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.
Tina Turay says
This recipe was so easy and quick. I didn’t add brown sugar because there are enough carbs in the ingredients for my diabetic family and it still was a hit.
PHIL says
I’m 70 so I’ve had an opportunity to sample a lot of different recipies over the years. My mom’s was good and we used to call it BBQ Hamburger with vinegar and sugar used in the base and tasted good to a 5 to 17 year old. As I matured I got to like the taste of a lot of different spices that my mom never used in her cooking because my dad was basically a meat and potatoes guy. You’re recipie is “THE BOMB” as the young say. I love the blend of spices and different ingredients that all come together to make a “best I’ve ever tasted” dish! Only a couple of minor substitutions like some dried mustard and Heinz Chili Sauce instead of ketchup. Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!
Lynne says
My family absolutely loves these sloppy joes. This is my “go to” recipe for sloppy joes from now on. I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for coming up with this perfect combination of ingredients.
Kat says
Super easy and delicious! An inexpensive dinner and leftovers. A win, win, win.
Pam says
I just discovered The Chunky Chef and loved this recipe. I subbed ground turkey for the beef and I don’t miss the ground beef. Made everything else the same. Tasty without any additional spice.
Barbara says
It was excellent. Best I have ever had.
shelley williams says
Can you used leftover meatloaf for this
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this recipe that way, so I can’t say for certain, but I would think it would work.
Eva Gardner says
These are great. Everyone loved them.
Debbie says
Excellent! My husband loved it and he’s very picky.
Connie s Brown says
Perfect for family on a chilly night. Easy to make.
Danny says
Just made this recipe and loved it! Made a few changes because of a lack of ingredients but it worked! Honey instead of brown sugar and less on the salt and a small spoon of light soy sauce as we have no worcester. Really nice though!
Edwin Ensor says
I made them….and they were AWSOME!!! I made them for Christmas Eve. My wife said ” why don’t you just use Manwich”? I told her ABSOLUTLY NOT. I am glad I stuck to my guns and made this recipe and she was happy too! This is our new Sloppy Joe recipe.
Thank you.
Shelby says
Turns out perfect every time and I never have leftovers (family of 5)
Sandra says
I made this recipe…..Excellent!!!!
Linda Dalton says
As a kid growing up, we would have Sloppu Joes at least every other week. It was easy and everyone loved them! My Mom would have a jar of dill relish out for anyone. Of course, they were delicious just as these are!
Rebecca M. D. Sweetser says
I used coconut sugar in place of brown sugar, ground ancho chili, garlic powder, and smoked paprika instead of regular chili powder. I added to taste. Tabasco salt and garlic salt instead of sea salt, again to taste.
Kris says
This is our “go to” recipe. Beats the canned version hands down. We call them Sloppy Does though since we typically use venison burger. (And unless you tell folks, they can’t tell that it’s venison instead of beef.)
Martha E. Huntley says
First time making Sloppy Joes from scratch and this recipe was great – delicious, easy, fast. Uses basic ingredients so already in my cupboard. A quick warm and delicious comfort food. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Mari says
These were ABSOLUTELY the BEST Sloppy Joe’s…ever!!
I’ve been cooking for over 50 years and came across your website and wanted something new. Now your my new “Go To” website. Thanks for sharing and “Merry Christmas”
Colleen Murphy says
This is my go to recipe! I absolutely love it and have it memorized. Thank you so much! I love following you and all of your other recipe ideas!
Colleen