This fun twist on sloppy joes borrows everything you love about pizza. Pizza Joes are a family-friendly meal that comes together in about 30 minutes and delivers big, familiar flavor.
If you enjoy Italian-inspired sandwiches, try these Pizza Joes. They pair well with other recipes that highlight classic pizza flavors.
I’ve long had a soft spot for sloppy joes, so I developed this version to combine that comfort-sandwich appeal with the bright, savory notes of pizza. Simple ingredients, quick prep, and a sauce that easily beats any boxed mix make this an everyday winner.
The filling is an Italian-seasoned meat sauce with mushrooms, olives, and pepperoni, piled high on toasted onion rolls and finished with melted mozzarella. It tastes like a handheld pizza and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef – 2 pounds of 85%–90% lean ground beef. Use ground turkey for a lighter option.
- Onion – finely chopped.
- Bell pepper – green bell pepper gives the classic flavor; red or yellow can be used for a sweeter taste.
- Garlic – minced.
- Mushrooms – cremini or white mushrooms, chopped.
- Olives – a small can of sliced black olives, drained.
- Marinara – a good-quality tomato basil marinara.
- Pepperoni – sliced pepperoni, regular or turkey.
- Seasoning – Italian seasoning, freshly ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes for pizza-like seasoning.
- Mozzarella cheese – shredded, part-skim or whole milk.
- Onion rolls or hamburger buns – onion rolls are especially good with this filling.
Lighten It Up
If you want a lighter version, use lean ground turkey, turkey pepperoni, and part-skim mozzarella. You’ll keep the same great flavor with fewer calories and less fat.
How to Make Pizza Joes
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the ground meat, chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the meat is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender. Drain excess grease and return the skillet to the stove.
- Add the mushrooms, drained olives, marinara sauce, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to meld the flavors.
- While the filling simmers, preheat your oven’s broiler. Split the onion rolls and place them cut-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for about 2 minutes, watching closely, until the rolls are toasted and lightly browned.
- Remove the top buns. Divide the filling among the bottom buns, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, and return to the oven briefly—one to two minutes—until the cheese melts. Top with the bun lids and serve immediately.
These Pizza Joes are messy in the best possible way: saucy, cheesy, and loaded with familiar pizza ingredients. They’re quick to make and perfect for busy weeknights.
Make It a Freezer Meal
To save time later, cool the cooked filling and spoon it into a freezer-safe bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, label, and freeze. For best quality, use within 3–4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Pizza-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
- Pizza Pasta Casserole
- Easy Air Fryer Pizza Pockets
- Pizza Pasta Salad
- Pizza Chicken
Pizza Joes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3/4 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
- 2.25 ounce can sliced black olives, drained
- 25 to 28 ounces tomato basil marinara
- 3 ounces sliced pepperoni, halved (reduced fat or turkey pepperoni optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim or whole milk mozzarella, or as needed
- 8 onion rolls or hamburger buns
Instructions
- Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the meat, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, breaking up the meat, until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are softened. Drain excess grease and return the skillet to the heat.
- Add mushrooms, olives, marinara, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler. Split the rolls and place cut-side up on a baking sheet. Broil about 2 minutes, watching closely, until lightly browned.
- Remove top buns. Divide the filling among the bottom buns, sprinkle with mozzarella, and return to the oven until the cheese melts, about 1–2 minutes.
- Place the top buns on the sandwiches and serve.
Notes
Nutrition information is an estimate based on typical ingredients. To lighten the recipe, use lean ground turkey, turkey pepperoni, and part-skim mozzarella.
Freezer Meal: Cool the cooked filling and pack it into a freezer-safe bag, remove excess air, seal, label, and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating; use within 3–4 months for best quality.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 sandwich | Calories: 548 kcal | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Protein: 39 g | Fat: 24 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients and is an estimate, not a guarantee. Check product labels for precise values.
This post was originally published on April 12, 2015, and has been updated with new text and images.