The BEST Homemade Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joes are a classic sandwich that everyone loves! Made from scratch these homemade sloppy joes are delicious and super easy! Your whole family will love this easy weeknight dinner recipe!
I have always loved sloppy joes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. They are so tasty, hearty, and flavorful. When I first started making them I always picked up a can of Manwich, but I found myself adding spices to create a flavor that we love. Eventually I decided it was time to learn to make sloppy joes from scratch and create my own recipe! In my humble opinion (and my family’s too) this is the best sloppy joe recipe! These are delicious hearty, saucy, perfectly messy sandwiches!
This sloppy joe recipe is definitely way better than the canned stuff but just as easy to make. While a lot of recipes use ketchup for the base of the homemade sloppy joe sauce I use a blend of tomato paste, spices and broth. I find the result to be well balanced, sweet, savory and flavorful.
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FAQ & Tips for The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes
Can I make these easy sloppy joes ahead of time?
Absolutely! This sloppy joe mixture keeps beautifully refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. So it is a great recipe to make ahead to have for busy weeknights. You can reheat it in the microwave or in a pot over medium low heat.
You can also make this recipe and freeze it! I like to let it cool and place it in a freezer bag and lay it flat to freeze. Well packaged it will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer. When I make these sloppy joes I like to double the recipe so I have some to serve and some to freeze for later. You can reheat the mixture in a large pot, large skillet or Dutch oven. Cook on low heat until it thaws and then turn to medium high heat to heat it through and thicken the sauce if desired.
Serving Ideas for these sloppy joes-
To make your sloppy joe sandwiches extra special I like to toast the bun. It ads a great texture and flavor to the finished sandwiches. We also like to add a slice of cheese to our sloppy joes and my son likes sliced pickles on his.
We serve these hearty sandwiches with favorite sides like tater tots, onion rings, potato wedges or sweet potato fries. They are also great with easy veggies like roasted broccoli or green beans. Sometimes I like to whip up a quick side salad or our favorite broccoli salad the fresh veggies contrast the hearty tomato sauce and meat nicely!
Ingredients for this Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ground Beef- I like to use lean ground beef for this recipe I usually use 90/10. If you use a higher fat ground beef make sure to drain it before seasoning and making the sauce. You can swap out the beef for ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
Buns or Rolls- You can use your favorite buns or rolls for these sloppy joes. We like to use hamburger buns, kaiser rolls or brioche buns.
Green Pepper– I like to finely dice my green bell pepper so that we get the flavor without chunks of peppers, but if you like larger pieces you can chop it into larger bites. You can also use a red pepper for a sweeter pepper flavor.
Brown Sugar- Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the sloppy joe sauce. For a sugar free option you can use Swerve brown sugar to add the taste without the sugar.
Tomato Paste- Tomato paste adds delicious tomato flavor to the sauce. Because it is concentrated you don’t have to use much to add a lot of taste!
Onion- I like to finely dice the onion to add a little onion flavor to every bite. For bolder onion taste you can chop it into larger pieces.
Garlic– I like to use fresh garlic for this recipe. If you use garlic cloves you’ll want to finely dice them. You can also use jarred minced garlic for an easy shortcut.
Olive Oil- I prefer the taste of olive oil or avocado oil for cooking but you can use your favorite cooking oil.
Dijon Mustard– Mustard adds a delicious layer of flavor to these classic sloppy joes. If you prefer yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard you can use them instead.
Smoked Paprika– Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices and it adds a delicious smoky flavor to these sloppy joes. If you prefer regular paprika you can use it instead.
Garlic Powder– You know I love garlic so we’re using it in two forms in this recipe! Garlic powder adds a little more flavor to the final product. If you prefer to use all fresh minced garlic you can replace the garlic powder.
Cumin– Cumin adds a little spice to the sloppy joe mix and we love the flavor. If you prefer a little more heat you can use chili powder or red pepper flakes. For a more mild flavored sauce you can leave it out.
Broth- Chicken broth or beef broth is used to thin the sauce a little, you can use either one for a tasty flavor.
Salt and Black Pepper– I never skip salt and pepper, they are basic seasonings that liven up every dish.
How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes
Place the olive oil and ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook for 10 minutes crumbling the beef with a spatula as it cooks. Brown the beef until it is cooked through and no longer pink.
Add in the minced garlic, chopped onion and green pepper. Cook over medium heat and additional 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion and peppers have softened.
Turn the heat to low.
Stir in tomato paste and Dijon Mustard
Add in the salt and pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin.
Stir to combine.
Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
If thinner sauce is desired add more broth, if thicker sauce is desired allow heat to low and simmer uncovered until it has thickened.
Serve warm on your favorite rolls or buns.
Store any leftover sloppy joes refrigerated in an airtight container.
The BEST Homemade Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 4 Hamburger Buns
- 1 Green Pepper Finely Diced
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Medium Onion Finely Diced
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/3 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 cup Chicken or Beef Broth
Instructions
- Place the olive oil and ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat.1 lb Lean Ground Beef, 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Cook for 10 minutes crumbling the beef with a spatula as it cooks. Brown the beef until it is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add in the minced garlic, chopped onion and green pepper. Cook over medium heat and additional 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion and peppers have softened.1 Green Pepper, 1 Medium Onion, 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- Turn the heat to low.
- Stir in tomato paste, brown sugar and Dijon Mustard2 Tbsp Tomato Paste, 1 tsp Dijon Mustard, 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- Add in the salt and pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin.1/2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika, 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder, 1/3 tsp Cumin
- Stir to combine.
- Pour in the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.1/2 cup Chicken or Beef Broth
- If thinner sauce is desired add more broth, if thicker sauce is desired allow heat to low and simmer uncovered until it has thickened.
- Serve warm on your favorite rolls or buns.4 Hamburger Buns
- Store any leftover sloppy joes refrigerated in an airtight container.
