Sloppy Joes Italian Style! – You know when you dip a hunk of french bread into the spaghetti sauce right before dinner and it’s just soooooo good! Â Well that’s what this tastes like, only you get that bite over and over again!
This one pot meal comes together in less than 30 minutes and will be posted in our Fresh and Fast meal section!  Because it is both of those things!
Grab a big loaf of that french bread your local store seems to always have baking. Â A pound and half of lean ground beef (or ground chicken or turkey), and you probably have the other ingredients in your pantry. Â Crushed tomatoes or marinara, garlic, onion and some mozzarella or provolone cheese.
How to make Sloppy Joes Italian Style!….
I simply sliced up the bread, smeared (I love that word!) it with a bit of butter and sprinkled it with  parmasen cheese.  Gave it a quick sear and it tastes like Texas Toast!  Yum, yum and yum!
The sauce is a simple spaghetti sauce recipe, only much thicker. Â I used a can of crushed tomatoes but you could sub store bought spaghetti/marinara sauce as well. Â The trick is not to add too much sauce to the beef. Â You want this to be thick so it can be piled high on that crusty french bread!
I have made this two times, and it’s a keeper of a recipe! Â We like to serve it with a simple salad on the side. Â It’s so basic and easy, you are not prepared for how big the flavor is! Â Perfect for football watching days or a quick weeknight dinner!
Tips to make Sloppy Joes Italian Style! Â
- Ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef.
- 1 1/2 cups store bought marinara or spaghetti sauce in place of the crushed tomatoes.
- Add in chopped red pepper, green bell pepper. Â Even a handful of spinach.
- I used provolone because thats what I had. Â Any cheese will work.
- Double the recipe and freeze a batch.
- Crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce vary in thickness based on brand. Â If your sauce looks a little thin, continue to simmer until reduced. Â You want this thick so it stands up on the bread!
- The beef should be hot enough to melt the cheese, but if not, just microwave for 10 seconds before adding the top piece of french bread.
- I only seared one side of the bread because I wanted the inside nice and soft but a double sear would be pretty good!
You can see all of our one skillet meals HERE. Â A few of our faves are:
Easy Italian Chicken Skillet – Rummage around in your fridge, I’ll just bet you have the ingredients to make this super easy dinner tonite!
One Skillet Chicken and Rice! Â Even the rice goes in the pot uncooked!
Here’s to easy fresh, fast and healthy meals!
Clink!
Kathi
What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula, while you’re at it…We love to see your pics! Â
Sloppy Joes Italian Style
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef I used 93/7
- 4 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes tomato sauce or marinara will work
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 1 tsp basil and 1 tsp oregano will work as well
- 1 loaf large french bread find the bigger loafs rather than a baguette
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 4 slices provolone or mozzarella
- salt and pepper will vary based on the saltiness of your tomato sauce
Instructions
- Heat large skillet to medium high heat.
- Slice french bread about 1/2 inch thick. Spread with butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Sear bread on one side until toasted and browned. Set aside.
- In same skillet, brown the ground beef until almost cooked through. Drain off excess fat.
- Add garlic and onions. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until onions have softend and garlic is fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes. Cook until thickened. Taste for salt and pepper. If your sauce is too runny, continue to cook until desired thickness.
- Place french bread, toasted side down on plate. Top with beef sauce and a slice of cheese. The heat from the beef should melt the cheese. You can microwave for 10 seconds if you prefer it a bit more melted.
- Top with remaining french bread slices. Serve with a simple salad if desired!
Nutrition
Nothing better than spag bol sauce on a tosted sandwich for breakfast 😋 and heaps of white pepper.