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When it comes to easy homemade dinners, it doesn’t get any better than this easy Sloppy Joe Recipe, a longtime family favorite. This 30-minute meal is perfect for busy weeknights, backyard barbecues, and birthday parties. Of all the sloppy joes I’ve had, this one is the best.
Meggan’s notes
As a classically-trained chef who grew up in the Midwest, I love to reimagine the recipes of my childhood so they taste even better than you imagine. These homemade sloppy joes are no exception. They are packed with flavor yet perfectly balanced, and home cooks just can’t get enough of them.
I hear it time and time again: “This is the best sloppy joe recipe I’ve ever had!” Whether I’m cooking them for my family or just perusing the comments below (feel free to take a look for yourself), the verdict is in. These are the best homemade sloppy joes on the block, and once you make it, your life will never be the same.
If you’ve got 8 basic ingredients and 30 minutes or less, you are winning dinner tonight, and it’s not even close. Make a double batch to feed a crowd or freeze it for later. This is a delicious sloppy joes recipe that everyone will love, and it’s easy on the cook, too!
Table of Contents
Sloppy Joe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Ground beef: Or substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground venison in these homemade sloppy joes.
- Onion: Finely chopped celery and a green bell pepper are great too!
- Brown sugar: Even a tablespoon is too much for some people. If you don’t like the sound of brown sugar in your Sloppy Joe, please leave it out!
How to Make the Best Sloppy Joe Recipe
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, combine beef and chopped onion. Cook until the meat is mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
- In a small bowl whisk together tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper).
- Pour sauce ingredients over drained beef and stir until evenly coated.
- Simmer the sloppy joe sauce uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (cover if you prefer a sloppier Sloppy Joe).
- Spoon the homemade sloppy joes into a hamburger bun and devour. For extra flavor, brush the crown of your bun with butter and toast on a griddle. YUM!
Sloppy Joes Recipe tips and variations
- No Worcestershire sauce: In a pinch, substitute soy sauce.
- Barbecue sauce. Your favorite barbecue sauce (or my favorite barbecue sauce, based on Sweet Baby Ray’s) can be added instead of ketchup for a smoky version of a classic Joe.
- Spices: Dress up your sloppy joes with garlic powder, onion powder, or any other flavors you love. If you want heat, throw in a tbsp of ancho chili powder, a tsp of ground cumin, or a half teaspoon of chipotle powder. Or, splash on your favorite hot sauce. Season with kosher salt to taste.
- Slow cooker: To make the best sloppy joes in a crockpot, brown the ground beef in a skillet first. Drain well and add the bottom of a crock pot. Add all the other ingredients (except the buns), cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Casserole: For a fork-friendly version, try my Sloppy Joe Casserole Recipe.
What goes with Sloppy Joes?
Yield: This Sloppy Joes recipe makes 4 to 6 cups of meat mixture, enough for 8 heaping sandwiches.
Favorite sides for sloppy joes: Try crispy French fries, crunchy potato chips, coleslaw, baked beans, and pickles.
How to store Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Cool completely, then add to freezer containers (one big batch or individual portions), label and date, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Manwich is a specific food product that is marked as Sloppy Joe filling sold at the grocery store. However, as many commenters will attest, you needn’t open that can of Manwich ever again. This recipe is easy and delicious and miles ahead of Manwich!
Add a slice of cheese! The cheese melts over the hot meat and helps it all adhere better to the bun, but that’s just a bonus. Raw diced onion, dill pickle slices, and pickle relish are great toppings, too.
Legend has it that Sloppy Joes were invented in Sioux City, Iowa. In the 1920s, a cook named Joe was working at the Ye Old Tavern Inn. He created his sloppy sandwich filling and named it a “Sloppy Joe.”
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Homemade Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped (see note 1)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed (see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard or yellow mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 Sandwich buns split
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine beef and onion. Cook until the meat is mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
- In a small bowl whisk together tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper).
- Pour sauce ingredients over drained beef and stir until evenly coated. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (cover if you prefer a sloppier Sloppy Joe). Serve in buns.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Onion: Finely chopped celery and green peppers are great too!
- Brown sugar: Even a tablespoon is too much for some people. If you don’t like the sound of brown sugar in your Sloppy Joe, please leave it out!
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 c. of Sloppy Joe meat mixture, enough for 8 heaping sandwiches.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How long can it be keeped in the freezer?
Hi Judith, indefinitely although eventually the quality will suffer. But as far as food safety goes, you can keep it in the freezer forever. I would say you’d want to eat it in 3 months, but I haven’t actually tested this to know for sure. I can if you want me to? Just let me know. But it will take a while to report back. 😀
Serve it like they do everything in Pittsburgh – with French fries on it. lol
So yummy the best we have ever had !! Thank You !!
This girl knows what’s good. Period!
I was doing fine until I scrolled past her Cincinnati Chili recipe. Now I’m a wreck. GOTTA MAKE IT. It’s sooooo good!!
Actually, tho’ I may be a little biased, the best Sloppy Joes I’ve ever had are my Mom’s! And they are by far the easiest. The ingredients are One Of Everything’ in logical order.
One lb. of ground beef
One onion diced
One red or green pepper diced
One cup of ketchup
One tbs of yellow mustard
One tsp of white vinegar
One shake of black pepper to taste
One shake of salt to taste
Brown and Drain Ground Beef
Sauté onion and pepper til translucent
Mix all ingredients and simmer for forty-five
minutes
Serve with American Cheese on a bun
I’m eating these right now as we speak (type)! These are so nummy!!! I used lean ground turkey. Didn’t have onion or green pepper on hand. Added a little garlic (I’m a garlic freak)!!! Absolutely delicious!!!
OH EM GEE! I just made this, didn’t change a thing, as it is wonderful!!!! My guy liked Manwich – until now!! He’s already upset that we only had 1 pound of ground beef on hand, lol, so guess what?? Because of you and your darned good recipe, I’m trekking it to the store for more ingredients!!! Thanks Meghan, this is truly my go to from now on!!!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and my family loves it. This time I used ground Turkey instead of beef. A-maz-ing!!
Great sloppy joe recipe! So easy and delicious. Mine was a tad bit acidic (may have been the ketchup or tomato sauce I used), but an extra 1 tbsp of brown sugar cut the acidity down, and it was so yummy. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi! Does the nutrition show for one serving size? If so how much is a serving size? I’m guessing 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Also, does it include the bun (guessing not)? Thanks!!
Hi Britt! Sorry to take so long getting back to you, I finally got around to testing this so I can tell you the answer! The recipe makes just under 4 cups total, so there are 8 servings of approximately 1/2 cup each. That was based on the size of my onion though. I am going to change the recipe to say 1 medium onion, instead of a small onion, to hit that even 4-cup mark. If that makes sense. And the calories iare based on including a bun, yes (a Pepperidge Farms hamburger bun). Without the bun, 1/2 cup sloppy joe meat is 190 calories. If you need anything else please let me know! Sorry again for the delay.