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.
Tessa says
Freaking yum.
Alice says
So delicious 😋
Mehmet says
Perfect and easy to make. Thanks.
Destiny says
Amazing and super easy! Thank you 😊
Sheila says
Since I didn’t have bell peppers, I substituted finely chopped celery and carrots, already on hand. And I upped the mustard and chili sauce. Haven’t tasted it yet, but I think it worked! Thanks for the tip, as I haven made sloppy joes in years! My son comes back from his home in Alaska next week, haven’t seen him since Christmas 2019. It was one of his favorites as a kid, so I’ll freeze it and surprise him!
Mich says
Hello! Thank you so very much for providing this delicious recipe. It’s been a struggle to cook after work and this recipe was not only quick to make, but was just sooooo good. Everyone loved it and craved more. This is definitely a keeper to cycle with
Maddy says
This recipe is a Hit!
I didn’t have bell pepper. No big deal.
I will absolutely make this again!
Jennifer says
The best sloppy joes I’ve ever had! I sautéed the onions and peppers for a couple of minutes then added the garlic. Then, I added the ground beef instead of doing the separate steps. Worked great. The toasted buns were a hit, as well. I’ll never use the canned stuff again!
Cae12108 says
Can i omit tomato paste? Or is there anythjng i can use instead of tomato paste?
Amanda says
I’ve only made this recipe as written, but I think it will be fine to omit it. You could add a bit of tomato sauce or additional ketchup, but it’s not necessary 🙂
Jeanne Bates says
This recipe sounds fantastic!!!! We were just reminiscing about the delicious sloppy Joe’s sandwiches my Mom made when we were kids!!!! This recipe sounds so scrumptious: just like hers!!!! Thank you!!!!
Sarah says
I get double thumbs up at the dinner table every time I make this delicious recipe. Thank you!
MLeber says
We are picky and this was delish! Thanks!
Sally says
Yummy and easy recipe.
Tee says
Going to make this Sloppy Joes tonight know it will be Yummy!
Cheryl says
Awesome recipe! My family loved it so much I had to make it 2 weeks in a row!!
Ronald Marino says
hi i am going to make your SJ tomorrow and will tell you how they are. Looks great!! Ron
Trish Daum says
Love the S.j recipe will never again by it in a can. Had the kids over a simple easy dinner and when I thought I would send leftovers home with the kids had nothing left as my grandkids asked if I could give mom the recipe or better yet asked me the next time I make it would I make a double batch and bring some over….
Anita says
I’ve been looking for a good sloppy joe recipe for 20 years (no joke) and finally hit gold!
This is perfect. Saucy and savory, simple ingredients.
Thank you!
Mary says
Love this recipe. My husband had seconds.
Alli says
Best thing in the world! So much flavor not to sweet not to spicy and is amazing,and it’s very good
Malinda says
The best one. Thank you
Tracey M says
This recipe was so easy to make and fast. Great flavor too! Best homemade sloppy Joe’s I ever made. Savory, yet still a little sweet. I added a little hot sauce on the side. Thanks for the recipe. Yum!