Description
This homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe is a quick, hearty, and family-friendly classic. Made with lean ground beef, tangy-sweet tomato sauce, and toasted buns, it’s a comforting dish perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings. Rich in flavor and ready in just 30 minutes, this recipe is far better than any canned alternative.
Ingredients
Scale
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
- 2–3 tsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef (85%-90% lean)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, finely diced (or 1/2 cup grated carrot)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add chopped onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until thickened to your liking.
- Toast the hamburger buns with butter for extra flavor, then spoon the sloppy joe filling onto buns and serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust sweetness by adding more or less brown sugar depending on your ketchup.
- If sauce is too thick, add a splash of water; if too thin, simmer longer to thicken.
- For extra heat, add hot sauce or sriracha to the sauce mixture.
- Sloppy joe filling can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Sandwich
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 359
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: Sloppy Joe Recipe, sloppy joes, ground beef sandwich, American comfort food, easy dinner