Sloppy Joes

These hearty, messy, delicious classic homemade sloppy joes are the perfect weeknight dinner recipe your whole family will love, all ready in less than 30 minutes!

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Table of Contents

What are Sloppy Joes?
Homemade Sloppy Joe Ingredients
How to Make a Sloppy Joe
Sloppy Joes Recipe Substitutions and Additions
How To Serve
Storing Homemade Sloppy Joes
More Recipes You’ll Love
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We know there are a ton of Sloppy Joe recipes out there, but this one is extra special. Our team has perfected this recipe over the years to deliver the ultimate balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors. We use high-quality ground beef and a secret blend of spices to create a sauce that’s both comforting and addictive. Trust us, once you try our recipe, it’ll be your go-to for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or even a fun weekend game day feast.

Here at Spaceships and Laser Beams, we’ve been creating and sharing scrumptious dishes since 2010, and our team of talented recipe developers and testers have years of experience in the kitchen. That means we’ve perfected all the classics, including this absolutely crave-worthy Sloppy Joe recipe.

What are Sloppy Joes?

A Sloppy Joe is a classic American sandwich known for its delicious but messy nature. Here’s the rundown:

Filling: Ground beef is simmered in a sweet, tangy tomato sauce with onions and sometimes other vegetables like bell peppers. The sauce is seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and various spices.
Bread: Traditionally served on a hamburger bun, which gets soaked with the flavorful sauce as you eat.
Taste: The sandwich is savory with a touch of sweetness, and the texture is loose and juicy, hence the name “sloppy.”

Sloppy Joes are a popular choice for a quick and easy weeknight meal because they’re simple to make and typically crowd-pleasing.

Homemade Sloppy Joe Ingredients

Sloppy Joes raw ingredients that are labeled

When it comes to comfort food, few things can compare to the beloved sloppy Joe. The combination of savory ground beef, tangy tomato sauce, and a hint of sweetness make for a truly delectable experience.

Each bite is a little bit messy, but that only adds to the charm of indulging in this classic dish.

You’ll need:

1 pound of ground beef
2 tablespoons of butter
½ cup of finely chopped onion
8 ounces of tomato sauce
½ cup of ketchup
1 tablespoon of brown sugar (more to taste)
1 tablespoon of prepared mustard
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
½ teaspoon of garlic powder
½ teaspoon of onion powder
4-6 hamburger buns for serving
2 tablespoons of butter for the buns

How to Thicken Sloppy Joes

Simmering: This is the simplest solution. Let your sloppy joe mixture simmer for a while, uncovered, over medium heat. This allows excess moisture to evaporate, naturally thickening the sauce. Continue to stir while simmering.

Cornstarch slurry: If simmering isn’t enough, create a cornstarch slurry. Mix equal parts cornstarch and water, around a tablespoon each, until smooth. Gradually whisk it into your simmering sloppy joes. The cornstarch will thicken the sauce as it cooks. Be careful not to add too much, or your sauce might get gloopy.

Roux: For a richer thickening, make a roux. This is a mixture of cooked flour and fat. Heat some oil in a pan, then whisk in flour and cook until it becomes a golden paste. Slowly whisk this roux into your sloppy joes for a thicker sauce.

Bonus tip: Adding some peanut butter to your sloppy joes not only adds a delicious flavor but also helps thicken the sauce slightly.

How to Make a Sloppy Joe

This delicious recipe features ground beef simmered in a savory tomato sauce before being served on a warm bun. Here’s how to make it:

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

This sloppy Joe recipe is for 4 to 6 people, but it can be doubled or tripled. Simply make your filling and toast your buns and assemble the sloppy Joes when it’s time to eat.

STEP ONE: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, drain the grease, and set aside the meat. Don’t skip this part, draining the meat is crucial to stopping your filling from getting greasy.

STEP TWO: In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the onions over medium-high heat until translucent, about 3 minutes.

butter and onions being cooked in a skillet

STEP THREE: Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. The sauce will thicken. As your sauce simmers, it will bubble and start to splatter. Watch for these splatters, and turn your heat down if the sauce is making too much of a mess.

ingredients added to the sautéed onion in the skillet

STEP FOUR: Add the ground beef to the sloppy Joe sauce in the skillet and stir until cooked through.

PRO TIP:

Don’t wait to serve them. Sloppy Joes are best served as soon as they’re made. Adding filling to the buns and letting it sit for more than a few minutes can make your buns soggy. Instead, if you need to make this recipe ahead of time, keep your filling and buns separate until you’re ready to serve.

cooked ground beef added to the sauce in the skillet

STEP FIVE: Butter the inside of the buns and toast them on a griddle pan.

PRO TIP:

For perfectly toasted buns, you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of softened butter for six hamburger buns to make it happen.

Sloppy Joes Recipe Substitutions and Additions

GROUND MEAT: This recipe uses a pound of ground beef. Using ground beef gives this recipe its classic sloppy Joe flavor. Popular substitutions that are still tasty include ground turkey or ground chicken.

VEGGIES: Add chopped green bell pepper or red bell pepper to include a few more hidden veggies in this dish.

SPICY: Give this homemade sloppy Joe recipe a kick by adding a dash of chili powder to the spice mix.

BROWN SUGAR: The brown sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the sloppy Joes, but you can adjust the amount you use in this recipe if you prefer it sweet or not quite as sweet.

STEP SIX: Spoon the meat mixture onto the prepared buns and enjoy.

How To Serve

There are plenty of sides that you can serve with sloppy Joes. We love pairing them with traditional BBQ or picnic-style sides such as cheesy potato casserole, corn pudding, or macaroni salad.

You could also serve them with coleslaw, a side salad, or Caesar salad.

We have reimagined classic sloppy Joes in so many new ways. Try our sloppy Joe bake or Philly cheesesteak sloppy Joes too.

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Storing Homemade Sloppy Joes

Keep the sloppy Joe meat mixture in the fridge or freezer for a quick meal later. Here’s how:

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store the sloppy Joe meat mixture in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet, and add to a hamburger bun before serving.

IN THE FREEZER: Sloppy Joe filling will freeze well for up to three months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, and add to a bun to make a sandwich.

overhead shot of a plate of sloppy Joe sandwich with a pickle and chips

Sloppy Joes have been a favorite recipe for decades for good reason — they’re a tasty and easy dinner. This old-fashioned sloppy Joes recipe is a crowd-pleasing family favorite and makes a much tastier dish than using the canned sauce. Its flavors are the best, and it’s easy to make. Definitely worth a little mess!

Best Sloppy Joe Recipe FAQs

Can I make these easy sloppy Joes ahead of time?

This great recipe can be made ahead of time. You could whip up a double batch and store it in the freezer, and you’ll have easy meals for busy nights.

Could I serve this sloppy Joe recipe on a hoagie roll?

Hoagie rolls would be a great alternative to hamburger buns. They are nice and sturdy and would hold up to the saucy meat mixture nicely.

Can I make this recipe into a vegetarian version?

If you have a ground meat alternative you like, you can replace the ground beef to create a vegetarian version.

How many sloppy joes per pound?

A pound of ground beef will yield four sandwiches.

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Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe

4.99 from 87 votes

These hearty, messy, delicious classic homemade sloppy joes are the perfect weeknight dinner recipe your whole family will love, all ready in less than 30 minutes!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

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Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped onion
8 ounces tomato sauce
½ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar, more to taste
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons softened butter, to toast the hamburger buns
4 to 6 hamburger buns

Instructions

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet, drain the extra grease, remove the ground beef, and set it aside.
In that same skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium-high heat, and add the onions and saute until transparent, about 3 minutes.
Stir in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 to 7 minutes. Watch for bubbling and splattering tomato sauce!
Add the ground beef to the sauce in the skillet and stir together and cook until all is reheated.
Butter the inside of the buns and toast them on a griddle pan.
Spoon the meat mixture on to the prepared buns and enjoy.

Video

Notes

This sloppy Joe recipe is for 4 to 6 people, but it can be doubled or tripled. Simply make your filling and toast your buns and assemble the sloppy Joes when it’s time to eat.
Don’t wait to serve them. Sloppy Joes are best served as soon as they’re made. Adding filling to the buns and letting it sit for more than a few minutes can make your buns soggy. Instead, if you need to make this recipe ahead of time, keep your filling and buns separate until you’re ready to serve.
For perfectly toasted buns, you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of softened butter for six hamburger buns to make it happen.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Best Sloppy Joe Recipe

What are Sloppy Joes?