Tidy Joes

These tidy joes are a fun twist on classic sloppy joes, made by wrapping the savory meat filling in buttery crescent dough and baking until golden brown. Perfect for busy weeknights or game day appetizers, this easy recipe delivers all the flavor of sloppy joes in a less messy, handheld version.

Tidy Joes Recipe

My kids love sloppy joes, but one of my stubborn children does not like the “sloppy” part of the sandwich. It drives him nuts when all the filling falls out of the bun. So, because I can’t seem to leave well enough alone, I created a mess-free version of sloppy joes and I’m pretty dang excited how they turned out. Each one of my four boys loved them and thought they were a fun dinner.

I love that you can make these for dinner or as an appetizer for fun get togethers. They’re so versatile and compact but still deliver all the best flavors of traditional sloppy joes.

The Cowboys’ Rating: 8.5/10

Every time I make a new recipe, I have my family rate the recipe out of 10. By the time, these recipes make the blog, they’ve been tried and tested by some of my hardest tiny critics!

What Ingredients Are in Tidy Joes?

• Ground Beef – As always, we use our own homegrown ground beef that is grass-finished and regeneratively raised. It’s delicious, lean and so good. Our ground beef is 90/10 and I never have to drain off a bunch of fat.
• Garlic Powder – Garlic powder is very concentrated but has a ton of flavor. I love adding a teaspoon of garlic powder to the beef.
• Onion Powder – If you want you can substitute the onion powder for diced onions but in our family, I have some kids and a husband who hate onions, so we stick to the onion powder for flavor.
• Kosher Salt – I love using kosher salt. It has a wonderful flavor and pairs beautifully with the beef.
• Pepper
• Worcestershire Sauce – To make the flavor of the beef stand out, I like to use Worcestershire sauce.
• Ketchup – This is going to be the base of your tidy joes.
• Brown Sugar – Adding brown sugar adds some sweetness without being too much.
• Mustard – A little mustard adds a tiny bit of tang that is so yummy in the meat mixture.
• Crescent Dough Sheets – For this recipe, I use the Pilsbury crescent dough sheets. If you can’t find the sheets, you can buy the regular crescent dough and just press it together to make a sheet of dough.

Tools You’ll Need

• Frying Pan
• Spatula
• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Baking Sheet

Recipe for Tidy Joes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a frying pan, add together ground beef and seasonings and cook until completely cooked through.
3. Add in ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard and mix well.
4. Simmer for 3-5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
5. Remove from heat and set aside.
6. Remove crescent dough sheets from packaging.
7. Roll out the crescent dough sheets on lightly floured surface and cut into 12 even square pieces.
8. Spoon a few tablespoons of beef mixture in the center of each piece of crescent dough and top with desired amount of cheese.
9. Fold the crescent dough sheets over top of the beef mixture making a triangle shape.
10. Pinch the edges together so that the filling doesn’t spill out while baking then place on a baking sheet.
11. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tops of the tidy joes are golden brown.
12. Remove from heat and let cool.
13. Serve and enjoy!

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat these tidy joes, you may bake them again on a baking sheet pan at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes or pop them in the air fryer for a few minutes. This way the tidy joes are cooked through and crispy instead of soggy.

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