Kid-Friendly Mini Beef and Cheese Sloppy Joes
Miniature sloppy joe sandwiches with a savory ground beef and tomato sauce filling, perfect for picky eaters and easy family meals. This American-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs ground beef, yellow onion, green bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 12 mini slider buns
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula, cook for 5 minutes until browned and no longer pink.
- Step 2: Add 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion, 1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves to the beef. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
- Step 3: Stir in 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef.
- Step 4: Toast 12 mini slider buns lightly. Spoon generous portions of the sloppy joe mixture onto the bottom halves of the buns, sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and top with the bun lids. Serve warm.







