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.
Trav says
I use this recipe quite a bit and it is always a hit! Trying it tonight with ground turkey per a request…
Lindsay says
Thoughts about freezing this and re-heating in a crockpot? We are hosting a large party at a local pavilion. We were considering making this recipe ahead of time and freezing so that we are not prepping the day of. Crockpots would be filled and left on warm at the picnic until serving time….
Amanda says
I’ve not tested it myself, but this recipe should freeze well. I would thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then pop it in the crockpot to reheat 🙂
Andy Boyle says
Nothing but 5 stars,I will being this recipe. Made a couple of this nice lady’s recipes,always the best.
Yvette says
Personally have never been one for canned or fast food. This is a solid keeper recipe for when you want retro and real food
Norm says
5 star no doubt
Made with 50-50 deer pork
Left out the Worcestershire sauce and the brown sugar best ever
Mamas says
Family’s favorite. Other than omitting the red pepper flakes, I make it exactly as the recipe is written. With a side of corn on the cob… Fantastic.
Terri says
I left out red pepper flakes and chili powder. Instead of 1/3 cup of water, I used 1/3 cup of beef broth. I cook it until it is nice and thick.
This recipe is great. I have made it twice.
Cee says
Never liked sloppy joes as a kid but this recipe has changed that for sure. I use more tomato paste instead of ketchup but everything else on spot!
Marie says
Very good recipe! I added both red pepper flakes and hot sauce, it turned out great! Will make this again. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Kaye says
Thanks for sharing! This was a hit with my family, including the kiddo that normally doesn’t like saucy stuff!
Paula says
This recipe was a hit with my family. None of the family cares for red pepper flakes, so I added a can of mild Rotel diced tomatoes to the sauce and simmered for 5 min. Definitely will make this Sloppy Joe recipe again! Thank you for sharing your recipe. It’s a keeper with us.
Jacqueline Quiroz says
Great recipe
Dana Donelson says
I was searching for a recipe on Sloppy Joe’s and these ingredients sounded perfect! They turned out great! Thank you!
Kelly says
So glad we didn’t have any Manwich. This recipe was was so much better. Thank you!
Houston Long says
I never cared for sloppy joes.. until now. Making this the second time tonight – first time was a big hit with the whole family! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Ruth says
Have made this several times….so much better than canned or packaged sauce. I added a dash of liquid smoke this time and it was great…
Cory says
It was easy and very flavorful!
Patty Rettig says
GREAT RECIPE! A MUST IN YOUR COLLECTION! 5 STARS
Tried it the first time around Mothers Day and have made it at least 5 more times since then.
My husband is relatively picky and loves it. I do leave out the onions.
J. Houston says
We have made this recipe 3-4 times, and we’ll never go back to canned sauce!!! The taste is delish!!! 5/5 stars!!! And, these are ingredients that you’ll have on hand!
Sallie D Curtis says
Excellent made a half batch and it was great. Will use this again and again.