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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.
It’s so much better than canned sloppy joe sauces from the store, and the ingredients are pantry staples.
I’m glad you liked it Tammy! Thank you!
This was amazing! My whole family loved it (I have 6 kids and a picky husband!), and my son even called it his “new favorite” dinner. That is a win in my book! Thanks so much for sharing healthy, delicious recipes!
You’re welcome Joy! I’m glad it was a winner! -Meggan
So my family was skeptical when I said this was for dinner because the last time I made this it was too sweet (different recipe). This was a winner! Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I homeschool four of my grandchildren ages 9-15 and they all said it is definitely “a Keeper!” I used ground turkey for a healthy alternative as you suggested and I also added in grated carrots and finely chopped kale to make it a healthier dish. I put it in my crockpot in the morning while they were eating breakfast and it was smelling delicious by lunch time. So easy, I will definitely be using this recipe as one of our rotation meals for lunch. Thank you again for sharing this with all of us.
Of course I only had tomato-basil sauce! So I went for the tomato soup instead but all I had was PC Blue Menu tomato and roasted red pepper soup to use. Added 2T tomato paste and only 1/4C ketchup so it wouldn’t be too sweet. Next time I’ll leave the brown sugar out till the end to taste. I also added about 1/4C each of celery and cubanelle pepper. My husband says best sloppy joes I ever made – brilliant! I see much more of this in our future thanks
Have made a few times, using 2 cups brown/green lentils instead of the 1 lb meat (my standard substitution). Thank you for the recipe, it is perfect. I had tried “vegan sloppy joes” recipes and they never hit the mark – for some reason always containing tablespoons of chili powder and never really being “sloppy joe” flavored. This sauce is just perfect sloppy joe sauce. I saute a sweet onion until nice and sweetly browned, then add the lentils, 4 cups water, a little salt, and cook until just about done. Then I add all the sauce ingredients. (Adding the acidic tomato sauce to the lentils while cooking will prevent them from softening). Then I let it simmer for a while to let the flavors blend. We serve it with fresh baked rolls or pitas, sliced pickle and onion, and for my husband – fritos. As written the recipe yields two big man servings for him and one serving for me – need to remember to double it next time so I get some of the leftovers.
This turned out amazing. (I took a taste) I have it simmering right now but it seems too liquidity to put on a bun. Any suggestions on thickening I?
Hi Emily, you can simmer it longer if it seems too sloppy. I think the way we eat it, it’s just like that (maybe not as thick as the stuff from the can). Also, did you drain your beef after browning it? If not, it might have more liquid. I think also, uncovering it while simmering will help a lot (I will change the recipe to simmer it uncovered). I hope this helps. And I am so glad you like it! -Meggan
If I make this in the crockpot, should I cook the onions first or put them in raw?
Hi Emily, you could actually do either. Normally I cook the onions with the beef so they would go in cooked. I have another recipe for Calico Beans in a slow cooker and the onions go in raw. I like that too, but the onion flavor ends up being stronger/more pronounced (not bad, not overly oniony, but it’s different). If you aren’t sure, I would say cook them first. But if you aren’t worried about it, or you like an adventure, throw them in raw. Thanks! -Meggan
If I make this in the crockpot, should I cook the onions first or put them in the crockpot raw?
This was super tasty! Since my son doesn’t like onions, I added onion powder!
This is AMAZING!!! The only changes I made was I added the salt and pepper to the meat while it was cooking and per the suggestions I added one clove of garlic and a diced green pepper in with the meat. I will never again but the canned.