Sloppy Joes

Name: Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 cup yellow onion (, chopped); 2 cloves garlic (, minced); 8 ounces tomato sauce; 1/3 cup ketchup (, or more, to taste); 1/4 cup barbecue sauce; 1 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 5 hamburger buns

This homemade Sloppy Joes recipe is easy, inexpensive, and ready in just 30 minutes! It's a kid-favorite and packed with flavor.

By Lauren Allen

275

Updated February 15, 2024

Total Time 30

Servings

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This homemade Sloppy Joes recipe is easy, inexpensive, and ready in just 30 minutes. It's a kid-favorite, and packed with flavor.

Looking for more 30-Minute Meals? Try my Air Fryer Pizza, Taco Salad, Patty Melt, or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas!

A homemade sloppy joe on a plate, ready to eat.

Why I love this recipe:

Homemade Sauce: It has the perfect sauce/beef ratio that is packed with flavor.
Adaptable: There are so many ways to vary this recipe (see below) by adding veggies, switching the meat, etc.
Kid Friendly: My kids love this recipe (even when I add veggies) and it makes for a relaxing and fun family dinner. Check out all my kid friendly recipes!

How to make Sloppy Joes:

Brown the Beef: Start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender and translucent.

A skillet with cooked ground beef, chopped onion and garlic added on top.

Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir to combine.

Sloppy joe sauce ingredients added to a skillet with cooked ground beef.

Simmer for 30 minutes. The simmering time is a crucial part of the recipe because it allows the flavors to blend together.

Sloppy joe meat sauce simmering in a skillet.

Serve: After letting the sloppy joe mixture simmer, serve it warm on a toasted hamburger bun as a sloppy joe sandwich.

A hamburger bun bottom slice topped with homemade sloppy joe mixture.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: The sloppy joe meat filling can be made up to 2 days ahead of time, depending on the freshness of the beef. Store in the refrigerator and reheat and serve on toasted buns when ready to eat.

To Freeze: Allow the mixture to cool completely and store it in an air-tight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove.

Recipe Variations:

Add Veggies: Diced bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, or shredded carrot, can easily be added to this recipe and your kids won’t even notice a difference.
Hawaiian Sloppy Joes: Substitute more BBQ sauce for the ketchup and add 8 oz., drained crushed pineapple.
Asian Sloppy Joes: Add 1 tablespoon ground ginger and substitute 1 tablespoons hoisin sauce for the Worcestershire sauce. If desired mix in thinly sliced cucumber slices, chopped water chestnuts or shredded carrot.
Turkey Sloppy Joes: Substitute ground turkey in place of ground beef and add chopped veggies.
Low Carb Sloppy Joes: Serve in a lettuce leaf, or serve open-face on a low-carb bun, with a piece of cheese placed on top, and broiled in the oven for 2 minutes.

Serve Sloppy Joes with:

Green Salad, Cucumber Onion Salad, or Fresh Corn Salad
Cold Cut Veggies and dip, Roasted Vegetables or Corn on the Cob
Baked Beans or Potato Salad
Mac and Cheese or Macaroni Salad
French Fries, Potato Wedges or Sweet Potato Fries
Potato Chips

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I originally shared this recipe January 2018. Updated March 2022.

About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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