Homemade Sloppy Joes

Enjoy a classic American comfort food favorite with this recipe for homemade Sloppy Joes. It’s made with savory ground beef simmered in a rich, tangy tomato sauce, piled high on brioche hamburger buns for a slightly messy, but totally delicious meal that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Sloppy joes in a cast iron pan with an antique spoon in it.

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The Perfect Meal for Any Night

It’s finally feeling like fall here in Arizona (meaning it’s under 100 degrees, which is absolutely fall weather for us, haha) and that means it’s time for some comfort food and home cookin’!

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Sloppy Joes are one of my favorite things to fix on busy weeknights. And as you know, I’m really big on one-pan meals, so the fact that this can be easily made in one pan and in about 30 minutes makes it a 10/10 in my book.

And if you have extra hamburger meat on-hand, try this Ground Beef Vegetable Soup, it’s delicious!

Several Sloppy Joes sitting on a platter.

How These Sloppy Joes Came to Be

I’m not a huge fan of the canned or powdered Sloppy Joe mixes (especially as a kid, in fact back then, I thought Sloppy Joes were gross), so that prompted me to create a new Sloppy Joe recipe that had all the flavors (and ingredients) I wanted.

And just like that (with a few trials, of course) a brand new homemade Sloppy Joe was born.

Once I started making this version of Sloppy Joes, I was a completely changed person. I love it; I am team Sloppy Joes now and forever.

Sloppy Joes sitting on a white platter with a green napkin sitting next to them.

Looking for a tasty side dish? Try these Salt and Pepper Chips, they’re delicious.

Reasons You’ll Love These Homemade Sloppy Joes

  1. The ingredient list is simple and wholesome, and it’s made with pantry staples, so you’re sure to have everything on-hand.
  2. As I mentioned above, it’s made in one pan. If you ask me, that’s the #1 reason to love it, haha!
  3. They’re simple to make. The hardest part is chopping up the veggies.
  4. It’s a warm and filling dinner you can have on the table in 30 minutes.
  5. It keeps in the fridge for about a week, but in the freezer for up to 3 months, so you can make a double batch, if needed. It freezes great.

tip

Serve Sloppy Joes on a toasted brioche bun for a traditional version of this meal or get really crazy and serve over a piece of warm honey cornbread for an exciting fall twist. The sweetness of the cornbread compliments the savory flavors of the meat perfectly.

Cooked Sloppy Joes sitting in a cast iron pan with an antique spoon in it.

As you can gather, these homemade sloppy joes are a timeless favorite for good reason. They offer a perfect blend of savory flavors and messy indulgence, making them a hit whenever they show up on the dinner table.

With a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, you can whip up this classic comfort food that’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. So, round up your ingredients, fire up the stove, and grab the recipe below. Your taste buds will thank you.

A Sloppy Joe sitting on a white plate with a few more in the background.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

By: Kristine Underwood
Enjoy a classic American comfort food favorite with these homemade Sloppy Joes. Savory ground beef simmered in a rich, tangy tomato sauce, piled high on a brioche hamburger buns for a delicious meal that you can have on the table in half an hour.
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 176 kcal

ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound ground beef or turkey (lean)
  • 1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 carrot (chopped)
  • 2 ribs celery (chopped)
  • 2 tsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves of garlic, chopped)
  • 15 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1 TBS honey
  • 1 TBS dijon mustard
  • 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
  • 1 TBS Worcestershire
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional, but it's yummy!)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Lightly spray a medium size frying pan with avocado oil or Ghee spray. Over medium-high heat, cook onion, carrots, and celery util tender.
    1/2 yellow onion, 1 carrot, 2 ribs celery
  • Add meat and brown thoroughly. When the meat is fully cooked, drain off excess fat (if there is any).
    1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • Stir in minced garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    2 tsp minced garlic
  • Add tomato sauce, honey, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to skillet.
    15 ounces tomato sauce, 1 TBS honey, 1 TBS dijon mustard, 1 TBS apple cider vinegar, 1 TBS Worcestershire, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Simmer Sloppy Joes over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens.
  • Spoon meat onto lightly toasted buns or serve over cornbread and enjoy!

Notes

* The nutritional information below is for the Sloppy Joe meat only. It does not include the bun.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 16gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 675mgPotassium: 553mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2037IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 3mg
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Recipe Rating




20 Comments

  1. Sloppy Joes are a favorite in my house! I’m always looking for new ways to reinvent them and I had to try these! They are so good!5 stars

  2. Sloppy Joes in under 30 minutes?! Heck, yeah, I am loving this recipe!!! I also wish it was anywhere close to 100 degrees here haha; it’s been freezing for weeks now! 🙁5 stars

    1. Thank you so much Annie! Funny, I wish for cooler temps, I miss winter! Let’s trade! 🙂

  3. It’s been forever since I’ve made these. These were killer. I like the carrot that you added to the recipe. On my list to make again soon!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much! I try to sneak in a few veggies in meals like this, my kids never even noticed – moming win! 🙂

  4. The weather has been getting cold and I was craving something warm. These sloppy joes warmed me right up – very tasty. I served over rice, delicious!5 stars

    1. Yes, Lisa – they’re perfect for that! What a great idea to serve over rice – I’m going to try it! 🙂

  5. This is such a simple recipe, but so flavorful. Zero complaints! Yummy!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much, Erren! Yes, it’s a crowd pleaser for sure.

  6. These were delicious with tater tots! Very easy recipe and the sandwiches are 10/10!5 stars

    1. I agree Meg, tater tots are the best with sloppy joes! Thanks so much!

  7. I made these with ground turkey instead and they were really good! Barely any leftovers. It’s a keeper!5 stars

    1. Same here, I use turkey all the time and it’s delicious! Thanks so much Suchi!

  8. I’ve seen sloppy joes countless times on Pinterest, but I had never made them. I’m glad I found this recipe, they’re so easy and so good!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much Jovita! They’re a staple in our house because they’re so easy. 🙂

  9. LOL. I love your philosophy. My great grandmother (she lived to be just short of 101) always loved deserts. She judged how good a party or pot luck was by the number of desserts. 🙂 But, back to your recipe. It sounds wonderful. Put it on a gluten free English muffin or roll, and I would be happy. (Eat dessert first and make a plate to take home!)5 stars

    1. Yes Amanda! Yes to all of that! Your grandmother and I would have been best friends! That’s one great thing about this recipe, there are lots of options, bun or no bun, gluten-free English muffin or even over zucchini noodles, which was, by the way, super good! Thank you so much. 🙂

  10. So, I made these sloppy joes with chickpeas and they were a hit. I love making this recipe – so much better than the canned sauce!5 stars

    1. Oh Sarah that’s a great idea! I’ve never used chickpeas, but I love them in cooking! Thanks for the inspiration!