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, 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:

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Recipe

A homemade sloppy joe on a plate, ready to eat.
Prep 5 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 30 minutes
Save Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Add beef to a large pan over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, crumbling and stirring, until browned. Remove grease.
  • Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  • Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve warm, inside a toasted hamburger bun.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions: 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.
Freezing Instructions: 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.
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 with:

Nutrition

Calories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 24gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 836mgPotassium: 617mgFiber: 2gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 4mg

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

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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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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Excellent! This is the basic, great tasting sloppy Joe like you had as a kid. You can add any special spices/sauces you like but I prefer the simplicity of this recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    This is the easiest homemade sloppy Joe recipe I have every found. I make a double batch for leftovers for lunches for the next day.

  3. 5 stars
    This was the perfect nostalgia meal and it was the easiest dish I’ve cooked in a while. Even my picky eater ate an entire sandwich!

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