Made in less than 30 minutes with lean ground meat and a sweet and tangy homemade sloppy joe sauce, these Sloppy Joes are a true family favorite dinner recipe!
These Homemade Sloppy Joes are the BEST Sloppy Joes you will ever eat. PERIOD.
Instead of using a can or jar of sloppy joe sauce, my recipe is made with a homemade sweet and tangy sloppy joe sauce that features fresh peppers, onions, and jalapeno for a hint of spice, and results in Sloppy Joes that are the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and savory.
why you'll love this sloppy joe recipe
- Wholesome Ingredients. This recipe uses simple ingredients and lean ground meat to create sloppy joes that are lower in sugar, and sodium than using a packet of sloppy joe seasoning or a can of sloppy joe sauce.
- Super Easy Recipe. The homemade sauce is nearly as easy as opening a can of Manwhich and these sloppy joes come together in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for an easy family dinner any night of the week.
- Picky-Eater Approved. Sloppy Joes are a loved family dinner recipe. The sweet and tangy sauce combined with ground beef is an irresistible combination. Add a side of baked fries and maple-glazed carrots for the ultimate kid-friendly dinner.
Notes on Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I start with lean ground sirloin, but feel free to use ground chicken, bison, or turkey.
- Yellow Onion: Use a yellow or white onion, rather than a red onion that won't pair well with the flavors of the sloppy joe sauce.
- Bell Peppers: Use any color of bell pepper for this recipe.
- Jalapeno: Fresh jalapenos add a bit of spice and wake up the flavors, but you can omit the jalapeno if you don't care for spice. Just be sure to remove the seeds of the jalapeno or these sloppy joes could end up spicy.
- Honey. Sloppy joe sauce must have a bit of sweetness added to balance the flavors and acidity in the tomato sauce. I use honey, but brown sugar, maple syrup, or molasses would be a great substitute.
- Vinegar: The vinegar adds an acidic punch which gives the sauce its famous tang. I love apple cider vinegar, but red wine vinegar works as well.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a salty depth of flavor to the sauce.
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free Sloppy Joe Recipe: Use Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce, Braggs Amino Acids, or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce in place of regular Worcestershire sauce. Serve the sloppy joes on gluten-free buns or over an Instant Pot Baked Potato or Air Fryer Baked Potato.
- Add Beans: My secret is to use 2 cups of pinto beans for 1 pound of ground beef. The beans may sound like an odd addition, but they blend in perfectly with the flavor and texture of the sloppy joes. They also add fiber, lower the fat and cholesterol in the recipe, and save you money, as beans cost much less than meat.
- Meatless Option: Use 4 cups of pinto beans in place of the 2 pounds of ground meat or you may enjoy my recipe for Slow Cooker Vegan Sloppy Joes.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Saute the Beef and Veggies. In a large nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat, saute the ground beef, peppers, onions, and jalapenos, breaking up the meat into small chunks, as it cooks.
Tip: If you are using super-lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken breast, you will want to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to help prevent the meat from sticking to the pan.
- Make the Sauce. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and salt to the skillet and stir well to incorporate. Bring the sloppy joe mixture to a boil over medium-high, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add the vinegar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to develop.
Serving Suggestions
The classic way to serve a Sloppy Joe is to add the sloppy joe mixture to a bun and top with sliced cheddar cheese. Add a side of Oven Baked Fries or Air Fryer French Fries for a meal the whole family will love! Or get creative with your homemade sloppy joes using one of the following serving suggestions.
- Ditch the bun and serve on Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, or Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes.
- Spread the sloppy joe mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish, top with cornbread batter, and bake just as you would a Tamale Pie.
- Instead of Irish Nachos, make Sloppy Joe Nachos! Top the baked potato rounds with the sloppy joe mixture and shredded cheese and return the fries to the oven for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.
- Instead of serving the Homemade Sloppy Joes on Buns, serve them on Homemade Biscuits or Sweet Potato Biscuits halves like you would Sausage Gravy.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the mixture to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: Let the sloppy joes cool fully. Once cooled, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: If needed, defrost the sloppy joes in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a dry skillet over low heat, or a heat-safe bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals.
More Family-Friendly Ground Beef Recipes
- Tamale Pie
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Chop Steaks with Mushroom Gravy
- Beef Tacos
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- The Best Burger Recipe
These Sloppy Joes are a one-skillet meal that is always a hit! If you gave this recipe a try, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground sirloin (see recipe notes for using a combination of beans and ground meat)
- 1 small yellow onion minced
- ½ small jalapeno seeded and minced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
For Serving (optional)
- 8 buns
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat a non-stick or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, onion, jalapeno, and red pepper to the pan. Saute the meat and vegetables until the meat is browned, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain off any excess fat, and return the skillet to the stove.
- To the skillet, add tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and salt and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once bubbling, lower the heat to medium-low. Add in the apple cider vinegar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and let simmer for 5-10 minutes just to warm through and intensify in flavor.
- Serve on buns with cheese or as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was inspired by Ellie Krieger's recipe and was updated with new pictures, a video, and tips in 2021.
Patricia Holt
So very good easy and delicious!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Patricia. I appreciate it.
Nicole
This was amazing so good. I followed the recipe exactly. I topped it with white American cheese. So easy perfect for a weeknight meal.
Kristen Chidsey
Fabulous! So happy to hear you enjoyed, Nicole!
Jenni METCALF
We love these!!!
Can you tell me are the calories listed, for the sloppy joe itself? Without bun.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so happy to hear that Jenni! The nutritional values are not including the bun.
Dini
These are a family favorite in our house as well! These were so easy to make, and so flavorful! The sauce was amazing too.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing that you enjoyed Dini!
Lisalia
Just SO SO good! We have wagyu ground beef in the freezer and let me tell you good quality beef makes such a great difference for yummy sloppy joes. I love your clean eating version as it's what we're striving for in our home. So glad to enjoy this comfort food that's GOOD for us!
Kristen Chidsey
Good quality beef does make a big difference. Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe Lisalia!
Shannon Torres
This was very easy to make. My husband said, "this is a family favorite!"
Michelle S.
These look yummy! Plan to try later this week.