This Sloppy Joe recipe is a family-friendly meal that never goes out of style.
Ground beef is simmered in zesty tomato sauce and spooned over toasted hamburger buns for a saucy favorite. Best of all it’s ready in under 30 minutes!
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You’ll Love These Sweet and Savory Sloppy Joes Because…
- Homemade Sloppy Joes are just as easy to make as the canned version, and they taste so much better.
- It’s an easy way to sneak in extra veggies and perfect to spoon over hamburger buns or even rice or noodles.
- This Sloppy Joe recipe uses staple ingredients, so you likely have everything you need!
- Double up the batch and enjoy it all week, or freeze it for future family meals.
What You’ll Need For Sloppy Joe Sauce
Brown a pound of lean ground beef and simmer it in a tangy sauce that is easy to make!
- Tomato Sauce: This is the base of this recipe; a bit of tomato paste adds richness and tang.
- Ketchup: Adds sweetness and tang.
- Green Bell Pepper: Optional; it adds a bit of freshness and crunch (and stretches the beef further).
- Brown Sugar: I use brown sugar for sweetness; you can replace it with white sugar if needed.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This balances the sweetness and adds a little tang along with yellow mustard.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds savory flavor.
Buns: I use hamburger buns to soak up the tangy sauce, but it’s also great spooned over rice, pasta or garlic bread.
Variations
- Sloppy Joes are a great recipe for sneaking in veggies. Shredded zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots, and even Brussels sprouts can be added to the sauce in Step 2.
- Stretch the beef a bit further and add drained black beans or finely chopped mushrooms.
- Top your joes with shredded cheese or sliced jalapenos.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
- Brown meat: Brown the ground beef with garlic.
- Add sauce: Stir in remaining ingredients (recipe below) and simmer until thickened.
- Toast buns: Broil the buns until golden and top with the beef mixture.
So easy!
Storing Sloppy Joes
- Keep leftover sloppy joe filling in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze portions in zippered and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Leftovers can be added to a hearty soup or on top of mac and cheese.
More Quick Ground Beef Dinners
Did you make these Sloppy Joes? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
- hamburger buns
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil for brushing
Sloppy Joe Sauce
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ green bell pepper finely diced
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a 10-inch skillet, over medium-high heat, cook beef, onion, and garlic, breaking it up with a spoon until the meat is cooked and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
- Add water, tomato sauce, bell pepper, ketchup, tomato paste, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Optional: While the sauce is simmering, preheat the oven to broil. Brush the inside of the hamburger buns with butter or olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or just until lightly browned.
- Spoon ½ cup meat mixture over the toasted buns and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Easy, sauce tastes and smells delicious! Big hit with the family. Thank you!
I’ve tried many different sloppy joe recipes from the internet. This is the best sloppy joe base recipe ! I found the recipe to be slightly too sweet, but after adding a few seasonings it was absolutely perfect. I also add bell pepper red or green or both if I have some. Thank You so much for this recipe
This was the first sloppy joe recipe I’ve ever used. I usually try and make my own but I wanted to try something different. This was so much more flavorful than the ones that I’ve made. Thank you!!
You’re so welcome John!!
Getting ready to make this right now. It looks super delicious.
This is my go to recipe for sloppy joes. I do add more mustard,ketchup and i use 2tbs of unfiltered apple cider vinegar. This recipe is a winner.
I have enjoyed all of Holly‘s recipes. I would cut back a bit on the light brown sugar next time.
Hi Holly did your blog used to have a green wallet instead of mixing bowls?? I’m trying to find my favorite sloppy joe recipe but I got a new phone and moved so I can’t find it but I don’t remember my favorite recipe having chilli sauce so I just thought I’d ask:) thanks
I didn’t have a green wallet as a logo. This recipe doesn’t have chili sauce, I have one other sloppy joe recipe in the slow cooker too. Hope that helps.
I love your recipes and how easy it is to print them off. This is my 5th one in less days!
Aww Leslie, you made my day!! Thank you so much.
this looks so good can’t wait to make it
Look forward to more mouth watering recipes .
Looking forward to cooking more with your recipes
I’m loving your recipes
Love your recipes x
Holly- I LOVE your recipes. Just made this, but I used half of a way to big onion! (my bad).
I had some fresh mushrooms on hand and chopped them, held my breath and mixed them in. It came out great. The sauce is SOO good!!
So happy it turned out delicious for you Dotty!
Excellent, very tasty and easy to make.
great recipes
Delicious! I used regular yellow mustard for added flavor. I made it an open faced sandwich with melted cheddar cheese on top. Yum! It takes no time at all to put together. So much better than the canned version.
Oh my Carole, that sounds so delicious!
Is that a teaspoon of dry mustard powder or regular yellow mustard?
I use yellow mustard.
Can’t wait to try these recipes!
A great recipe! The only thing which I do differently, is that I double, sometimes triple the recipe, and add a diced green OR red Bell Pepper, which adds even more flavor. I sometimes make Sloppy Joes on toasted buns for our kid’s birthday parties, and they go over extremely well. I serve them with homemade Sweet Potato Parmesan Fries & an Apple Slaw w/diced fruit & raisins. Happy, happy kids!
I do the same. Just my husband now. But when children and grandchildren come, things change. Have missed you a lot on Facebook.