Sloppy Joes are a regular favorite in our home. We know they will be in yours too. They are so easy to make, and everyone loves them!
Easy Sloppy Joes recipe
Making Sloppy Joes from scratch is so quick and easy. In my opinion, this is a very basic recipe everyone should know how to make from scratch.
My husband’s favorite meal is Sloppy Joes. It always seems to make him smile when he sees it on my menu for the week! We have them about once a month because I know he loves them! They’re really simple to make – even without the canned sauce stuff!
Sloppy Joes sauce
Depending on how “sloppy” you like your Joes, will determine how long you need to simmer the filling.
Personally, I don’t like them too sloppy, so I tend to cook the sauce for a longer period of time to help thicken it up. If you like yours more sloppy, then you’ll want to cook the sauce for less time.
Can you freeze Sloppy Joes
Specifically, you can freeze the meat mixture in an airtight, freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for 3-6 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Sides for Sloppy Joes
This recipe is one that I feel like so many things go great with it! If you would eat it with a sandwich, then it would probably go great with this dish! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Macaroni Salad
- Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
- Creamy Pea Salad
- Homemade Potato Chips
- Creamy Stovetop Mac & Cheese
- Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Refrigerator Pickles
Sloppy Joes recipe
- ground beef – you can also use ground pork, venison, chicken, or turkey
- small onion – use whatever variety you have on hand or prefer
- small green pepper – if you have red, yellow, or orange bell peppers on hand, you can use them instead
- light brown sugar – you can substitute golden monk fruit (or similar) if you are watching your sugar or carb intake
- yellow mustard – use what your family prefers
- distilled vinegar – sometimes also called distilled white vinegar
- salt – regular old table salt
- ketchup – feel free to use whatever your family uses. If you are looking for a lower sugar variety, you can use that also
- Hamburger buns, toasted if desired – or bread, slider buns, tortillas, or whatever method you would like to eat your meat mixture with
How to make Sloppy Joes
Time needed: 40 minutes
How to make Sloppy Joes
- Cook the ground beef.
Brown and crumble the ground beef in a medium skillet. Drain.
- Prepare sauce.
Add the remaining ingredients except the hamburger buns and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Serve.
Serve the ground beef mixture on hamburger buns.
Recipe Tips
- The longer you allow the sauce to simmer, the thicker it will be. If you like a messier sauce, use the shorter time. If a less messy sauce is your thing, allow the sauce to cook a bit longer.
- For even more flavor, add a shake or two of Worcestershire sauce.
- Watching your sugar or carb intake? Use low-sugar ketchup and substitute golden monk fruit sweetener (or similar product) for the brown sugar.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Sloppy Joes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 small green pepper chopped
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 8 hamburger buns toasted if desired
Instructions
- Brown and crumble the ground beef in a medium skillet. Drain.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the hamburger buns and simmer for 20-30 minutes. The sauce will thicken more the longer it cooks.
- Serve on hamburger buns.
Notes
- The longer you allow the sauce to simmer, the thicker it will be. If you like a messier sauce, use the shorter time. If a less messy sauce is your thing, allow the sauce to cook a bit longer.
- For even more flavor, add a shake or two of Worcestershire sauce.
- Watching your sugar or carb intake? Use low-sugar ketchup and substitute golden monk fruit sweetener (or similar product) for the brown sugar.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Originally published on November 23, 2012. Updated on April 26, 2021.
This is the same recipe for "bbq" that I grew up on, minus the salt and using white sugar. My husband loves it. I like to make a big batch, browning the beef, onions, and green peppers, and letting cook in the slower cooker; makes the house smell great!
Sounds like a nice solid recipe!
I'm laughing extra loud right now because I went to college with Adam Sandler and have vivid memories of him performing strange songs in our dorm talent shows. My lunch ladies weren't that bad what scared me were the "hall monitors" One wore a pink uniform like in the video, we called her "the pink lady." I love sloppy joes and will give your recipe a try. Thanks for sharing it on foodie friday.
How cool! I bet he was just as funny then!
I love "sloppy joes" or what we call barbeques. I have a similar recipe that my father obtained from a luncheonette and it was a big seller there.
Thanks for sharing.
We may have met by chance…but we become friends by choice.
http://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-thanksgiving-feast-day-2pa-dutch-potato-filling
My husband sings that when I make sloppy joes, too! Thanks for sharing at Must Try Monday!
We used to have sloppy joes all the time. Haven't had them in recent years. We're into chicken and fish. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe. I'm following you on Twitter and Google + and would love a follow back. Thanks, Linda
Jamie,
You just reminded me that I haven't had a good Sloppy Joe in a while, this sounds so good. Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
hey Jamie,
I love sloppy joes. I am giving this recipe to one of my son's because he does also and this is an easy one. Thanks for sharing with Wednesday's Adorned From Above Blog Hop. Have a great week.
Debi, Joye, Myrna, and Linda