The Best Sloppy Joes – Culinary Hill

When it comes to easy homemade dinners, it doesn’t get any better than that the best Sloppy Joes, a longtime family favorite. This 30-minute meal is perfect for busy weeknights, backyard barbecues, and birthday parties. Every bite is meaty, messy, and delicious.

Sloppy Joes take me back to the good old days of summer vacations. Every year my mom would make a giant batch of this recipe, freeze it, and stow it in the car during our annual trip to northern Wisconsin. When we got to the cabin, dinner was already made. All we had to do was toast up some buns and set the table. Summer meant lots of Sloppy Joe sandwiches, which was fine by me.

Of course, you can fiddle with the recipe. Make it spicy, with some green chilies. Keep out the sugar if you prefer things less sweet, or add some smokiness with a little BBQ sauce. Fill it full of hidden veggies, or leave it as-is. Throw in some ground turkey, lamb, or venison. There’s simply no wrong way to make a Sloppy Joe.

Table of Contents

1. Recipe ingredients
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. Recipe FAQs
6. The Best Sloppy Joes Recipe

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Ground beef: Or substitute ground turkey or venison.
• Onions: Finely chopped celery and bell peppers are great too!
• Brown sugar: Even a tablespoon is too much for some people. If you don’t like the sound of brown sugar in your Sloppy Joe, please leave it out!
• Worcestershire sauce: In a pinch, you can substitute soy sauce.

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch over medium-high heat, combine beef and onion. Cook until the meat is mostly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper).

3. Pour sauce ingredients over drained beef and stir until evenly coated.

4. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (cover if you prefer a sloppier Sloppy Joe).

5. Serve in buns.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes 4 to 6 cups of Sloppy Joe meat mixture, enough for 8 heaping sandwiches.
• Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Cool completely, then add to freezer containers (one big batch or individual portions), label and date, and freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• BBQ sauce. Your favorite barbecue sauce (or my favorite bbq sauce, based on Sweet Baby Ray’s) can be added instead of ketchup for a smoky version of a classic Joe.
• Spicy: If you love some heat, throw in a tablespoon of ancho chili powder, a teaspoon of ground cumin, or a half teaspoon of chipotle powder. Or, splash on your favorite hot sauce to taste.
• Slow cooker: In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain well and add the bottom of a slow cooker. Add all the other ingredients (except the buns), cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• Casserole: For a fork-friendly version, try my One Pot Sloppy Joe Casserole.

Recipe FAQs

More quick dinner ideas