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!
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.
Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir to combine.
Simmer for 30 minutes. The simmering time is a crucial part of the recipe because it allows the flavors to blend together.
Serve: After letting the sloppy joe mixture simmer, serve it warm on a toasted hamburger bun as a sloppy joe sandwich.
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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Recipe
Sloppy Joes
Equipment
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
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
- 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.
- 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
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe January 2018. Updated March 2022.
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THIS WAS SOO GOOD AND SO EASY TO MAKE. I found your website with a simple google and am so glad I did. I’ll be trying more of your recipes! xoxo
Thanks Kathy–I’m so glad you found me!
i added a little spoonful of brown sugar because my family likes sloppy joes a bit sweeter, but otherwise followed the recipe, and we all loved it! especially loved the addition of barbecue sauce. we ate the sloppy joes on kaiser rolls with slices of sharp cheddar on top. i will definitely make this again. thank you for sharing this great recipe!
This was delicious as is. I wouldn’t change a thing; my family loved it!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
I made this recipe exactly as written and would not change a thing. My family all loved it with one exception, one member requested that in future I make extra sauce so next time i’m doubling the recipe so they will be extra sloppy. This doesn’t take long to make and beats canned sauce all to pieces!
Thanks for sharing!
We used to have these all of the time growing up. I love the new twist of adding BBQ sauce in the recipe, it adds a great flavor! Also good as leftovers! 🙂
Glad I doubled the recipe, everyone went back for seconds. Taste great over tater tots with melted cheese, yum.
This was awesome I omitted the salt and pepper and added diced tomatoes with green chile peppers and added about 4 sweet peppers. Will be using this recipe again. I might follow the recipe as is but probably not as I enjoy using recipes as guides only but this is an awesome base. The sauce itself would work for BBQ beef or pork sandwiches or even chicken
I agree, it would be yummy over bbq beef or pork sandwiches! Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
I enjoyed this, I used spicier ketchup and BBQ sauce and tasted great!
What mind of bbq didu use
This is a fantastic (and easy) Sloppy Joe recipe! The bbq sauce really makes it!
I agree, the bbq sauce gives the sauce an extra boost of flavor that I love! Thanks so much, I’m really happy you liked them!
Love the idea of adding barbecue sauce etc. to Sloppy Joes – I’ve already pinned this recipe!! ; o )