This is the absolute BEST HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES recipe. Each delicious bite is meaty, saucey, and messy. You won’t believe how easy it is to make and ready in only 30 minutes! Great with ground chicken or ground turkey too.
This recipe has everything you expect in a American classic sloppy joe. It’s a little tangy, saucey, meaty, and messy! Sloppy Joes are basically browned ground meat in a tomato based sauce served on a buttery, toasted hamburger bun. These Sloppy Joes are made in under 30 minutes and are an inexpensive meal to serve your family.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE BEST SLOPPY JOES
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Green or red bell pepper
- Garlic
- Ground beef
- Tomato paste
- Ketchup
- Tomato sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Light or dark brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- Dry mustard or Dijon mustard
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Hamburger buns, split
- Pickle slices or thin sliced red onions, topping (optional)
- Sliced provolone or shredded cheese, topping (optional)
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SLOPPY JOES
- In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, onion, and bell pepper, sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until beef is browned; drain the grease.
- Stir in tomato paste; cook for 1 minute.
- Add the sauce to the meat mixture and bring to a simmer until mixture has thickened, about 15-20 minutes.
- Serve on butter toasted hamburger buns.
OPTIONS
- Use ground chicken or ground turkey instead of ground beef.
HOW TO SERVE SLOPPY JOES
- Serve on hamburger buns or slider buns toasted with butter or untoasted, if preferred.
- Serve with sliced pickles, red onion slices, and or shredded cheese.
- Delicious with a side of coleslaw or salad and a big bowl of fruit!
- Eat the sloppy joe meat over rice, cauliflower rice, baked sweet potatoes or potatoes.
- Make quesadillas with sloppy joe meat, cheese, and tortillas.
IF YOU LIKE SLOPPY JOES, TRY THESE OTHER RECIPES:
The Best Sloppy Joes
This is the absolute BEST HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES recipe. Each delicious bite is meaty, saucey, and messy. You won't believe how easy it is to make and ready in only 30 minutes! Great with ground chicken or ground turkey too.
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 green or red bell pepper, small diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dry mustard or Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 6-8 hamburger buns, split
- Pickle slices or thin sliced red onions, for garnish (optional)
- Sliced provolone or shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, onion, and bell pepper, sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, until beef is browned; drain the grease. Stir in tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Add the sauce to the meat mixture and bring to a simmer until mixture has thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Serve on butter toasted hamburger buns.
Notes
- Use ground chicken or ground turkey instead of ground beef.
- Serve with toppings such as pickles, provolone or shredded cheese, or sliced red onions.
- Instead of serving on hamburger buns, serve over rice, cauliflower rice, baked potatoes or sweet potatoes.
