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This Sloppy Joe recipe makes 8 sandwiches in 30 minutes with a sweet-tangy from-scratch sauce and a quick 10-minute simmer for thicker, heartier sauce. Family-friendly, weeknight-easy, and perfect for make-ahead.
I’ve tested this method for years to get maximum flavor fast: caramelized tomato paste and chili powder are balanced with mustard and a touch of brown sugar, then gently simmered for that classic, tangy finish.
I fixed these last night, they were delicious! By far the best sloppy joes we’ve ever had. I followed your recipe to a ‘T’ except, I used stone ground mustard in place of the yellow mustard. Thank you for sharing so many great recipes.
– Deborah
Why This Sloppy Joe Recipe Works
- Set it with a simmer: A 10-minute uncovered simmer thickens the sauce; longer equals deeper, richer flavor.
- Bloom the base: Stir tomato paste and chili powder into the hot pan until the crumbles turn a deep burgundy color, this unlocks richness in under a minute.
- Sweet–tangy balance: A little mustard and vinegar brightens the sauce so it never tastes flat.
Homemade In Every Way
We love Old Fashioned Sloppy Joe Sandwiches because they’re quick and easy to make for busy weeknights. The canned sauces are ok but I made the best sloppy joes in about the same amount of time and now I can never turn back.
This Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes recipe is the best thing to make when you don’t know how to cook ground beef. Sloppy Joes are simmered in a savory, tangy sloppy Joe sauce that comes together quickly.
We love to use this sloppy Joe mix for sandwiches but it’s also amazing to make stuffed potatoes, quesadillas, pizza and more. The limit does not exist as to what you can do with this recipe. We even made a Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joe just to prove it!
How To Make Sloppy Joes
This easy Sloppy Joe recipe comes together in minutes. You can easily make this in the slow cooker for parties or to make dinner time even easier.
- Prep the ingredients. Cook the onions, bell pepper and garlic until softened.
- Enhance the flavor. Stir in the chili powder and tomato paste.
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and stir it in with the beef.
- Simmer. Allow the sauce to simmer until thick and saucy.
- Serve. Top a roll with your Sloppy Joe mix and serve.
This Homemade Sloppy Joe recipe is super easy to make and is ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s great to make ahead since the flavors have more time to develop and it freezes beautifully too! It’s wonderful piled on a soft fluffy hamburger bun.
Sloppy Joe SOS: Quick Fixes
- Too Greasy? Tilt pan to one side carefully and spoon off excess fat before saucing.
- Too sweet? Add 1-2 teaspoons yellow mustard or 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; simmer 2–3 min.
- Too tangy? Stir in ½-1 teaspoon brown sugar; simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Too thin? Simmer uncovered 3-5 minutes; or stir in 1-2 teaspoons tomato paste.
- Too thick? Add in water or tomato sauce, 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
- Not punchy enough? Add a pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon chili powder.
- Want heat? Dash of hot sauce or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper.
How to Store Leftovers
- Store: Cool leftovers; refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan over low; if thick, add a splash of water. Taste and adjust salt/acid.
Can I freeze sloppy joes?
Yes, you can freeze sloppy joes for an easy, make ahead dinner.
- Reheat: Saucepan on low until hot. If sauce tightened in the freezer, loosen with a splash of water; re-season with salt and a few drops of vinegar to brighten.
- Freeze: Cool completely. Portion into freezer bags or containers (lay flat). Freeze up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Overnight in the fridge (bag on a plate).
Sloppy Joe Variations and Ingredient Swaps
- Buns and toppings: Toasted brioche rolls, potato rolls, or sesame buns; pickles, cheddar cheese, or jalapeños on top.
- Ground Turkey or plant-based crumbles: Swap ground beef 1:1 for lean ground turkey or a plant-based crumble.
- Onion and bell pepper: Sauté ½ cup diced onion and ½ cup diced green pepper with the beef for classic texture.
- Heat increase: Add ½-1 teaspoon extra chili powder or a few dashes hot sauce.
- Make it Sweeter: Start with ½ tablespoons brown sugar; add up to 1 Tablespoon to taste.
Best Sides for Sloppy Joes
Some of our favorite side dishes for Sloppy Joes.
- Amish Macaroni Salad
- Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad Recipe // Video
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
- How to Steam Broccoli
- Lemon Parmesan Sauteed Green Beans
- Parmesan Zucchini Fries
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
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Sloppy Joe Recipe
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 lb lean ground beef, 85%-90% lean
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
- Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Cook onion and bell pepper, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the chili powder and tomato paste cooking until the mixture has turned a deep burgundy color.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, brown sugar dan tomato sauce. Pour the sauce mixture over the ground beef and stir to combine.
- Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Divide beef mixture among buns and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yes, cool completely, portion flat in bags, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight; reheat gently and loosen with a splash of water. Re-season with salt or acid to taste.
Add 1-2 teaspoons yellow mustard or 1 teaspoon cider vinegar; simmer 2-3 minutes. Taste and repeat in small amounts.
Simmer uncovered 3-5 minutes; or stir in 1-2 teaspoons tomato paste. Avoid flour so the sauce stays shiny.
Yes, swap 1:1 for ground beef. Brown well for extra flavor; you may need a teaspoon of oil or butter if very lean.
Mild as written. For heat, add ½-1 teaspoon extra chili powder or a few dashes hot sauce.
I can’t wait to try this recipe with one addition…my mom always added a few teaspoons of horseradish. It adds a sumthin sumthin…to me.😀
Ooo, I’ll have to try that!
Kellie,
I fixed these last night, they were delicious! By far the best sloppy joes we’ve ever had. I followed your recipe to a ‘T’ except, I used stone ground mustard in place of the yellow mustard. Thank you for sharing so many great recipes.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Made this last night with ground chicken… Excellent!
So, so good! I’m glad you liked it!
This looks delicious!!! Do you think you can use ground turkey? If so what spices would you use?
You can absolutely swap the beef for ground turkey without changing anything else about the recipe.
Y’all, if you’re reviewing a recipe, it would be great if you actually made the meal. All this, “It looks so tasty!” is not helpful.
Anyway…
I actually made this recipe and, while it WAS very tasty, it CANNOT be prepared in under 30 minutes. The amount of prep time alone was about 30 minutes just to chop all the vegetables. Plan for at least an hour if you don’t have help with prep. The author mentioned in another comment to mince the mushrooms to the point of being almost like mashed potatoes (especially if you have picky eaters). Next time I might try actually using a potato masher on the raw mushrooms to speed up the process. So much mushroom chopping…Just a thought. Another thought, I felt the final product was a little under-sauced. I had to add some extra tomato paste and Ketsup along with more Worsterchire and Dijon at the end to feel like the meat and veg were fully coated (and hidden from the picky eaters!). The flavor of the sauce is phenomenal though. Very true to Manwich style sloppy Joe’s sauce. I love how light I felt after eating this as well! A better name for these would be Guiltless Joe’s! Will definitely be making this again.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your helpful tips. I’m a silly fast chopper because I do it all the time. Sometimes the food processor can help speed things up or if your kids are old enough put them to work. Anyway, I’m so glad you loved it and I agree that maybe it could use some extra sauce. I love your little additions. Thanks so much for your helpful comments!!!
Sam there are no mushrooms in this recipe. You also didn’t follow recipe as written.
My family thought it was excellent and it’s like my grandmother used to make. Thank you