Step away from the canned sauce and give these homemade sloppy joes a try! They’re truly the best version of a childhood favorite!
As we head into the upcoming holiday season, I’ve been thinking about family-friendly meals. You know, those meals that your kids always want to eat. In our house, this Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese is number one on our list… with these sloppy joes being number 2! With two little ones myself, I know ALL too well how frustrating it is to cook a meal and have them promptly turn up their noses and say it’s “gross”. *facepalm*
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 I’ve been getting a lot of requests for sloppy joe recipes.
I’ve made a LOT of sloppy joe recipes lately, trying to come up with the perfect one. Some were too sweet, others too spicy. Well guys, I finally got it. The perfect balance. This sloppy joe recipe is sweet, tangy, zesty and savory, with the perfect texture and consistency.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES
Homemade sloppy joes are incredibly easy to make, and come together in one skillet in about 20 minutes or so. Browned beef is mixed with onion and green pepper and simmered in a sweetened tomato/ketchup sauce. The secret is in finding the right seasoning for the sauce!
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANWICH AND SLOPPY JOES?
Technically Manwich is a pre-made sauce that’s used to make sloppy joes. I’m not sure exactly what’s in it, and have never tried it myself, so I can’t say that my recipe tastes similar or not. Manwich is marketed as a easy way to make sloppy joes… but in reality, homemade sloppy joes are JUST as easy to make!
HOW DID SLOPPY JOES GET THEIR NAME?
From what I can glean from the good ol’ internet, a cook named Joe in a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa added a tomato sauce to a loose meat sandwich. It must have been a favorite and took off!
WHAT CAN I DO WITH SLOPPY JOE MEAT?
Number one, slap some on a toasted bun!! After that, here are some of my favorite things to do:
- Spoon some over some crispy waffle fries. Bonus points if you also melt some cheese over the fries before adding the sloppy joe meat!
- Add some to a grilled cheese.
- Roll up in crescent roll dough and bake at 375 F degrees for about 12-15 minutes. Cheese makes a great addition to these as well!
- Add some on top of a burger.
CAN YOU MAKE SLOPPY JOES IN A CROCKPOT?
You can! Just brown the beef and add all the remaining ingredients (no buns though), and cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours, or HIGH for 2-3 hours. This will have a softer texture than skillet sloppy joes though.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES:
- Before you get started, toast your buns. Toasting the bun makes ALL the difference, and only takes a few minutes. Crank up the heat under the skillet to high, and add a drizzle of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the buns, then place the buns cut side up on a cooling rack after they’re toasted.
- Watch the sauce so that it doesn’t reduce too much. When too much of the sauce reduces, it gives you a dry sloppy joe mixture. Everyone likes theirs a little differently, but for me, I cook it down so that I can see the bits of meat, and when I drag my spoon through the sauce, it leaves a trail where the sauce is parted. If the sauce immediately flows back into that trail, it’s too liquid-y. I want a few seconds before the sauce covers the trail, which gives me a saucy consistency that’s not too liquid.
- Choose your favorite type of bun. I usually go for either a pretzel bun (like I did in these Beer and Chorizo Sloppy Joes!), or a brioche bun.
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Skillet – I like to use either stainless steel or cast iron for this, as they both give a great sear!
- Wooden plate – I love these for sandwiches!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/3 green bell pepper, minced
- 1/2 large yellow onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or less, if you prefer)
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 3/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- dash of hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil in large skillet over MED/MED-HIGH heat. Add beef and brown, breaking apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Transfer to colander to drain.
- Add onion and bell pepper to same skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add beef back to the skillet and add tomato paste. Stir well.
- Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes (if using), and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Cook over MED heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking. Remove from heat and serve over toasted buns.
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Chef Tips
- Cool the mixture completely, then add to freezer containers and freeze for up to 4 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
Video
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
cherri wise says
Never made it from scratch before. Excellent!!!
Hannah Flack says
I tried this last night after finding it on Pinterest and we loved it! It’s definitely on my list to make again!
Jodi says
Delicious!! Easy to make. Everyone loved them!
Paul Tashner says
Awesome flavor & texture from scratch, quick ‘n easy! It was a hit, my wife loved it!
I substituted bbq sauce for ketchup, added extra chili powder and a t of cumin and a few extra dashes hot sauce to our taste which runs a bit spicier than average. Excellent! It went very well with the Mac & Cheese.
Thank you! Delicious Comfort food on a cool evening.
Lisa C says
I used your adjustments and loved it. Thank you
Linda Abernathy says
I made this once before and making them again tonight and what a difference between Manwich and this homemade version, everyone loved them!
Betty says
This recipe is fantastic! I am the only one in my family who likes sloppy Joe’s, so I don’t get them very often since they won’t let me make them for dinners. So when they were all out of town and I was home alone, I decided to make some for myself. The red pepper flakes with the brown sugar and ketchup combination hits the spot! I eyeballed the measurements like I usually do. I did omit the green pepper since I don’t like those, and added a little less ketchup and more tomato paste In its place. This one’s a keeper. Yum!
Donna says
Very Good!!!
Maria says
I was in the mood for sloppy joes and didn’t have my usual powdered packet on hand (I know not the best, but I grew up with it😊), I came across this recipe while searching for a homemade version. I had all ingredients and decided to make for my husband and myself; It was delicious! Recipe was quick and simple and had lots of flavor. I will definitely make again. The only thing I did different was omit the black pepper. I will definitely make again!
Janice Schnell says
This was delicious. I have Hunts ketchup, which is less acidic and a bit sweeter than Heinz. I cut back on the sugar, and added some sherry vinegar to bump the Hunts more in line with the Heinz. I will make this again.
Jen says
These were so good! Made the recipe exactly as it is written. Thank you so much for a great recipe!
D. Foreman says
This…this right here. I didn’t have Worcestershire sauce, so had to leave it out, didn’t add the red pepper flakes, and to top it off I used veggie burger crumbles instead of meat. 😁 Folks, this is an awesome recipe! My husband loved it and so did I! It’s just a really good sloppy joe! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Angel Smith says
Made this recipe for dinner last night and it was absolutely amazing! This was just like the sloppy Joes I remember growing up. I substituted the water with 1 can of blended fire roasted tomatoes instead and it had a sweet/spicy kick to it, full of flavor! My fiancé licked his plate clean 😂!
Steve says
Licked his plate clean? How do you mean that?
Jody says
You know, you part your lips, slip your tongue out and place it on the plate, then while pressing your tongue against the plate you smear it ask over the plate being sure not to miss any spots. You then put your tongue back in your mouth and close your lips and proceed to swallow. You may have to repeat a few times to “clean the plate”. Yum.
Nicole says
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Tyler says
Is this…. is this a real question?
Anyway, A+ sloppy joe recipe. I never thought any sloppy joes could beat my Mom’s homemade recipe but this one achieves the unachievable. Don’t let her know I said that.
Matt says
Great recipe! And easy to tweak. I never have tomato paste and I leave out the pepper flakes and hot sauce for the kids, little extra ketchup and clean plates every time.
Chelsea says
This recipe looks so good! I went through a long period where I didn’t eat sloppy joes very much because I didn’t want to eat manwich (always wondered what chemicals were in there!) but it’s so cool to now be able to make them homemade! Thanks so much for sharing. Your site is great!
Tyler Olsen says
My wife and I declared that these were the best Sloppy Joes we’ve ever had.
That said, if a recipe calls for ‘a 1/3 of a green pepper’ I read it as saying ‘1 whole bell pepper that isn’t green’ or ‘1 tsp yellow mustard’ as ‘just eyeball that dijon mustard you need to get rid of.’ We are also very selective about where we use sugar, so I omitted the brown sugar and used some homemade ketchup that has no sugar.
All that said, the bottom line comes down to best Sloppy Joes we’ve ever had.
okaml960 says
Real tomato ketchup, Eddie?
Random says
Lol. Nothin but the best Clark.
Jen says
Awesome recipe! I didn’t have tomato paste so I just used extra ketchup
Rita says
Just finished making. Amazing Flavor! So delicious. Definitely a keeper.
Ashley says
This is an awesome and easy homemade recipe – I make it over and over again! Always a hit in my house! Thanks!
Charlotte Lowe says
Absolutely the best Sloppy Joes I’ve ever had. Easy recipe. Used yellow peppers instead of green (I like the milder taste) and added a dash of apple cider vinegar.
Toasting the buns was an essential step to making these The Best Ever.
E.T says
This is superb. I dont think I’ll ever use the can again. ! I modified it slightly. 1tbsp worchester and added a splash of ACV . Extra spoon of brown sugar. Came out great. Good recipe.