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.
Jan C says
Oh, yes! That’s a good Sloppy Joe!! Thanks, Amanda!! I knew a ‘bacon’ girl would know to make these right!
Judy says
I just made this last night for dinner. It was one of the best sloppy Joe recipes I have ever made from scratch. It was easy quick, and I even added some chopped diced tomatoes in it and red roasted peppers in it. It was fabulous excellent recipe.
Sheran says
These are the best sloppy joes i have had since i was in jr high! Love it!
Marcia says
Made this today. Very good will make again. Didn’t add the heat since my family doesn’t like things too hot.
Erica says
Appropriately named, the best! Soooo delicious and easy. My 4 year old is a good eater but sometimes shy with new foods…i expected to see resistance but i looked over and he was gobbling this up, lol. Thanks so much for sharing!
Miel says
My Latino housemates loved it, esp. the kids.
Jan Carter says
Since I found this recipe, I know longer but the package seasoning. My family loves this.
Colleen says
Made Sloppy Does with this and it was perfect! 1/2 lb ground venison, 1/4 lb ground chuck, 1/4 lb ground pork. Thanks for the great recipe!
Susan says
I have made this recipe several times. It is the best recipe for sloppy joes I have ever made. I followed recipe and would not change a thing. I love all your recipes and I know you are a great cook.
Kasanita Vi says
LOVE! Every time I’ve made this, it’s a hit. I keep it in the weekly dinners because it’s just where it belongs. I serve it with either homemade mac and cheese or Beechers Mac from Costco lol
Lisa asche says
Excellent, and perfect I’ve never made it before. It was wonderful.
Lisa asche says
Excellent, and perfect
Dannielle says
Is it spicy with out the red pepper flakes & hot sauce? I’ve made a couple & it came out a tad too spicy for my mother in law.
The Chunky Chef says
Without those two things, I can’t think of anything that would add heat. Are you outside the US? I only ask because outside of the US chili powder can be dried up chili peppers, which would certainly be hot. This recipe was developed in the US, where chili powder is a blend of spices, and isn’t really spicy.
Miel says
No, it’s not at all hot w/o those 2 ingredients.
Shelly says
How much beef for 20 servings . I don’t see it am I blind lol
The Chunky Chef says
This recipe serves 6 (it’s listed in a green bar within the recipe card), so you’ll want to at least triple all the ingredients.
Rick w. says
Better than that canned brand! We ran out of the can stuff so feel into this and wow, so good. One addition: a 1/4 cup Cider Vinegar.
Ashley says
Well, i accidentally screwed this up, but the kids still ate it! I made this with moose meat, and measure 2/3 cups water with 1/3 cup ketchup and forgot the brown sugar…. A happy accident nonetheless. It was still delicious. For the record, this is homemade recipe i tend to gravitate towards when there’s no cans of sloppy joe mix in the cupboard. We like this a lot. Thanks 😊
Erin Elizabeth says
This was a hit with the entire family. Even our pickiest eater finished out complaints! Thank you so much for such an easy midweek meal
Jana says
My husband really enjoyed this recipe!
Kirill says
Thanks a lot! It was perfect
Kayla says
Hey I’m super excited to try this but I was curious if I can use an instant pot and what would the cooking look like and do I just throw everything in the pot at the same time ? Sorry if this is a silly question
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested this recipe in an Instant Pot. So while I’m sure it could be cooked in one, I can’t speak to the specifics with any certainty. If you do some experimenting and test using your Instant Pot, I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
Diana Tell says
This is my go to recipe for sloppy joes!!!! Have made it again and again!!! Try it this tasty!!!
Stephan Robinson says
You saved me from my kids going home and telling their mom I can’t cook ❤️💯