Asian-Style Sloppy Joes

I’ve always been a fan of classic sloppy joes.  There’s something so innately satisfying about the sweet and savory combination and messiness of it all! 

And I know you all love them too, since my original sloppy joes have been incredibly popular over the years.

This version combines my love of sloppy joes and my love of asian-style meals. It’s like takeout and sloppy joes combined!

Great plain, on a bun, topped with a slaw, or however you prefer your sandwiches, and I’ve included plenty of variations in case you’d like to switch things up.

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Beef – you can use any type of ground beef you’d like for this recipe, although I do prefer to use an 85/15 or 90/10 beef. It’s lean enough that there’s not a ton of grease, but fatty enough that it has plenty of flavor.
• Sweet chili sauce – any brand will work well, even a sugar-free variety. I typically use Mae Ploy brand.
• Soy sauce – I do highly recommend using a reduced or low sodium variety, as soy sauce can be quite salty.
• Ketchup – just regular ol’ ketchup does the trick.
• Hoisin sauce – if you’ve never had hoisin sauce, it has a sweet and savoriness that’s similar to a bbq sauce.
• Brown sugar – light brown sugar is preferred, but if what you have on hand is dark brown sugar, that will work as well.
• Sesame oil – regular sesame oil will work, but I prefer the flavor of toasted sesame oil (it’s a bit darker in color, and more robust in flavor).
• Rice vinegar – I use Kikkoman rice vinegar (it has a green label).
• Dried minced onions – if you’d prefer to use real onion, you can replace this with 1/2 a yellow onion, diced.
• Garlic powder – just like with the onion, if you’d rather use real garlic, try using 2 cloves, minced.
• Ground ginger – real ginger can be used as well, and I would use about 1 tsp of peeled and grated ginger root.
• Black pepper – this adds a bit of heat, as well as savoriness.
• Sesame seeds – these are a garnish, but recommended. They add a delightful crunch.
• Buns – any hamburger buns will work well, but I usually pick up some brioche buns since I love the buttery flavor.

How to make asian-style sloppy joes?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Cook the beef. Crumble it as finely as you’d like as it cooks, then drain if necessary.
2. Add sauce. You can whisk the sauce together in a small mixing bowl, but I’d rather do less dishes, so I add everything right to the skillet with the beef and stir it together.
3. Thicken. Cook the mixture until the sauce has thickened a little bit, then serve.

Variations of this recipe

• Protein – instead of beef, you can make this recipe with ground pork, turkey, or chicken. Or you can do a combination of proteins.
• Vegetarian – if you prefer a meatless version, you could try using Impossible meat or something similar.
• More sweet – some prefer a sweeter sloppy joe, so please feel free to add more sweet chili sauce, hoisin, or brown sugar.
• Less sweet – if you like a more savory recipe, you can use less sweet chili, hoisin, and brown sugar.
• Spicy – for a spicier mixture, try using some red pepper flakes, sriracha, or sambal oelek.

Making sloppy joes ahead of time

If you’d like to make this recipe ahead of time, you certainly can!

When reheating, add a splash of extra sauce, or some beef broth/water to loosen up the sloppy joe mixture so it doesn’t dry out.

Freezing

The next time you’re making sloppy joes, make a double batch and freeze half of it for the next time!

Just cool the sloppy joes completely, then add to freezer containers and freeze for up to 4 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving. Sometimes I find that I need to add a splash of beef broth or water to loosen the sloppy joe mixture up.

Storage

Leftover sloppy joes should be cooled, then refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4-5 days.