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
About once a year, I get a craving for sloppy Joes. A few weeks ago, I tried this recipe. It was so good that I made it again today. I even made extra so l could freeze some for the next time my family wants some. It is a most excellent recipe!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
It would be nice if I didn’t have to read through 4 paragraphs trying to find the measurements of everything. And then once you finally get through all the bs there isn’t even a guide. Just add tomato sauce and garlic okay but how much? Where is this information???
This should lower your credit score.
Hi Mia, each recipe has a recipe card. We have a handy red icon at the top of the page: “Jump to recipe.” Click on that to get to another recipe card. We share tips on substitutions, storing, etc., in the paragraphs above. I hope you love this recipe!
Mia I hope you run across something that makes you smile today!
She tells you how much you need in the ingredient list. Is this the first recipe that you’ve looked up online? They’ve been posted this way for years.
We love these Sloppy Joes! I follow the recipe to the letter and let it cook down for 10+ minutes and its perfect!
Love it! Thanks so much for your comments, McNessa.
I followed the recipe with two exceptions. Instead of one cup of tomato sauce, I used 1/2 cup of chili sauce and 1/4 cup of hot tomato sauce. Delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This makes a very good, basic sloppy Joe. By basic, I mean that it is safe to serve when you have family that has a member who cannot stand spicy food. It does not have the heat of Tabasco or peppers, but one can easily see that by reading the recipe. Just add some heat if that’s what you want. But if you are feeding a group who’s tastes range from very mild to very spicy, this is the perfect starting spot. Just scoop some out and spice it up, or put a bottle of Tabasco on the table and let them do their own spicing.
Hello Deanna, thank you so much for your detailed feedback. It is helpful for others who want to try this recipe. We appreciate the review!
Tried this the other date and it was great, added some red pepper flakes for some heat. however I left out the water. As I’seen posted before, it didn’t seem needed. maybe if you used tomato paste instead of sauce. Still loved it with a little kick!
Tried this the other date and it was great, added some red pepper flakes for some heat. however I left out the water, as I’ve seen posted before, it didn’t seem needed. Maybe if you used tomato paste instead of sauce. I didn’t try with paste. Much better than any canned sauce.
I didn’t have green peppers on hand and only an 8 oz. can of tomato sauce, so I added a drained 14.5 oz. can of Rotel Tomatoes – with green chilies with the 8 oz. can of tomato sauce and it gave it the perfect kick. I also added a slice of Colby Jack and the toasted bun just brought my Sloppy Joes to a gourmet level. So good! Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Gwen! I’m glad you loved that!
Made this today for my brothers lunch. It turned out great and they love it. Taste so much better than the can stuff 😋
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Annette!
I just add a little extra brown sugar and a few shakes of hot sauce. And I used dry onion and garlic in place of fresh. Oh and a orange pepper because I’m making it the night before Thanksgiving and I’m not going back to the store for a green pepper.
lol. Thanks for sharing, it turned out great.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, M! Happy Thanksgiving!
I agree. One tablespoon of brown sugar isn’t enough for my taste. And adding heat is always a matter of personal preference.
I’m glad I saw other comments about it being too watery because mine was too and I followed the recipe verbatim. I almost didn’t add the water because it actually already looked too soupy before that. BUT, the flavor was good. I did use chicken instead of beef and wonder if that might have made the difference.
Hi Susan, that could have made a difference using chicken instead of beef, especially if the amount was different. Also, make sure to use a large skillet since a smaller saucepan doesn’t have as much surface area to evaporate liquid the same way which could cause it to be watery. I’m not sure what else it would be. I haven’t had this turn out watery before.
Besides omitting the bell pepper, I did not change any other ingredient. All I could taste was mustard. My family thought it tasted weird. That’s WAY too much mustard. Let me know if you know a way to counteract this terrible flavor.
Hi Audrey, 1 tsp of mustard should not be overpowering. Did you possibly add 1 Tablespoon by mistake? Also, did you make sure to add everything else as stated which helps to balance the flavors?
Recipe is too bland tasting like tomato and water (go figure)It is a good base but I found myself adding more seasoning plus ketchup and more brown sugar. I’ve always enjoyed a little more sweetness. What exact brand of tomato sauce are you using?
Hi Ruben this works with a variety of brands of tomato sauce, just make sure to use tomato sauce and not marinara which is thinner and less concentrated.
Agree that it is bland and definitely watery. Too much liquid and a recipe with ketchup is for sure the way to go.
Hi, normally this should not be watery. Did you use a smaller saucepan versus a skillet? A skillet has a larger surface area to simmer off any excess liquid. Or were any substitutions or changes made in ingredients or the process?
Bland and watery (and I didn’t even add the water called for).
Hi Paula, I’m not sure why it would be watery unless a different type of tomato product was substituted with a higher liquid content?
This was so easy to make and so delicious! I will definitely be using this as my go to recipe!
I’m happy to hear that, Monica. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
I just made this. It was really goid. I added basil, chili powder, and paparika. Yummy. Everyone loved it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Cheri!
Another hit Natasha….thanks for sharing. This will be a keeper recipe in our home. I always trust your recipes
I appreciate your trust and support, Dawn. Thanks a lot!
Faulty recipe. You indicated to mix the diced onions a green pepper to the sauce. The you instructed to add vegs to cooked meet. Confusing
Hi Sara, the only mention of “vegetables” in this recipe is when we say: “Cook until vegetables are tender.” Do you recall what step you see that in?
I love sloppy joe’s and this recipe was spot on!! I added a red pepper to it “so it wasn’t wasted ” gave half to my Sister and her grandchildren devoured it.. I’m gonna try it on hotdogs for lunch
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing your experience trying out this recipe, Ron.
This is very close to a sloppy joe recipe I found some years ago, and reminds me of my childhood – much better than Manwich! In my recipe, ketchup is used instead of tomato sauce, and no water is added. That might be helpful for those complaining about lack of flavor or being too watery. Also, I like to let it simmer in an open pan for at least a half hr, sometimes more. I try to resist stirring it for a bit, as that adds a nice carmelized flavor – I found this out when I forgot to stir it once. I might try it with the tomato sauce one of these times, since it would be cheaper and healthier. Thanks, Natasha!
What a great suggestion, Cheryl. Thank you for sharing that with us, I’m sure that will be helpful to a lot of people here. We appreciate your input!