Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (2024)

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This is a simple dinner idea. Sloppy Joes Recipe has only 3 ingredients and there are no excuses to not try this family friendly dinner idea that everyone will love.

This 3 ingredient Sloppy Joe recipe taste so much better than the can sloppy joe mix. The best part it is so easy to make and delicious too. You probably already have most of the ingredients to make this easy stovetop recipe for the best sloppy joe recipe.

My family loves this meal. We will often plan on eating this for lunch on the weekend. It is so easy to put together and we have a homecooked meal for lunch in between our basketball games.

Table of Contents

  • Why This Recipe Works
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Sloppy Joes
  • Recipe Tips
  • Can I Double The Recipe?
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Try these other Sloppy Joes
  • Sloppy Joes Recipe Recipe

Why This Recipe Works

In under 30 minutes, you can have this quick, easy classic dinner idea that your family will love. You can probably cook this in 20 minutes. The sloppy joe mixture is really easy to modify for what you have on hand and so versatile.

We have even added a tiny bit of Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder to the ground beef mixture. You can try using chili powder, red pepper flakes, bbq sauce, olive oil or whatever you prefer.

It really is such a great recipe and we all love sloppy joe meat. It never gets old and we enjoy this recipe so much. Try toasted buns next time to make a delicious sandwich. It is really good!

Ingredients

Besides ground beef, you only need three ingredients to make this delicious Sloppy Joes recipe.

  • Yellow Mustard
  • Ketchup or tomato sauce
  • Brown Sugar

Yep! That is all you need to make a fast sloppy joes for your family. What makes it even better is one of my kids does not like the traditional sloppy joes, but loves this recipe!

Once you make this, you won’t ever buy that store bought stuff again. This has so much more flavor than the canned sloppy joes. For the full recipe, scroll to see recipe card.

How to Make Sloppy Joes

  • Step 1 – Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium heat until no longer pink. You can use ground turkey too. Once browned, drain the excess grease from the beef. I like to season with salt and pepper while the beef is cooking.
  • Step 2 – Add in brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. Stir to combine.
  • Step 3 – Reduce the heat and allow the meat mixture to simmer on low for about 5 minutes to combine the flavors.
  • Step 4 – Serve on hamburger buns and with your favorite sides.

Recipe Tips

  • Make Ahead – The prep time is very easy on this recipe, but you can prepare ahead of to save even more time.
  • Ground Beef – Before mixing in the sauces makes sure to drain the meat to remove any grease.
  • Simmer – Allow the mixture to simmer on low to combine the ingredients.
Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (5)

Can I Double The Recipe?

Yes, this is a great recipe to make a double or triple batch and freeze the left overs. It does not take anymore work to make extra. We love to cook once and eat twice or more. This is such a huge help during busy weeks.

It really isn’t any extra work to double the recipe and you have a super easy dinner for another night. I try to do this as much as possible and keep a few quick meals in the freezer.

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few of my favorite side dishes for sloppy joes.

  • Easy Homemade French Fries Recipe
  • Deep Fried Pickles
  • Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
  • Check out our full post on What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
  • Top a baked potato for a complete meal idea.
  • Potato Chips

It’s really good served withGrilled Corn on the Cob andOven Baked Sweet Potato Fries. These are both so easy and really delicious side dishes. Just keep it simple. This meal can easily be ready with hardly any work at all.

Try adding green bell pepper or onion to the ground beef while cooking. Onion and green pepper really give it an amazing flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Leftovers

Store the leftovers in an airtight container and place in the fridge. Leftovers will stay great for up to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Sloppy Joe Sauce?

You can freeze the sloppy joe sauce in a freezer bag. We also like to freeze them in silicone cupcake pans, Then pop them out and place in a freezer bag. Now you can have a lunch or dinner for 1 in no time. This is such an easy dinner idea, but when you freeze them it makes it an even faster dinner idea.

How to Reheat

When you are ready to reheat, place in a crockpot or in a pan for an even faster dinner idea. Trysloppy joe recipe slow cooker version and come home to dinner ready to enjoy. This is great for reheating what you put in the freezer and makes dinner so simple. If you have a smaller portion, just thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave.

Try these other Sloppy Joes

  • Quick and Easy BBQ Sloppy Joes Recipe
  • Big Mac Sloppy Joes Recipe
  • Ultimate Sloppy Joes
  • Homemade Sloppy Joes
  • Easy Crock Pot Sloppy Joes Recipe
  • Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes Recipe
  • Easy Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes
  • easy Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes recipe

We love to hear from you. If you make this homemade sloppy joe sauce recipe, please leave us a comment or star review.

Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (8)

Review

Pin Print

Sloppy Joes Recipe

4.94 from 603 votes

This Sloppy Joes is so easy to make and taste way better than sloppy joes in a can. How to make sloppy joes with ketchup and just two more ingredients.

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 6

Cuisine American

Course Main Course

Calories 354

Author Carrie Barnard

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet.

  • Once browned, drain.

  • Add in brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. Stir to combine.

  • Allow it to simmer on low for about 5 minutes to combine the flavors.

  • Serve on buns and with your favorite sides.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

3 ingredients, that is all you need to make a fast sloppy joes for your family. You are going to love this recipe!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 354kcal, Carbohydrates 31g, Protein 17g, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 6g, Cholesterol 53mg, Sodium 507mg, Potassium 334mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 11g, Vitamin A 105IU, Vitamin C 1.4mg, Calcium 98mg, Iron 3.1mg

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About the Author

Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (17)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to sloppy joe to make it taste better? ›

Try serving your sloppy joes with their own toppings such as slaw, melty cheese, grilled pineapple, or Hatch green chile. Even just adding a pickle gives extra flavor and crunch, transforming it from a bland sandwich into something great, like the recipe below!

What's the difference between Manwich and sloppy joes? ›

What is the difference between Manwich and Sloppy Joes? Sloppy Joes are the sandwich, while Manwich is the store-bought canned sloppy joe sauce, produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt's.

What are the ingredients in Not So sloppy joe sauce? ›

'TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, DISTILLED VINEGAR, CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF: SALT, SUGAR, CARROT FIBER, DRIED GREEN AND RED BELL PEPPERS, CHILI PEPPER, GUAR GUM, SPICES, XANTHAN GUM, DRIED GARLIC, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID. '

How to thicken Sloppy Joes? ›

Cornstarch thickens the sauce and binds up any fat, creating a silky-smooth, cohesive texture. A potato masher breaks the ground beef into fine, uniform pieces that will (mostly) stay put on the bun instead of tumbling out.

What is the original Sloppy Joe sandwich? ›

The Sloppy Joe's history, however, is a bit more complex. Some attribute the original Sloppy Joe to a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, where, many years ago, in 1930 a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches. Voila: a new between-the-bread offering, and the sandwich's official name.

What are the best buns for Sloppy Joes? ›

Hamburger or Brioche Buns: The vehicle for the Sloppy Joe mixture, offering a soft and slightly sweet contrast to the flavorful beef filling.

What is a substitute for tomato paste in Sloppy Joes? ›

How to Substitute Tomato Sauce or Puree for Tomato Paste. You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

What is a sloppy joe supposed to taste like? ›

Once you've gathered the ingredients, it's basically like making Bolognese. And the flavour is somewhat reminiscent of it too, except Sloppy Joes taste a bit more like BBQ Sauce. The one big difference is that the sauce is cooked right down so it's really thick and not saucy at all.

Why do they call them Sloppy Joes? ›

The sandwich may have begun as a variation of the loose meat sandwiches that were popular in the 1950s. According to legend, a cook named Joe at Floyd Angell's café in Sioux City, Iowa, added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches. Some believe this is how the sloppy joe sandwich was born.

What exactly is a sloppy joe? ›

Notorious for being 'messy' to eat, a sloppy joe is a sandwich filled with a saucy meat mixture (typically using Ground Beef) with a sweet, tangy or spicy flavor profile, with seasonings and vegetables tucked in. It's fun to eat and is a crowd pleaser for kids and adults alike!

How were Sloppy Joes made? ›

Many believe the Sloppy Joe is the namesake of a Sioux City, Iowa cook, who in 1930, combined the regionally popular loose meat sandwich with tomato sauce. It's less messy predecessor, the loose meat sandwich is a Midwestern favorite of steamed or sauteed ground beef, onions, mustard and pickles.

What's the difference between a sloppy joe and a sloppy Jane? ›

Unlike traditional can Sloppy Joes, which are often loaded with unhealthy additives and preservatives, Sloppy Janes are made with lean meat, low-fat ingredients, and a variety of fresh vegetables. They are easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients.

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