch Dill Pickles – My favorite side dish for sloppy joes are pickles but Ranch Pickles take Dill Pickles to the next level! The ranch seasoning adds a creaminess to your pickles you never knew you needed! 

• Italian Green Beans – Green beans with tomatoes and garlic are a perfect side dish for any meal and they’re really easy to make!

• No Cook Refrigerator Pickles – My Dad made this classic recipe every year, all summer long! His recipe was pretty much vinegar, water, cucumbers and onions with a few seasonings – but I jazzed it up to make it my own.

• Grilled Corn on the Cob – Grilled corn on the cob is one of those summer staples that I’m obsessed with! Being from Iowa – I can never get enough corn – and the best part is – grilled corn on the cob is super simple and you can’t screw it up!

Air Fryer Veggies

Now – not everyone has an air fryer – which I really can’t comprehend! I mean – it’s amazing!!!! I love air fryers so much I have two! I love the Paula Deen Air Fryer – it’s HUGE and super easy to use! Here are my favorite veggies that you can make while your Joes are gittin’ sloppy!

• Air Fryer Deep Fried Deviled Eggs – OK while not technically a vegetable – they are delicious! Everybody makes regular old deviled eggs but who makes deep fried deviled eggs? YOU DO!!! These are amazing! Everybody will love your spin on them! You can even make the hard-boiled eggs in the air fryer!

• Air Fryer Jalapeno Cheddar Avocado Fries – These Air Fryer Avocado Fries will hit the spot at your game day parties – it’s the appetizer all your friends will be talking about! These also have a super zing of cilantro lime – and they’re ready in minutes!!

• Air Fryer Jalapeno Fries – Air Fryer Jalapeno Fries are going to be your families new favorite!!! These are my new favorite! I ate 3 peppers in one sitting!!!

• Air Fryer Carrot Fries – Roasted carrots are great – but they take time – UNLESS you’re making them in your air fryer! These air fryer carrot fries are a tasty and quick side dish for any meal!

• Air Fryer Cheesy Tomatoes – Jazz up plain tomatoes in your air fryer just by adding a little cheese and fresh basil! It brings out the best in the tomatoes and is ready in minutes!

• Air Fryer Fried Pickles – Fried Pickles are one of my favorite appetizers and I’ve been dying to make them in the air fryer. I did a poll and it was a landslide that chips are preferred over spears! 

• Air Fryer Onion Rings – I’ve been dying to try out onion rings in my air fryer and they were amazing! These are super crunchy and really tasty! And I made a fun zingy dippin sauce to go with the air fryer onion rings! Crunchy & saucy! Yum!

• Air Fryer Smashed Brussels Sprouts – These are the perfect side dish for any meal! Steamed, smashed and air fried – then sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, olive oil and garlic salt – this easy recipe for crispy Brussels sprouts only takes 15 minutes of cooking time!

Delicious Salads & Dip Side Dishes

Another way to load up on veggies and fruit to go with Slop-Slop-Sloppy Joes is to make a salad! Or – you can make a salad into a dip! Yeah – I said it!!! Serve your dips with tortilla chips like Scoops and you’ll also add some crunch into your favorite sides!

• Copycat KFC Cole Slaw – KFC Coleslaw has always been my favorite! It’s creamy and a little sweet and very simple and you can make it in minutes!

• Copycat Taziki’s Tomato Cucumber Salad – One of the dishes at Taziki’s that captured the attention of my growling stomach was their Tomato-Cucumber salad. It’s so refreshing and full of zing and feta – plus pickled red onions!  

• Watermelon & Feta Salad – I’ve perfected this recipe to make it so easy and delicious – this is hands-down the BEST watermelon & feta salad recipe! It takes five minutes and you’re enjoying it! 

• Copycat Olive Garden Signature Salad – Olive Garden has the best house salad – with all my favorite toppings like olives and tomatoes and topped with that delicious Italian dressing and I have the recipe!

• Street Corn Salad – Mexican Street Corn is so popular – it’s grilled corn topped with mayonnaise, cojita cheese and seasonings. It’s also super easy to make it into a salad that goes great with any dish!  (This has chicken – but you can easily leave that out and it’s still amazing!)

• Fun & Easy Fruit Salad – Mix together powdered pudding mix and fruit and you have a salad! What?

• Wedge Salad Dip – I love a Wedge Salad and the only way I could figure to make it better was to make it into a dip and eat it with chips!!!

• Seven Layer Salad Dip – I love Seven Layer Salad – always have! But I feel weird sometimes just mowing down something where the binding ingredient is straight-up mayo?! So here’s a way to take all the things you love about Seven Layer Salad and make it into a dip! 

Easy Potato Side Dishes for Sloppy Joes

There’s more than just potato chips and potato salad for a Sloppy Joe side dish – check these out:

• Copycat Taco Johns Potato Oles – Taco Johns Potato Ole seasoning is a little spicy, a little salty and so delicious! This copycat recipe for the potato oles is spot on! This uses crispy crowns – but you can easily swap out Tater Tots!

• Air Fryer Potato Skins – These air fryer potato skins are so much quicker than in the oven and man on man – I can tell you – I ate the whole plateful. Oye! Cheese, bacon, sour cream – I’m hungry again already!

• Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes – Taco Bell’s Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are gone as of today but it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them! I love those spicy nuggets covered in cheese and sour cream!

• Copycat Cheeseburger French Fries – This is a fun one! It’s a deconstructed cheeseburger on a plate – they’re like nachos but with fries! And if you have leftover Sloppy Joe or Maid Rite meat – just throw it on!

• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries – these guys are quick and easy to make when you pop them in the air fryer. And need a quick dip? Grab the maple syrup!

Best Pasta Side Dishes

Another thing I can never get enough of as an easy side dish are pasta salads and macaroni & cheese dishes! So here are my absolute favorites:

• Jarlsberg Dip Macaroni Salad – This Jarlsberg Dip Macaroni Salad is going to be a sure fire hit at your dinner table! Plus it’s SO SIMPLE to make!

• Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Mac & Cheese – This copycat recipe of Panera’s new Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese is spot on perfection! They took their two fan favorites: mac & cheese and broccoli cheddar cheese soup and mixed them together to make magic!

• Greek Pasta Salad – I used to make this great side dish when I was growing up – it’s similar to an Italian pasta salad but with black olives, tomatoes and more!

• Creamiest Mac & Cheese – This is by far the creamiest macaroni and cheese you will ever try and a crazy delicious side dish! It’s really easy and one pot – I love it! Plus with only 5 ingredients – it will be on the table in just 20 minutes!

Refreshing Drinks & Yummy Desserts to go with Sloppy Joes

Some of the best side dishes are drinks & desserts! Sweets always pair well with Sloppy Joes – so make some lemonade and have a delicious (and easy) dessert! Here are my favorites!

• Copycat Red Robin Freckled Lemonade – Red Robin is a favorite of mine – those burgers, those steak fries and the Freckled Lemonade! It’s so easy to make at home with a glass full of lemonade and fresh strawberries!

• Air Fryer Grilled Pineapple – Summertime screams PINEAPPLE! It’s such a happy color and just tastes like summer! It’s the Sweet Tart of the fruit world. And popping pineapple in your air fryer will make the best dessert in just minutes! 

• Rhubarb Dream Bars – Rhubarb Dream Bars are the perfect early summer treat! The rhubarb is ripe and you just need a little bite of sweetness after a day of summer fun and grilling. These dream bars go together in just a few minutes and they are delicious!

• Pineapple Orange Sunshine Cake – This Pineapple Orange Sunshine Cake could be the happiest cake on the planet! I mean – it’s got SUNSHINE in the name! 

• Crustless Apple Pie – I’m always looking for a dessert that is easy – I’m just not much of a baker – so when I heard of a crustless apple pie – I thought – THAT is right up my alley!

• No Bake Cherry Cheesecake – This super easy no-bake cherry cheesecake has a graham cracker crust and you are going to LOVE IT!! I have literally been craving it ever since I made it!!!! 

I hope you are all set with loads of delicious side dish ideas perfect for your Sloppy Joe Dinner! These sides and desserts will make everybody happy – and you might have more leftovers to enjoy the next day!