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. Everyone needs a great and nostalgic recipe for Sloppy Joes and THIS. IS. IT.
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Helpful Reader Review
“Soooo yummy! Took me years to find a sloppy joe recipe like the one I remember from childhood. This is it. Thank you!” – Kathy ★★★★★
This delicious Sloppy Joe recipe is a simple and inexpensive way to make a budget-friendly family dinner. The tender and juicy ground beef is sautéed with green peppers and onions, then cooked in a hearty and flavorful tomato sauce – it’s hard to stop at just one sandwich, which is why I often double the recipe.
Having some go-to ground beef recipes, such as 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 Joes Video
This is one of my children’s favorite recipes – it’s so satisfying, and they both agree it’s better than any other sloppy joe they have tried. I just love that my son helped me cook it in the video, and my daughter got in on the taste test because these sandwiches are irresistible.
Ingredients for the Best Sloppy Joes
- 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 so you don’t end up with greasy sloppy joes. You can sub the beef with ground chicken or turkey if you prefer.
- Bell pepper – we used green, but you can substitute a different color in a pinch. If you like things spicy, add some jalapenos along with the green peppers. If you aren’t a fan of bell pepper, you can substitute 1 grated carrot (about 1/2 cup).
- 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, ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire hits all the right flavor notes: sweet, savory, and tangy.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
- Make sauce – In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and brown sugar.
Natasha’s tip if you love it spicy
If you prefer a spicy Sloppy Joes, add some hot sauce or sriracha to the sauce.
- Saute beef – In a deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break up as it is being cooked. Season with salt and pepper. If you see extra fat on the bottom, tilt the pan and spoon it out.
- Sautee veggies – Add in the finely chopped onion and green pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add sauce – Pour in the sauce and once it comes to a light boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed (see the Sloppy Joe Tasting Guide below to adjust to your taste preferences easily).
- Serve – I highly recommend buttering the buns and toasting them in a skillet for another layer of flavor. Spoon the saucy beef mixture on toasted buns and serve as sandwiches.
To Serve
There are so many different ways to enjoy a sloppy joe. You’ll want 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 overnight pizza dough and top with cheese for a sloppy joe pizza.
- Loaded fries– There is nothing better than loaded fries, top your air fryer French fries with cheese and sloppy joe filling.
- Chili dogs – Add the meat sauce to your hot dogs.
- Baked potato – Take a loaded air fryer baked potato to the next level by topping it with this meat sauce.
Can I make Sloppy Joes in a slow cooker?
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.
What is the difference between a Sloppy Joe and a Manwich?
This sloppy joe recipe is homemade and made from scratch. Manwich is a pre-made, store-bought sauce used to make sloppy joes.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- 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 freezer-friendly containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 2-3 months. 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.
There’s no match for a warm homemade sandwich, from Hamburgers to my famous Philly Cheesesteak. This Sloppy Joe Recipe is definitely at the top of my list. What is your favorite sandwich? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup*
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard, or to taste
- 2-3 tsp brown sugar, or to taste*
For the Sloppy Joes
- 1 Tbsp extra light olive oil, or any high-heat cooking oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef, 85%-90% lean
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced, or use 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Instructions
- Make the Sauce – In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and brown sugar, and set it aside.
- Cook the Beef – 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. If you see extra fat on the bottom, tilt the pan and spoon it out or blot it up with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add vegetables – Stir in the diced peppers and onion. Cook another 5 minutes until the veggies are tender and beef is browned. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Add 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. Adjust the seasoning taste* and add water if you prefer a looser consistency. Serve on toasted buns for Sloppy Joe Sandwiches.
Notes
- Too sweet? Add a pinch of salt or 1/ 2 tsp apple-cider vinegar
- Too Tangy? Add 1/2 tsp brown sugar or a drizzle of ketchup
- Too Tomato-y? Simmer an extra 5 min to concentrate flavors and caramelize sugars.
- Missing depth? Add extra Worcestershire.
- Too loose? Simmer uncovered 3-5 minutes to thicken
- Too thick? Add a splash of water
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Love Ground Beef Recipes? Try these:
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
- Meatloaf
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Bolognese Sauce
- Lasagna
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
I ran out of canned sloppy Joe mix so I made it this way. I just didn’t have fresh green pepper today. I had a jar of pickled peppers that I tapped.
At the end I shook in some curry powder.
Sounds great! Thank you for trying the recipe.
This recipe is perfect, simple and easy to prepare . The flavor is delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Debbie!
I had about a lb of leftover cooked ground beef from making tostadas. I used it for this. I sauted the onion and bell pepper first and then added the cooked beef and followed as directed. Except I only had a 8 Oz can of tomatoes sause. It turned out really good. We piled it on toasted wheat buns.
Hi Claudia! Thank you for trying the recipe! So glad it turned out well.
I made this per recipe, it is delicious as is, I love that there is no ketchup,I don’t like sweet sloppy Joe’s, I fell this a good sweet/savory balance, for those that said it was bland it’s probably because they want it sweeter, add more brown sugar
Hello Christina, good to hear that you enjoyed it!
delicious! Got a wild hair and wanted sloppy Joes. Added steak seasoning while cooking.
Good to know that you enjoyed it!
I thought this recipe could’ve used more flavor. My family thought it was bland. I added some chili powder, bbq sauce, small amount of ketchup, and some beef stock concentrate. Tasted more flavorful after.
Hi Katherine, this is a classic version of a Sloppy Joe recipe but I love that you can change it up and add new flavorings. Thanks for sharing your modifications.
I walked by the canned sloppy joe sauce at the grocery and immediately had a craving for it…but wanted homemade. This recipe hit the spot! I have to admit I added a little minced jalapeno and some smoked paprika (I hate when people review and then change the recipe…apologies!) But it’s a keeper!
Great to hear that you enjoyed our recipe, Pam! Thanks so much for sharing that with us.
Husband was craving sloppy joes, this recipe popped up on my google search. I haven’t had a sloppy joe in years and I have never made them myself. This recipe was easy and delicious. Total hit with my husband and kids! 10/10
Hi Erin! That’s great to hear. So glad you both enjoyed the recipe.
My family loves this recipe it’s so good. I know these are suppose to be sloppy,”Sloppy Joe’s,”but is there a way to thicken it a little? I thought about putting more meat in than it calls. What do you think?
Hi Kasey! Yes, you can add more meat if you prefer. 🙂
One of THE best Sloppy Joe sammies I’ve tasted! Thank you for this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Cheryl! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This was so good! I made it for my husband and myself, thinking we would have leftovers for lunch the next day. We devoured it, and ended up only having a little bit leftover.
That’s wonderful, Patti! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
This recipe is simple enough that my non-cook husband can handle it. In addition, it is delicious so he can be proud of it. Thanks for sharing.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dixie!
Excellent recipe. I pour it into a 9×13 pan, then top with cheese and cornbread batter to make a sloppy joe casserole. You have to bake it a little longer than the cornbread mix calls for, but it’s worth the wait.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Used a shallot for the onion, because that is what I had. Pasta sauce for tomato sauce. Added ketchup and balsamic glaze to the sauce. Beef broth for the water. Reduced quite a bit to get a very savory dish. Not really fair to rate with so many changes, but was out of this world good on toasted English Muffins. Thanks for the initial recipe.
Hi John! Thank you for sharing that with us. 🙂
Could ground turkey substitute for the ground beef? We do not eat ground beef, and have substituted ground turkey in other recipes. I was curious to see if anyone else had done this and how it turned out. TIA
Hi Helen! Yes, that would be fine.
This looks great, we are making it tonight. I am so happy to have found a recipe that doesn’t have ketchup or vinegar in it. The serving suggestions are great too!
You’re very welcome! I hope you love it.
I would like to make this in a slowcooker. Would you suggest time.
Hi Karen, I address this in the recipe post under the Common Questions section, see; “Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?” I hope that helps!
I will never buy canned sloppy joe sauce again. It is so good thank you.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Debra!
Eh kinda bland or my taste buds are off. Don’t add the water. I don’t know about the BEST.
Hi Emily, we never had that issue before. It was never bland for us it was just right but feel free to add more seasoning according to your preference when you try it next time.
Great!
I went by the recipe and added some celery, used slightly less~(7/8) of the can of tomato sauce. Did the crock pot method. Turned out awesome, all the flavors blended perfectly. 5/5 in my opinion.
Hi Chris! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m so glad you loved the recipe.