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    Home » Real Food » Sandwiches, Burgers, and Wraps » Homemade Sloppy Joes

    Homemade Sloppy Joes

    By Kristen Chidsey | 39 Comments | Published April 19, 2021 | Updated April 19, 2021 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Made in less than 30 minutes with lean ground meat and a sweet and tangy homemade sauce, Sloppy Joes are a true family favorite!

    Made in less than 30 minutes with lean ground meat and a sweet and tangy homemade sauce, Sloppy Joes are a true family favorite!

    Pair these Sloppy Joes with Oven Baked Fries or Sweet Potato Fries for a meal the whole family will love! Or ditch the bun and serve on Instant Pot Baked Potatoes or Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes.

    2 sloppy joes on wooden cutting board.

    Homemade is Best

    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 tomato-based 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.

    Not only is this recipe for Sloppy Joes lower in sugar, sodium, and fat, it also happens to be just as easy to make as using a can of Manwich. And most importantly--much more delicious!

    Ingredients for Sloppy Joes

    Labeled Ingredients for homemade sloppy joes.
    • Ground Beef: I start with lean ground sirloin, but feel free to use ground chicken, bison, or turkey.
    • Onions and Peppers: Yellow onions and bell peppers add a great freshness to the Sloppy Joes. 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 REALLY spicy.
    • Sweetener: 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 or molasses would be a great substitute. And as I stated earlier, this recipe is MUCH lower in sugar than most recipes for Sloppy Joes.
    • Vinegar: The vinegar adds an acidic punch that 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. If you want to make these Gluten-Free Sloppy Joes, use Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce,  Braggs Amino Acids, or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce.
    • Beans (optional): My secret is to use 2 cups of pinto beans for 1 pound of ground beef. It helps to make this recipe healthier and less expensive.

    How to Make Sloppy Joes

    • Preheat a large nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
    • If you are using super-lean ground beef or ground turkey or chicken breast, you will want to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to help prevent the meat from sticking to the pan. I find that I rarely need to add in any oil to saute the meat and veggies in, as the meat will render off some fat as it browns.
    • Add the ground beef, peppers, onions, and jalapenos to the saute pan and saute the meat and vegetables, breaking up the meat into small chunks, as it cooks.
    Side by side picture of skillet with meat and vegetables before and after sauteeing.
    • Once the beef is browned, drain off any excess fat that has been rendered in the skillet.
    • Add in tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, salt, and stir well. If you are using beans, add them now.
    • Bring the sloppy joe mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
    • Add in the apple cider vinegar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce.
    • Stir well and let simmer an additional 5-10 minutes for the flavors to develop.
    Skillet with homemade sloppy joes next to buns and jalapenos.

    A Healthier Option

    When I make Sloppy Joes, I typically use 2 cups of pinto beans in place of one 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. And even my midwestern, meat-loving husband approves!

    If you are looking for a Meatless Sloppy Joe recipe, you can 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.

    Sloppy Joes in a cast iron skillet next to buns and sliced cheese

    Storage Instructions

    This Sloppy Joe Recipe makes enough for 8 large Sloppy Joes, therefore you may find yourself with leftovers.

    Allow the mixture to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze leftover Sloppy Joe mixture for up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and heat over a low simmer or in the microwave and serve as desired.

    Serving Suggestions

    The classic way to serve up a Sloppy Joe is to serve the sloppy joe mixture on top of a bun with a slice of cheese. However, there are plenty of other delicious ways to serve these Homemade Sloppy Joes.

    • Serve over a baked potato or baked sweet potato and top with cheese if desired.
    • Spread the sloppy joe mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish and top with cornbread batter and bake just as you would a Tamale Pie.
    • Instead of Chili Cheese Fries, make Sloppy Joe Fries! Top Oven Fries 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 on Homemade Biscuits or Sweet Potato Biscuits halves like you would Sausage Gravy.

    These Sloppy Joes are a one-skillet meal that is sure to please your family! I would love for you to leave a comment below if you gave this recipe a try!

    Sloppy Joe mixture on Sesame Bun.

    Homemade Sloppy Joes

    An easy homemade recipe for Healthy Sloppy Joes made with lean ground beef and a sweet and tangy homemade sloppy joe sauce. 
    4.95 from 18 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 221kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds ground sirloin (see recipe notes for using a combination of beans and ground meat)
    • 1 small onion diced
    • ½ jalapeno seeded and minced
    • 1 small red 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
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Preheat a non-stick or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add in the ground meat, onion, jalapeno, and red pepper. 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.
    • Add in tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, salt and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil then lower to simmer. If using beans, add the drained beans now.
    • Add in the apple cider vinegar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and let simmer for5-10 minutes.
    • Serve on buns with cheese or as desired.

    Notes

    Ground Beef: Use lean ground sirloin, ground chicken, bison, or turkey. 
    Using Beans (An even healthier option): Use 2 cups of drained and rinsed pinto beans to replace 1 pound of ground beef.  Alternatively, if you want Vegetarian Sloppy Joes, use 4 cups of pinto beans and omit the ground meat. 
    Storage: Leftover sloppy joe mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. 
    Jalapeno: Omit the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno so they lend more flavor than spice. Or omit altogether if despise heat. 
    Sweetener: Feel free to use brown sugar or molasses would be a great substitute for the honey. 
    Vinegar: Use either apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
    Optional: You may want to add in 1-2 teaspoons of oil before adding the meat and onions to the skillet if you are using meat that has less than 3% fat OR if you are not using a nonstick skillet. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 522mg | Potassium: 547mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 24.7mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2.6mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This recipe was inspired by Ellie Krieger's recipe and was updated with new pictures, a video and tips in 2021.

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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dini

      May 09, 2021 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      These are a family favorite in our house as well! These were so easy to make, and so flavorful! The sauce was amazing too.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 10, 2021 at 6:41 am

        Thanks for sharing that you enjoyed Dini!

        Reply
    2. Lisalia

      May 08, 2021 at 11:01 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 10, 2021 at 6:42 am

        Good quality beef does make a big difference. Glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe Lisalia!

        Reply
    3. Shannon Torres

      November 10, 2020 at 7:09 pm

      4 stars
      This was very easy to make. My husband said, "this is a family favorite!"

      Reply
    4. Michelle S.

      November 01, 2020 at 6:36 pm

      5 stars
      These look yummy! Plan to try later this week.

      Reply
    5. Chris

      April 17, 2020 at 12:47 pm

      We thought these sloppy joes were delicious! The beans just blend right in (for anyone who's unsure about that addition!). I was a bit sceptical about the honey because I do not like a sweet sauce on my sloppy joes, but after adding half of it and doing a taste test, I added the rest. Definitely not sweet....just perfect. We will be eating these again soon!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 17, 2020 at 1:02 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed so much Chris. It is a great way to ease up on using beef--as the beans do blend right in.

        Reply
    6. Andrea Morgan

      December 25, 2019 at 9:49 am

      We loved this recipe! The next time I make it I will increase vinegar and honey a bit for a stronger barbecue flavor. It is mouth watering while cooking!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 25, 2019 at 10:40 am

        So glad you and your family enjoyed Andrea. I hope you enjoy many more times together!

        Reply
    7. Stacy Mehta

      May 21, 2019 at 1:59 am

      Followed the instructions exactly except substituted turkey meat, came out amazing! This one is a keeper, my entire family gobbled it up. I actually had none left over despite trying to make extra, thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 21, 2019 at 6:27 am

        I love hearing when a family gobbles up a recipe 🙂

        Reply
    8. Tisha

      May 15, 2019 at 3:45 am

      5 stars
      My son loves sloppy joes! I'm always trying to find new fun ways to change it up. I love that this has pinto beans in it, gives it a little something extra!

      Reply
    9. Beth

      May 14, 2019 at 11:39 pm

      5 stars
      So sloppy yet so simple - perfect!! I love dishes like this that I know I won't have leftovers (I'm not a fan of leftovers)!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 15, 2019 at 9:25 am

        I am so glad you and your family enjoy this recipe!

        Reply
    10. Megan @ MegUnprocessed

      January 13, 2017 at 2:03 pm

      Great recipe! I like the healthy twist on this classic.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        January 14, 2017 at 9:37 am

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
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