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These quick and easy Homemade Sloppy Joes are made from scratch and done in just 15 minutes. Ground beef is cooked with onions and garlic and finished off with a homemade sloppy joe sauce for a delicious, comforting meal that's sweet, savory, tangy, and enjoyed by the whole family.
My homemade sloppy joes recipe is a family favorite that my kids request nearly every week. Far better than any canned option, my version is made with a ketchup-based sauce that is slightly sweetened with brown sugar. As a result, it's slightly sweeter than tomato sauce and apple cider vinegar-based versions but has the classic sweet and savory flavors in a well-balanced sauce.
I serve the meat mixture in buns with a side of Crispy Potato Wedges and Homemade Italian Sodas, and I rarely have leftovers! Try it for yourself, and you'll understand why this recipe has a five-star rating.
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Ingredients and Variations
- Meat - Ground beef is the typical meat of choice for sloppy joes. However, for a different, lightened-up version, I sometimes use ground turkey or chicken instead. Both options work great, and there's hardly any difference in the taste or texture.
- Worcestershire Sauce - This gives the meat mixture lots of depth with a subtle smoky taste.
- Buns - These homemade sloppy joes can be served on whatever buns you like as a loose meat sandwich. Hamburger buns, kaiser rolls, slider buns, or Hawaiian rolls are some of my favorite options. I also sometimes use butter or Romaine lettuce for a lower-carb option. Or, I serve the sloppy joe mixture on garlic toast or Texas toast, topped with cheese for a patty melt-style sandwich.
Want the quick version? Jump to the recipe card below. Or, keep reading for a detailed, step-by-step guide.
How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes
Combine - First, mix together the ingredients for the sloppy joe sauce in a bowl.
Sauté and brown - Cook the onions in the oil in a skillet for a couple of minutes, add the garlic, and cook for a minute more. Add in the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
Season - Add in the sloppy joe sauce and cook with the beef for a couple more minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and cooked through.
Enjoy - Serve the sloppy joe mix warm on the buns and enjoy!
Amanda's Expert Tips
- Make sure to stir the sauce thoroughly so no clumps of sugar or spices remain.
- Cook the beef all the way through so it's no longer pink and registers 160˚F on a kitchen thermometer.
My Favorite Ways to Serve
I like to serve my sloppy joe sandwiches with toppings like sliced cheese, crispy fried onions, bread and butter pickles, crispy bacon slices, sliced red onions, or pickled jalapeños.
Then, I add a veggie-based side like my Easy Italian Arugula Salad or Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes for a well-rounded, high-protein meal. Or, I even sneak sautéed green bell peppers into the meat mixture. When serving a crowd, I would icnldue French fries, potato chips, Smashed Red Potatoes, or Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, too, to make the meal even more filling.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
The homemade sloppy joe mix can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Make sure to cook it completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The mix can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen meat mixture completely in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan or large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
More Easy Dinner Recipes
If you love this Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe, check out these other easy dinner recipes that I know you will love, too!
- Baked Sausage and Peppers - The perfect filling, weeknight dinner requiring just 10 minutes of prep time.
- Slow Cooker Hot Beef Sandwiches - Tender, fall-apart meat is served in fluffy buns with a homemade horseradish sauce!
- Baked Mostaccioli - A hearty layered pasta made with Italian sausage, red sauce, and three different kinds of cheese.
- Lemon Chicken Piccata - Pan-fried chicken pairs with a tangy lemon butter sauce for a flavorful 30-minute meal.
Recipe
Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon pickle juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 6 hamburger buns
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Preheat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat on the stove top with the olive oil.
- Once the oil and pan are heated, add in the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
- Add ground beef to the onions and garlic and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sloppy joe sauce to the ground beef mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and heated through.
- Serve sloppy joe mix warm on hamburger buns.
Notes
- Make sure to stir the sauce thoroughly so no clumps of sugar or spices remain.
- Cook the beef all the way through so it's no longer pink and registers 160˚ on a kitchen thermometer.
Substitutions and Variations
- Ground turkey or chicken can be used a substitute for the ground beef.
- Use kaiser rolls, slider buns, hawaiian rolls or lettuce leafs are other alternatives to using hamburger buns.
- Try adding sliced cheese, crispy fried onions, bread and butter pickles, crispy bacon slices, sliced red onions or pickled jalapeños.
- Serve the sloppy joe mix patty melt style on garlic toast or texas toast topped with cheese.
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