Sloppy Joes

This easy and delicious comfort food recipe for Sloppy Joes comes together in a snap and uses ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. Dinner in 30 minutes makes everyone happy!

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Sloppy Joes are an iconic food that almost every family puts on the table throughout the year. It seems like grabbing a can of Manwich Sloppy Joe sauce might be the only way to make them. However, our homemade version is a hearty recipe that packs a flavorful punch! It takes just 30 minutes to whip up these messy sandwiches, and the kids will love them! Win-win-win!

Sloppy Joe Ingredients

You’ll need:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, more to taste
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons softened butter to toast the hamburger buns
• 4-6 hamburger buns

Substitutions and Additions

Ground Beef: It’s possible to use ground turkey or pork in this recipe, but keep in mind it will change the flavor quite a bit and won’t have the taste of traditional Sloppy Joes!

Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce really gives this recipe a nice flavor, so we recommend you keep it in if you can. We love this zesty sauce and put it in plenty of recipes, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can make a quick substitute. Mix together 1 tbsp. of ketchup, 1 tbsp. of vinegar, ½ tbsp. of soy sauce, and, if you want, a tiny dash of hot sauce.

Spices: Turn up the heat by adding spicy flavor with some extra Worcestershire sauce or 1 tsp chili powder.

How to Make Sloppy Joes

STEP ONE: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, drain the extra grease, remove the ground beef, and set it aside.

PRO TIP: Use lean ground beef and rinse your cooked meat to remove even more fat if it concerns you.

STEP TWO: In that same skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium-high heat. Then, add the onions and sauté until transparent, about 3 minutes.

PRO TIP: Keep an eye on the onions. Stir frequently to avoid burning.

STEP THREE: Stir in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch for bubbling and splattering tomato sauce!

STEP FOUR: Add the ground beef to the sauce in the skillet and stir together. Cook until the sauce is hot through.

STEP FIVE: Butter the inside of the buns and toast them on a griddle pan.

STEP SIX: Spoon the meat mixture onto the prepared buns and enjoy.

How To Serve Sloppy Joes

This recipe is hearty and delicious enough to be a meal on its own. But you can serve Sloppy Joes with just about anything, like Mac & Cheese, french fries, or raw veggies. For a really substantial meal, serve with mashed potatoes.

How to Store Sloppy Joe Sauce

We don’t recommend storing assembled sandwiches as the bread will get very soggy. You can, however, store the sauce for later.

IN THE FRIDGE: Place the fully-cooled sauce in a jar or container with a lid and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze in Ziploc bags for up to 3 months. Allow your sauce to fully thaw in the fridge when you’re ready to use it.

REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS: Place your sauce back in a saucepan and reheat over medium heat, stirring frequently. You can also reheat in the microwave in 45 second increments, stirring between each.

Homemade Sloppy Joes are comfort food for kids and parents alike, and this recipe will quickly become one your family adores. Crowd around the table tonight with this easy and delicious classic! We’re confident you’ll get requests to make it again soon!

FAQ:

Can I make Sloppy Joe sauce ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can make Sloppy Joe sauce and store it in the fridge or freezer! We recommend making a double batch so you can enjoy your meal tonight, and freeze the remainder for another day.

Can I make these keto?

Sloppy Joe sauce is fairly keto-friendly already, especially if you cut out the sugar. So, to make these a truly keto dinner option, serve over keto-friendly pasta or cloud bread instead of hamburger buns.

What can I add to Sloppy Joe sauce?

If you want to bulk up your Sloppy Joe sauce, you can add sautéed bell peppers, canned tomatoes, or even additional meat! 

Sloppy Joes

This easy and delicious comfort food recipe for Sloppy Joes comes together in a snap and uses ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. Dinner in 30 minutes makes everyone happy!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar more to taste
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons softened butter to toast the hamburger buns
• 4-6 hamburger buns

Instructions

 

• Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, drain the extra grease, remove the ground beef, and set it aside.
• In that same skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium-high heat, and add the onions and sauté until transparent, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 to 7 minutes. Watch for bubbling and splattering tomato sauce!
• Add the ground beef to the sauce in the skillet and stir together and cook until all is reheated.
• Butter the inside of the buns and toast them on a griddle pan.
• Spoon the meat mixture on to the prepared buns and enjoy.

Notes

This sloppy Joe recipe is for 4 to 6 people, but it can be doubled or tripled. Simply make your filling and toast your buns and assemble the sloppy Joes when it’s time to eat.

Don’t wait to serve them. Sloppy Joes are best served as soon as they’re made. Adding filling to the buns and letting it sit for more than a few minutes can make your buns soggy. Instead, if you need to make this recipe ahead of time, keep your filling and buns separate until you’re ready to serve.

For perfectly toasted buns, you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of softened butter for six hamburger buns to make it happen.

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