Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (2024)

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posted by Jenniferon May 30, 2023 (updated Aug 16, 2023) 22 comments »

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This EASY sloppy joes recipe makes a simple dinner I’m sure you will love!!It’s a family favorite meal in our house but of course, it works great for summer get-togethers too!

For weeknight dinners, the kids love these with either french fries or onion rings but sometimes I sneak in a healthy cucumber tomato onion salad that I know everyone else enjoys!

Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (1)

Table of contents

  • Why You Will Love Sloppy Joes From Scratch
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make Easy Sloppy Joes
  • Recipe FAQ
  • Storing
  • What To Serve With Sloppy Joes

Why You Will Love Sloppy Joes From Scratch

  • A deliciously messy meal! It’s like taking everything that you’ve ever learned about manners and just tossing them right out the window. And when the word “messy” is part of the name of the food, you know it’s going to be good.
  • A kid-friendly meal that adults enjoy too!
  • Easy-to-make recipe with simple ingredients making it perfect for easy weeknight dinners.
  • A hearty and satisfying one-pot dish that’s sure to be a hit!
Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (2)

Ingredients

  • Ground beef: Our favorite for sloppy joes from scratch but if you prefer, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
  • Onion: Adding onion gives the sloppy joes a bit more depth of flavor.
  • Celery: You want this to be chopped very finely for the right texture. It adds flavor and sneaks in some more veggies.
  • Ketchup: The slightly sweet tomato flavor makes the perfect base for all the flavors.
  • Lemon juice: A little bit of acid to balance the sweetness and fat in the beef mixture.
  • Brown sugar: My secret ingredient for the sloppy joe sauce! It really works well with the sweetness of the ketchup to make this the BEST sloppy joe recipe.
  • Worcestershire sauce: Enhances the savory flavors in the dish.
  • Vinegar: We’re adding just a tad to balance the sweetness.
  • Dry mustard: For more depth of flavor.
Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (3)

How To Make Easy Sloppy Joes

  1. Brown the meat. In a large skillet pan with the onion and celery until the meat is browned and the vegetables tender. Drain off any fat from cooking.
  2. Add. The ketchup, brown sugar, salt, and dry mustard to the pan.
  3. Also, add. The Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and water to the pan.
  4. Stir to combine. Everything together. Then cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally as it cooks.
  5. Serve and enjoy. Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.
Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (4)

Tips & Variations

  • Drain off any excess fat left in the pan when browning the meat especially if you use regular ground beef.
  • Cooking the veggies with the meat softens them so they melt into the sloppy joe sauce.
  • Chop the onion and celery. Into small pieces so they cook up tender and hidden from pickier eaters.
  • Serve up on buns with your favorite toppings such as sliced or shredded cheese, pickles, bacon, fried crispy onions straws(my favorite!), sour cream, and potato chips.
Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (5)

Recipe FAQ

Can I make sloppy joes in the crockpot?

Yes, you can make this sloppy joes recipe in the slow cooker.I like to make these sloppy joes in the crockpot when we are having a party. To make sloppy joes in the crockpot, brown the meat first and then throw the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker, stir, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

What do you serve with sloppy joes?

We LOVE to use salads as sides such aspotato salad,broccoli salad, or a deliciouspasta salad! Fries, chips, or roasted veggies make great sides too.

How do you eat a sloppy joe?

The meat and sloppy joe sauce are usually served on a roll or bun to make a sandwich. It’s a bit messy so be sure to have plenty of napkins. You can also serve it open-face with lots of toppings and eat it with a fork and knife.

Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (6)

Storing

  • Store. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze it in small containers or freezer bags for 3-6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.

What To Serve With Sloppy Joes

  • Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
  • Waffle Fries
  • 7 Layer Salad

More Easy Dinner Recipes

Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Taco Casserole with Doritos
Baked Ravioli
Savory Goulash in a Flash

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Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (11)

4.72 from 67 ratings

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Servings: 8 servings

Sloppy Joe Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

This sloppy joe recipe makes a simple dinner I'm sure you will love!!It's a family favorite meal in our house but of course, it works great for summer get-togethers too!

Print RecipePin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds ground beef
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • ½ cup celery, finely chopped
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, brown ground beef, onion, and celery. Drain fat.

  • Pour ground beef back into skillet pan or crockpot. Add ketchup, water, lemon juice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, vinegar, and dry mustard. Stir to combine.

  • Cover and simmer for 1 hour. If cooking in the crockpot, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

  • Serve on hamburger buns.

Notes

  • Drain off any excess fat left in the pan when browning the meat especially if you use regular ground beef.
  • Cooking the veggies with the meat softens them so they melt into the sloppy joe sauce.
  • Chop the onion and celery. Into small pieces so they cook up tender and hidden from pickier eaters.
  • Serve up on buns with your favorite toppings such as sliced or shredded cheese, pickles, bacon, fried crispy onions straws(my favorite!), sour cream, and potato chips.
  • Store. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze it in small containers or freezer bags for 3-6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.

Calories: 573kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 43g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 1602mg, Potassium: 913mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 339IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 5mg

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Author: Jennifer

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4th of July Beef Dinner One pot Super Bowl

originally published on May 30, 2023 (last updated Aug 16, 2023)

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22 comments on “Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe”

  1. Judy M Smedra Reply

    Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (12)
    One of my go to recipes for large crowds of adults or kids. It’s a big hit because of the sweet and tangy flavors.

  2. Julie Reply

    This is my new go to recipe for sloppy joes from now on.
    Made 1/2 recipe and froze the rest.
    Yummy!

Leave a comment »

Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Sloppy Joe sauce made of? ›

What is the sloppy joe sauce made of? It's made with ketchup, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, chili powder, garlic, dry mustard, and a little Tobasco (if you want). That sauce coats the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to make the filling.

What can I add to sloppy joe to make it taste better? ›

Try serving your sloppy joes with their own toppings such as slaw, melty cheese, grilled pineapple, or Hatch green chile. Even just adding a pickle gives extra flavor and crunch, transforming it from a bland sandwich into something great, like the recipe below!

What's the difference between a sloppy joe and a sloppy Jane? ›

The stuffed pepper sloppy joe is another combo that mixes the sandwich with another popular dish, swapping buns for bell peppers. If you're aiming to eat a lower-fat diet, then consider fixing yourself a sloppy jane. This variant on the sloppy joe swaps out regular ground beef for leaner beef.

What's the difference between Manwich and sloppy joes? ›

What is the difference between Manwich and Sloppy Joes? Sloppy Joes are the sandwich, while Manwich is the store-bought canned sloppy joe sauce, produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt's. While the brand markets this product as a quick and easy one-pan meal, I strongly recommend you make the sauce from scratch.

What is a New Jersey style Sloppy Joe? ›

There are minor variations depending on the deli, but it is always a double-decker thin sliced rye bread sandwich made with one or more types of sliced deli meat, such as turkey, ham, pastrami, corned beef, roast beef, or sliced beef tongue, along with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing.

What is the fancy name for sloppy joes? ›

Manwich, slush burger, yum yums, dynamite, spoonburgers, tavern sandwich; a Sloppy Joe can be called by many other names. The most well-known however is Manwich.

What is a substitute for tomato paste in sloppy joes? ›

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

How do you thicken up sloppy joe sauce? ›

  1. Flour can be used similar to corn starch.
  2. Other thickeners used are bread crumbs, potato flakes and oats. ...
  3. Go gradually with these. ...
  4. Use oats to thicken sloppy-joes as to absorb the excess but it will be thicker the next day.
  5. Barley can be used but is more expensive.
Oct 29, 2021

Are you supposed to drain Sloppy Joes? ›

Nicole doesn't like to drain the meat after she cooks it (she likes to use the rendered fat to saute the onions and bell peppers), so she prefers using a lean meat. "When it comes to the bun," Nicole says, "the cheaper the better." For the classic Sloppy Joe experience, you want it to absorb all the excess liquid.

Should you drain the grease from ground beef for Sloppy Joes? ›

Sloppy Joe Tips

We suggest draining the browned beef, because excess grease serves as a barrier to sloppy joe seasonings.

Are you supposed to drain the grease from Sloppy Joes? ›

Draining the grease from ground beef will make a dish healthier and is usually recommended. Brown the meat first to extract the fat. Then, you can spoon the grease out of the pan or use a colander to drain the grease. It is important you do not discard the hot grease down a drain as it can cause damage to the drain.

What goes good with Sloppy Joes? ›

What to serve with Sloppy Joes (24 simple ideas)
  • Herb & Garlic Cheesy Mashed Potatoes.
  • Sweet Corn Salad.
  • Creamy Cucumber Salad.
  • Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Salad.
  • Hassleback Potatoes.
  • Potato Salad.
  • Mac and Cheese.
  • Coleslaw.
Apr 22, 2023

What is a good side dish with Sloppy Joes? ›

Onion Rings: Onion rings provide a crunchy and savory complement to the saucy Sloppy Joes. Cole Slaw: Creamy coleslaw offers a refreshing and slightly tangy contrast to the rich flavors of Sloppy Joes. Potato Salad: A hearty potato salad with a creamy or vinaigrette-based dressing is a great side dish option.

How do you make Manwich Sloppy Joes taste better? ›

5 Easy Ways to Doctor up Manwich Sloppy Joes to Improve Taste
  1. Produce.
  2. • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder.
  3. • 1/2 Green bell pepper.
  4. • 1 Large or 2 small jalapeno peppers.
  5. • 1 Onion, medium white or yellow.
  6. • 1 Pickled jalapenos.

What are the ingredients in Del Monte Sloppy Joe sauce? ›

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Green and Red Bell Peppers, Salt, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Worcestershire Sauce Concentrate (Distilled Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Garlic Powder, Spices, Tamarind, Natural Flavor), Spices, Dehydrated Onions, Garlic Powder, ...

What does sloppy joe sauce taste like? ›

Once you've gathered the ingredients, it's basically like making Bolognese. And the flavour is somewhat reminiscent of it too, except Sloppy Joes taste a bit more like BBQ Sauce. The one big difference is that the sauce is cooked right down so it's really thick and not saucy at all.

Is Manwich just the sauce? ›

Manwich, a portmanteau of man and sandwich, is the brand name of a canned sloppy joe sauce produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt's, introduced in 1969. The can contains seasoned tomato sauce that is added to ground beef cooked in a skillet. It is marketed as a quick and easy one-pan meal for the whole family.

Why is it called sloppy joe? ›

According to legend, a cook named Joe at Floyd Angell's café in Sioux City, Iowa, added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches. Some believe this is how the sloppy joe sandwich was born. Sloppy joes are popular with most children.

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