Homemade Sloppy Joes — 🧡🙌🤤 The BEST and most flavorful homemade Sloppy Joes that the whole family will ADORE! So EASY, ready in 20 minutes, and can be made with either ground beef or ground turkey to keep them HEALTHIER! Perfect for get-togethers, parties, or a fast family dinner on busy weeknights!
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Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
When I was growing up, Sloppy Joes were a staple in our house. My mom used jarred sauce and I loved every sloppy, messy second when I was devouring my sandwiches.
I created this homemade Sloppy Joe recipe so that you can enjoy all the fabulous flavors of Sloppy Joes — without the Manwich. I promise you and your family are going to adore the homemade taste and won’t miss the salt, sugar, and additives in the canned stuff!
Homemade Sloppy Joes are so easy, ready in less than 20 minutes, and made in just one skillet on the stovetop, which means fast and easy cleanup.
Best of all, they are kid and picky-eater-approved, making Sloppy Joes a no-brainer meal on those busy weeknights.
Sloppy Joe Ingredients
This recipe uses a homemade sloppy joe sauce, which takes just a few minutes to whip up. You’ll just need the following easy-to-find ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken, or pork)
- White or yellow onion
- Green bell pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Tomato paste
- Ketchup
- Light brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Buns, for serving
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Sloppy Joes From Scratch
Sloppy Joes are so fast and easy to make! Here’s an overview of how the old-fashioned sandwiches come together.
- Begin by adding the oil, beef or turkey, onion, and green pepper to a large skillet.
- Brown the ground beef, stirring occasionally, and breaking it up as it sooks. The onions and peppers will soften, too.
- Once the beef is cooked, drain the mixture well. Then, add all the remaining ingredients, minus the buns.
- Bring the sloppy joe mixture to a simmer. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low or low, and simmer until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Slice the buns. Then, when you’re ready add the meat mixture and dig in.
What to Serve with This Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe
Recipe FAQs
For those wanting very traditional Sloppy Joe flavor and texture, go with ground beef. I recommend lean ground beef in the 85-93% range. However, I have made these easy homemade Sloppy Joes with ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, and even ground pork.
Yes, but because ground chicken and turkey are so lean, I recommend adding the upper recommended range for the quantity of olive oil. Also take care not to over-brown or overcook the chicken or turkey as it will just dry out more and the texture can get a little odd.
I recommend making this particular recipe on the stovetop as recommended because it’s so fast and easy. However, if you want to keep the mixture warm for a party, event, potluck, or something to that nature, I would transfer the cooked Sloppy Joe’s mixture into your crock pot, and set it to low to keep it warm.
However, I also have a cheesy slow cooker Sloppy Joe recipe that you can choose to make instead of this old-fashioned recipe!
Although some may not be familiar with how and why sugar is included in a Sloppy Joes recipe, it’s because sugar helps neutralize the acidity of all the tomato-based ingredients, including the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup. Therefore, I recommend definitely adding the brown sugar for classic Sloppy Joe’s flavor.
Of course! Feel free to make a double-batch if you’re feeding a larger family or group. Double everything, easy as that.
Yes, the homemade sloppy joe sauce and meat mixture freezes incredibly well. Let it cool to room temperature, then freeze for up to three months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat gently on the stovetop.
Stored in an airtight container, the meat mixture will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Personally, I find this recipe plenty flavorful. However, you can experiment with adding onion powder or garlic powder. or, try including a dash of chili powder or red pepper flakes for a kick of spice.
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Homemade Sloppy Joes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 to 3 tablespoons olive oil*
- 1 pound lean ground beef, can be made with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork
- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced small
- ½ cup small diced green bell pepper
- 8 ounces tomato sauce, basic tomato sauce, not spaghetti sauce or anything fancier needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed; or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Hamburger buns, for serving
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the oil, ground beef, onions, green peppers, and cook over medium-high heat to brown the beef and soften the vegetables. Crumble the beef as it cooks and stir mixture frequently to ensure even cooking, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
- Drain the mixture very well** (see Notes).
- Add the tomato sauce, paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer.
- After mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low or low, and allow it to simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until it’s thickened a bit and is as thick as desired (mixture will also thicken up as it cools).
- Serve immediately in buns. Sloppy Joe’s meat mixture will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This was delicious!
This was delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad this was delicious!
We made this in the morning and put it in the fridge to have for dinner. It smelled so good while cooking, and tastes as good as it smells. I am not a fan of manwich, I know, Midwest sacrilege, but this is something I can see us making all fall ad winter. I would even bring this to a potluck.
thank you, haven’t made this in years, but always loved the flavors, I don’t even have a go to recipe, so yours is much appreciated!
Ok great to hear! Hope you enjoy this recipe then!
Can’t wait to try it! For the tomato sauce, are you using an 8-ounce can of basic tomato sauce or are you using a jar spaghetti sauce?
Just basic tomato sauce. Enjoy!
This looks very similar to how I make sloppy joes so I know it will be delicious! A little trick I use when cooking with ground turkey but wanting a heartier flavor, like what you would get with ground beef, is to add a little (1 teaspoon) of beef flavored better-than-bouillon to the meat mixture as you are browning it. It does increase the sodium level so this isn’t a good answer for everyone, but it might be helpful for someone out there.
That is a great trick, thanks for sharing it!
All your projects are very impressive. Looking forward to see what is next.
All your projects are very impressive. Looking forward to see what is next.
great