Saucy, beefy and so satisfying. We’re convinced this is the BEST recipe for a homemade Sloppy Joe. Ground beef in a hearty tomato sauce served on toasted hamburger buns is a great idea for lunch or dinner.
There’s no match for a warm homemade sandwich, from Grilled Cheese to our famous Philly Cheesesteak. This Sloppy Joe Recipe is definitely at the top of our list.
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This delicious sloppy joe recipe is such a simple recipe and so inexpensive to make, a budget-friendly family dinner. The tender and juicy ground beef are sauteed with green peppers and onion then cooked in a hearty tomato sauce.
Having some go-to ground beef recipes like Cheeseburger Sliders, Taco Salad, or Sloppy Joes will make dinner time a breeze. If you have some ground beef in the freezer and need an easy meal idea, this is a must-try.
Sloppy Joe Ingredients
- Ground Beef – use lean ground beef (85-90% lean). If using a higher fat content, you will need to skim off the extra fat once the beef is cooked.
- Bell pepper – we used green, but you can substitute a different color in a pinch.
- Onion & Garlic – these aromatics add great flavor and disappear into the sauce so picky eaters won’t complain.
- Homemade Sauce – just a few simple pantry ingredients will make a sauce that’s better than any store-bought sauce. The combination of tomato sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire hits all the right flavor notes; sweet, savory, and tangy.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
- Chop veggies – Finely chop the onion and green bell pepper.
- Make sauce – In a bowl, combine worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, water, brown sugar, and tomato sauce.
- Saute beef – In a deep skillet, heat oil over med/high heat. Add the ground beef and break up as it is being cooked. Season with salt and pepper and add in the finely chopped onion and green pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender.
- Add sauce – Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Pour in the sauce and cook over medium high heat until the sauce comes to a soft boil.
- Simmer – Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve – spoon the saucy beef mixture on toasted buns and serve as sandwiches.
Pro Tip: If you prefer a spicy Sloppy Joes, add some hot sauce or sriracha to the sauce.
To Serve
There are so many different ways to enjoy a sloppy joe. You’ll make to try them all:
- Classic – Serve this with toasted hamburger buns for the classic sloppy joe recipe.
- Grilled Cheese – Add the meat mixture when making a Grilled Cheese for a hearty sandwich.
- Pizza – Add on homemade pizza dough and top with cheese for a delicious sloppy joe pizza recipe.
- Loaded fries– There is nothing better than loaded fries, top your fries with some cheese and sloppy joe filling.
- Chili dogs – Add the meat sauce to your hot dogs.
- Baked potato – Take loaded baked potato to the next level by topping with this meat sauce.
Common Questions
For this recipe, you want to use 85% or 90% lean ground beef.
These EASY sloppy joes are GREAT to make in the crockpot. Once the meat is browned on a skillet, just add it along with all the other ingredients into the crockpot and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
This sloppy joe recipe is homemade and made from scratch. Manwich is a pre-made store-bought sauce used to make sloppy joes.
If you like spicy foods, add some jalapenos along with the green peppers.
Make-Ahead
- Refrigerating – Let the meat sauce cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing – Once the mixture is cooled, add to freeze-friendly containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 2-3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating – A general rule of thumb is that it’s best to reheat a recipe the same way it was cooked. Warm the meat sauce on the stovetop in a skillet or saucepan until hot. You can microwave, but use a microwave shield to catch messy splatter.
Love Ground Beef Recipes? Try these:
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
- Meatloaf with the Best Glaze
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Bolognese Sauce
- Stuffed Bell peppers
The BEST Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 lb lean ground beef, 85%-90% lean
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup water, optional, or added to desired consistency
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion. Seed and finely dice the green pepper.
- In a bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and tomato sauce.
- Place a large skillet or dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add olive oil and ground beef. Saute the beef for about 5 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink, breaking it up with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper and add in the diced peppers and onion. Cook another 5 minutes until the veggies are tender and beef is browned.
- Add the minced garlic and saute 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly. Add in the sauce and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 10-15 minutes or until thickened to your liking. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add water if you prefer a looser consistency. Serve on toasted buns for Sloppy Joe Sandwiches.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Valentina Ablaev
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This is almost identical to my famous sloppy joes! I suggest the addition of 1 TB balsamic vinegar and a little bit of ketchup. I don’t use mustard. But otherwise it’s the exact same! I’m loving the recipes on this site!
9° here today! I’m not going out. I had everything so this was a no-brainer. Easy peasy! Very good.
Wow! That’s quite chilly – stay warm! This recipe is perfect for a cozy evening at home & the cherry on tope when you have everything on hand!
Kind of a dumb question but does the nutrition info include the buns? Thank you.
Hi Megan, it does yes.
Thank you! Making these tomorrow and I’m sure they’ll be great 🙂
Hi Megan! I hope you love them. Come back and report.
Recommend adding a Tablespoon of chili powder to this.
When you say 15 oz can of tomato sauce, what do you mean? What kind of sauce?
Hi Ginny! It was canned tomato sauce purchased in the store. The can was 15 ounces.
I made this I used two pounds of hamburger meat and only had one 10 ounce can of tomato sauce so I also used 3 cans of well drained petite tomatoes with green peppers. I added a little more A1 sauce than the recipe called for and plenty of salt and pepper. I felt like it turned out pretty good. My husband ate 2 servings on buns, and I am trying to cut down on carbs and ate mine in a bowl with Mexican Melting Cheese and chopped green olives. I will make it again and maybe add some different spices. I am no chef but felt this was easy to make, only required chopping up two different vegetables, uses ingredients that most keep on hand and turned out well.
BEST Sloppy Joe Recipe, EVER! This is the perfect combination of savory, tangy, and a little bit sweet. Every bite tastes superb due to the flavor and tenderness of the ground beef. It’s cooked, at all times, just right: thick enough to stay on the bun but not too heavy. It’s fun, a nostalgic meal for sure, and so quick and easy to make yet packed with so much flavor. Whether for the family dinner, a BBQ, or just a random evening- this recipe is sure to be a hit!
The sloppy Joe recipe is the best! I love sloppy Joe’s now…well all your recipes are great!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Beverly!
I’ve been using your recipes for years and I just realized you live in Idaho as well! Small world. Love all your recipes. 🩵
Thank you, Katie! So glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
This is the most comforting food made out of savory and tangy sauce with perfectly seasoned ground beef; this Sloppy Joe recipe is a game-changer! Each bite is made irresistible by the sweetness of ketchup, richness of spices, and slight heat. Whether on a soft bun or with fries, this sloppy joe is pure satisfaction. It is quick and easy to prepare, perfect for weeknights or casual gatherings. Trust me, this one will be a family favorite!