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.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
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.
MammaKanga says
As a longtime Manwich lover, I will be making these again next time I have a craving for Sloppy Joes. So. Much. Better. DELICIOUS! Thank you for sharing.
lastminutecooker says
Didn’t have manwich sauce in the cabinet. Don’t need it ever again now! Everybody gobbled it up with not a single spoonful left. I’m surprised it was so easy and yet so good. Definitely a keeper!
Sarah says
For me it was a good base for Sloppy Joes. I quadrupled the recipe since we have bottomless pits aka kids. So I added a whole 28 oz. box (yes box) of tomato sauce and cranked the heat so that I could evaporate the water. I played with the same ingredients called for and came out with a pan of sj’s we liked. That’s why the 4 star rating from me. I like the ideas on what else to do with the meat too. We’ll see if there’s anything left to try them.
Norma Ralph says
I just made this! ( I USED 8 POUNDS of beef. I used all the ingredients ×8 )Wow! Great recipe. I did however add two more table spoons of brown sugar Now I’m taking this awesome sloppy joes to feed 26 kids-after their school play practice.
Thank you for sharing.
Jorge says
This was a pretty legit grown-up take on the SJ! My wife declared it a keeper, my two year old devoured his small portion and even I, a sloppy joe non-believer, was won over. To be fair, a few modifications were made: 50/50 blend fresh ground chuck and ground pork, a skosh less sugar and a skosh more Worcestershire, and a dash of oregano. Everything else as written and will remain so. Served alongside, and, eventually mixed with, some tots and slaw.
Iwona says
I love this sloppy joe recipe! I first found it about over a month ago and I’ve made it at least 5 times. It’s the best sloppy joe I’ve ever tried and my partner loves them too. He says it tastes just like Manwich.. (only better!!). Thank you for sharing!
Sue says
Great. Easy to make. Will make fir the next group get together.
Cherie Cordero says
Fantastic
Deb says
Great recipe! Best sloppy Joe I’ve ever had. Love the idea of buttering and grilling the rolls! It was a little too sweet, but I kinda eyed the sugar. I didn’t use hot sauce, because I’m a big baby when it comes to hot food. The pepper flakes gave it enough spice for me. Will definitely make again! Thank you!
Tom says
I made this for dinner last night. It was very good. I personally don’t like ketchup in my recipes but when in Rome… for me it could have used a little more spice, such as minced hot peppers, hot sauce, chili or cayenne pepper powder, but my wife and daughter don’t like anything spicier than black pepper. It must have been good because they each wen back for seconds.
I served this on homemade sesame pretzel buns which were absolutely wonderful and made the meal. Will be making this again, albeit probably with some tweaks.
Shelly says
Can I just say…FABULOUS! The only thing I omitted was the red pepper flakes and my family almost licked the pan!
Name me says
Excellent! Way better than the canned stuff! I used ground turkey… my husband raved!!!!
Karin Reay says
Best ever sloppy Joe’s! So balanced. If you have a trued and tested meatloaf recipe, I would love to have it!
The Chunky Chef says
So happy you enjoyed it! I have two that my family really love, and have gotten rave reviews https://www.thechunkychef.com/the-best-crockpot-meatloaf/ and https://www.thechunkychef.com/glazed-chipotle-meatloaf-recipe/
Taynor says
Rcipe looks amazing. But the ads and amount of scrolling I have to do to find anything is unbelievable
The Chunky Chef says
Perhaps you missed the purple “jump to recipe” button at the top of the post, so you can literally go right to your FREE recipe.
Susan greenauer says
Granddaughter asked me to make sloppy joes for her birthday and some friends. The BEST ever. We didn’t want to share so will be making it again for us this weekend. Who knew you could get excited about sloppy joes. I will be checking other recipes on your sight. Thank you for making me a super Gram
Amy says
Seriously the best sloppy joe recipe. I’m taking care of my daughter just out of the hospital and she asked for sloppy joes. I found this recipe and tried it and it turned out perfect! Her fiancé was like Sloppy Joes? Who asks for sloppy joes? Like I remember having to eat those in high school at lunch but… well he ate two piled high and declared he got the leftovers too!! Thanks!
Casey says
I wonder how this would be with chicken instead of burger.
The Chunky Chef says
I think that would be tasty!
Laura G. says
I tripled this recipe for 4 hungry teenagers and 2 adults, there was barely any left for lunch the next day! People were coming up and just scooping it onto the plate and eating it without buns. I mixed the ingredients from the ketchup to the salt in a separate bowl and blended it together before pouring it into the skillet and it was just so good. Thank you!!
Pat says
I heard of a sloppy joe recipe using taco seasoning. Do you have that recipe?
The Chunky Chef says
I do not have that one at this time, but am always open to new ideas for developing recipes!
Ray says
Tasty recipe. I made a double batch of the sauce by itself because I used died leftover brisket instead of hamburger. The only things I did differently were leaving out the tomato paste because I didn’t have any and used stone ground mustard. There may have been a few extra shakes of westchester sauce because I like the stuff.