Ditch the can and whip up these homemade sloppy joes. Delicious ground beef flavored up with sweet and tangy sauce and served on a toasted hamburger bun is a quick and easy dinner for busy weeknights that the whole family will love.
Make this recipe, because...
This easy sloppy joe recipe is a fun throwback.
It is way better than canned sauce and uses simple ingredients you definitely have in your pantry.
Fresh onions and red or green pepper add delicious fresh taste and texture.
It's super quick dish and will be on the dinner table in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
90/10 Ground Beef- I recommend lean ground beef so your filling is juicy, but not greasy.
Ketchup- This is the perfect base for your sauce because it already has sugar, vinegar, and seasoning that you would add to tomato sauce or paste. It is a pantry staple and likely something you have on hand all the time, so these easy sloppy joes are something that you can enjoy even when you don't have a plan for dinner.
Substitutions
You can make these sandwiches a bit lighter by using ground turkey in place of beef and making a Sloppy Jane.
How to Make It
Step 1
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat.
- Add one pound of ground beef to the skillet and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
Step 2
- Cook beef until it is well browned. Then, add the diced onions and peppers to the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are translucent.
Step 3
- Next, add the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika to make the Sloppy Joe Sauce.
- Mix together with the ground meat and bring to a low simmer. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes to let the sauce combine and flavor the beef well.
- Serve sloppy joe meat mixture on toasted hamburger buns and enjoy.
How to Serve Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes
Classic Sloppy Joes are served on a soft roll or hamburger bun.
For fun add a slice of cheese or some pickle chips to top off the sandwiches.
Add Simple and Delicious Side dishes like...
- Potato Chips
- French Fries
- Cole Slaw
- Baked Beans
- Tater Tots
- Green Beans
- Simple Green Salad
FAQs
Making homemade sloppy joes is a lot like making a meat sauce, but the taste is very close to barbecue sauce. Using ketchup and mustard along with brown sugar gives you a nice sweet taste with a good amount of tang. Of course the cooked beef adds richness. All of this is set off nicely with a soft, white bun.
If you don't have ketchup you can substitute one cup of tomato sauce mixed with ¼ cup white sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon paprika. You can also use ½ cup of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and ¼ cup of water.
Diana's Tips for Success
Do not drain the beef after browning, any excess liquid will combine with the sauce and make the meat extra juicy.
Always serve on a well toasted hamburger bun. A crispy bun holds up to the saucy beef and is delicious and makes your Joes slightly less sloppy to eat.
Storage and Reheating
You can store sloppy joe meat in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
You can freeze the cooked meat for up to 3 months.
To reheat, simply place the sloppy joe filling in a microwave safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and cook 30 seconds at a time until it is heated through. Stirring in between will help it heat evenly.
If you are reheating a large amount, transfer meat to a skillet heated on low. Add 2 tablespoons of water and slowly bring the meat to a simmer.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- Large Skillet 10-12"
Ingredients
- 1.25 Pounds Ground Beef
- 1 Cup Bell Peppers diced 1 whole red or green bell pepper
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion diced ½ medium onion
Sloppy Joe Sauce
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
- ¼ Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
- Hamburger Buns or soft white rolls
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef to the skillet and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
- Once the ground beef is well browned, add the diced onions and peppers to the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are translucent.
- Next, add the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika to make the Sloppy Joe Sauce.
- Mix together with the beef and bring to a low simmer. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes to let the sauce combine and flavor the beef well.
- Serve sloppy joe meat mixture on toasted hamburger buns and enjoy.
Notes
- Potato Chips
- French Fries
- Cole Slaw
- Baked Beans
- Tater Tots
- Green Beans
- Simple Green Salad
Nutrition
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Mahy says
These sloppy joes are absolutely amazing! Just the way I like them really. Yum!
Liz says
These sloppy joes were so easy to put together and very tasty. Even my picky toddlers asked for more! We will definitely be making these again.
Amy says
My mom used to make these when I was a kid but from the can. This recipe was so much better!!
Anjali says
This is such an easy, hearty, family friendly dinner! Yum!
Ned says
I remember these as a child and your recipe did not disappoint! Thank you for the trip down memory lane. Can't wait to make these more often.