Author: When it comes to classic comfort food, there’s nothing like a good Sloppy Joe Recipe! Instead of using canned sauce, this recipe for homemade sloppy joes uses whole foods like ground beef, onions, peppers, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard! Ready in 30 minutes, this recipe will be a new family favorite!
We love a good comfort food meal around here. Whether it’s homemade spaghetti and meatballs or thick and creamy baked potato soup, anything to warm the belly and satisfy the soul is welcome!
Homemade Sloppy Joes
While the name might include the word “sloppy”, this recipe is anything but sloppy! It is crafted with all the best ingredients so that you can control the taste and quality of the food you feed your family.
Plus, it’s just DELICIOUS! Honestly, as someone who grew up with canned Sloppy Joe sauce, this is the BEST Sloppy Joe recipe I’ve ever tasted!
We like to pair them with our homemade hamburger buns for the best experience, but use your favorite buns for this easy recipe!
Ingredients
Like I said, I wanted to keep the ingredients real and simple for this recipe, so let’s break it down! There are a few possible substitutions, so read over this and decide what is best for your family. And as always, there is a printable version of the recipe at the end of the post.
- Onions – A whole sweet onion, diced very finely works best here. If you can’t have onions, you can omit this, if needed. If you don’t have fresh onions, you can use 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder instead.
- Peppers – Traditionally green peppers are called for in Sloppy Joes, however, I use what I have on hand, and today, that was a red pepper!
- Yellow Mustard – Adds a bit of tang to the recipe and deepens the flavor. Don’t skip if possible!
- Brown sugar – Sweetens the sauce nicely, but you can use any sweetener you prefer. Maple syrup is a great addition to the sauce as well!
- Ketchup – We use our homemade ketchup, but you can use whatever you have on hand. If you prefer to use tomato sauce, that works as well. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar if using tomato sauce instead of ketchup.
- Ground Beef – While beef is traditional, you can also use pork or even ground chicken instead, if desired!
- Butter – Used to sautee the vegetables, you can use any oil that you prefer!
- Salt, pepper, and garlic – A classic spice trio that gives a great flavor to any dish! You can adjust the salt as desired.
Instructions
This recipe is so simple and comes together so quickly, you’ll never go back to canned Sloppy Joe sauce!
- Chop – Finely dice the onion and bell pepper.
- Saute – In a skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook until soft and tender. Remove vegetables from the skillet.
- Brown – Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up into smaller pieces as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Add – Pour in the remaining ingredients and add the vegetables back in. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce comes to a simmer.
- Simmer – Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve – spoon the finished Sloppy Joe mix onto your favorite hamburger buns and serve right away!
TIP: If you have picky eaters, you can blend the sauteed vegetables into a smooth sauce by adding them with all the sauce ingredients to a blender while the meat is browning! That way they get all those great veggies without realizing it!
Make-Ahead or Bulk Cooking
I love doubling or tripling a batch of food to freeze for later. It makes dinner so much easier, and helps us to eat higher quality food! Here are the directions for making this Sloppy Joe recipe in advance and/or making it in bulk!
- Storing – Let the Sloppy Joe mix cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing – Once the mixture is completely cooled, add to freeze-safe containers or plastic bags and freeze for up to 3-4 months. The night before you want to serve it, place the container in the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight.
- Re-heating – It’s typically best to reheat a recipe the same way it was cooked. In this case, warm the Sloppy Joe mix on the stovetop in a skillet or saucepan until hot. You can microwave, but use a microwave shield to keep the splatter to a minimum!
Even More Easy Dinner Ideas
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1/2 small bell pepper seeded and finely diced
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 16 oz ketchup*
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1/3 cup water
- 8 hamburger buns (try these homemade hamburger buns)
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion and bell pepper.
- In a skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook until soft and tender. Remove vegetables from the skillet.TIP: If you have picky eaters, you can blend the sauteed vegetables into a smooth sauce by adding them with all the sauce ingredients to a blender while the meat is browning! That way they get all those great veggies without realizing it!
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up into smaller pieces as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Pour in the remaining ingredients and add the vegetables back in. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce comes to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Spoon the finished Sloppy Joe mix onto buns and serve right away!
Notes
Make Ahead & Bulk Cooking Info
- Storing – Let the Sloppy Joe mix cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing – Once the mixture is completely cooled, add to freeze-safe containers or plastic bags and freeze for up to 3-4 months. The night before you want to serve it, place the container in the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight.
- Re-heating – It’s typically best to reheat a recipe the same way it was cooked. In this case, warm the Sloppy Joe mix on the stovetop in a skillet or saucepan until hot. You can microwave, but use a microwave shield to keep the splatter to a minimum!
Nutrition
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Just like Mama used to make