These easy homemade sloppy joes are one of those dinners that everyone in the family loves! They’re made with simple pantry ingredients, ground beef, and a delicious homemade sweet and tangy sauce. Everything comes together in one skillet in about 20 minutes, making this the perfect dinner for busy weeknights. Serve them on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite sides for a quick and easy meal the whole family will enjoy!
What you need to make these easy homemade sloppy joes:
- Ground beef: I use 1 pound of ground beef for this recipe. You can also substitute ground turkey if you prefer!
- Yellow onion: I love adding a little diced onion for extra flavor, but you can leave it out if you prefer.
- Green bell pepper: Adds great flavor and a little extra veggie goodness to the sloppy joe filling. Dice it finely so it blends right into the sauce.
- Tomato sauce: The base of our homemade sloppy joe sauce! I typically use ¾ to 1 cup, depending on how saucy I want the filling.
- Tomato paste: Helps thicken the sauce and adds a richer tomato flavor for these easy homemade sloppy joes.
- Brown sugar or maple syrup: Just a little sweetness balances out the tangy tomato sauce. I prefer using 1 tablespoon, but you can add up to 2 tablespoons if you like a sweeter sloppy joe.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds a delicious savory flavor and gives the sauce a little extra depth.
- Yellow mustard: Adds that classic tangy sloppy joe flavor!
- Garlic powder: A simple pantry staple that adds great flavor.
- Paprika: Adds a subtle warmth and rounds out the sauce for these sloppy joes.
- Sea salt and black pepper: To bring all the flavors together. Adjust to taste! We use Redmond sea salt, it’s our favorite and we use it in everything! You can use the code daddioskitchen for 15% off.
Tips for Making the Best Sloppy Joe’s:
- Toast your hamburger buns: This makes such a difference! Toasting the buns helps prevent them from getting soggy and adds a delicious texture to these easy homemade sloppy joes.
- Adjust the sweetness: I personally prefer just 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or maple syrup, but you can add a little more if you like a sweeter sauce.
- Let the sauce simmer: Even just 5–10 minutes helps all those delicious flavors come together.
- Adjust the consistency: If your sloppy joe mixture is too thick, add a splash of water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.
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Alright, let’s get to making the recipe!
Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes
These easy homemade sloppy joes are one of those dinners that everyone in the family loves! They're made with simple pantry ingredients, ground beef, and a delicious homemade sweet and tangy sauce. Everything comes together in one skillet in about 20 minutes, making this the perfect dinner for busy weeknights. Serve them on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite sides for a quick and easy meal the whole family will enjoy!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ small yellow onion diced (optional)
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- ¼-⅓ cup each chopped carrots & celery optional!
- ¾-1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1-2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup I prefer 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½-1 sea salt to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
- Hamburger buns for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add avocado oil, diced onion and green bell pepper. Optional: add carrots and celery as well for extra veggies. Cook for about 7–10 minutes, until softened. Add in the ground beef and break it up as it cooks. Season with a sprinkle of salt as pepper
- Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar or maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together until well combined.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and everything is well combined. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Spoon the sloppy joe filling onto toasted hamburger buns and serve with your favorite sides!
Notes
To store: Allow the sloppy joe filling to cool and transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
To freeze: Let the filling cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.
To reheat: Warm the filling in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
