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This classic and easy Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe (my Great Grandma’s!) goes back generations in my family, and it’s as easy as it is delicious. The epitome of easy weeknight meals, this old school favorite is on the table in under 20 minutes. The easy homemade Sloppy Joe sauce makes it!

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A delicious, fast and easy Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes recipe the whole family will love!

An easy dinner that’s on the table in less than 30 minutes! This Sloppy Joe recipe is fast and easy to make, with a handful of basic pantry ingredients like ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. The scratch-made sweet and tangy sauce is lightyears better than the canned stuff! 

Serving the Sloppy Joes

I love to serve my Sloppy Joes on a soft, pillowy bun with a side of fries, chips, or a pickle! This recipe can also be made ahead, and kept on warm in a crockpot for tailgates and bbqs! 

old fashioned sloppy joe recipe

What goes into the Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe?

To make these super easy Sloppy Joes, you will need:

  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef.
  • A small onion.
  • A green bell pepper.

What goes into making the easy homemade sloppy joe sauce?

  • Some Worcestershire sauce. Lea & Perrins is my favorite.
  • A bit of sugar, ketchup and yellow mustard. Don’t use other varieties of mustard, as they will not work well in the sauce.
  • A touch of canola oil, for cooking the veggies.

Looking for more great beef recipes?

Try my Shredded Beef and Smoked Gouda Enchiladas, World’s Best Pot Roast, Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with Creamy Baked Bean Gravy, or Thai Burger Sliders with Green Curry Mayo!

Easy, fast and delicious

This Old Fashioned Sloppy Joe recipe couldn’t be any easier; made quickly without any fuss with ingredients you probably have lying around the kitchen. Sauté some onions and green pepper, brown the ground meat, and add the ketchup, mustard, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Once your meat is cooked and sauce is thickened, grab your hamburger buns, and voila- a family-friendly dinner is on the table (in under 30 minutes).

Sloppy joe sauce ingredients

The best homemade sloppy joes, for generations

No Sloppy Joe (in my humble opinion) is as good as my Great Grandma’s recipe. Her homemade Sloppy Joes from scratch were super easy, and super satisfying. I grew up eating them, and have always been a HUGE fan. Her Easy homemade sloppy joe sauce is SOOOO good, I am always craving it, especially in summer BBQ season.

For such a simple recipe, you’d be surprised how many times my Mom and I have laughed over losing the recipe for this Sloppy Joe AGAIN and AGAIN. My mom likes to joke that it’s my Great Grandma’s way of looking down and messing with us from time to time. When I decided to add this recipe to the blog, I was excited that we would finally have it in one place for safe keeping (bookmark this page, mom!).

sloppy joe in pan

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef?

You could, but I would stay away from ultra-lean turkey. If you want to go with a leaner option, I’d go with ground bison or lean ground beef. I use 80/20 ground beef for this recipe, but you could go with 85/15 or bison and this would still be super flavorful.

Best homemade sloppy joes

How to make Sloppy Joes- Video

Can I use a different kind of mustard for the Old fashioned sloppy joes recipe?

Please don’t! I have tried Dijon and spicy mustard trying to be fancy, and it completely changes the flavor of the dish (not in a good way). Stick with tried and true classic yellow mustard and you won’t be disappointed.

Best bread for Sloppy Joes

  • Classic hamburger buns. Seeded or unseeded both work!
  • Brioche buns
  • Potato Rolls
  • Kaiser Buns

Topping the Sloppy Joes

This Sloppy Joe recipe is great as is on a fresh, soft bun. If you want to give it a little extra oomph, add a slice of cheddar or American cheese right before serving, or a few pickle slices!

What to serve with Sloppy Joes

old fashioned sloppy joe recipe

Storing leftovers

Refrigerator

Allow the dish to cool completely, and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Freezer

Store in a ziplock bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Reheating your leftover Sloppy Joes

Reheat in a skillet or saucepan over medium low heat until warmed through, about 3-5 minutes. If reheating from frozen, thaw first before reheating for best results.

Made this recipe? I’d love to hear from you!

If you make my Old Fashioned Sloppy Joe Recipe, please be sure to leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you, and value your feedback! Lastly, if you make the recipe and love it, please tag me on Instagram! I love to see your photos!

old fashioned sloppy joe recipe
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5 from 6 votes

Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes Recipe (Great Grandma’s)

Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Dinner, game day, lunch, Main Course
Keyword: easy weeknight dinner, ground beef, sandwiches, sloppy joe
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 80/20 ground beef*
  • 1 small onion, chopped fine
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped fine
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp canola oil

Instructions

  • Sauté onions and pepper in 1 tbsp canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. 

    2. Move onions and peppers to outer edge of pan and increase heat to medium-high. Spread ground beef out in center of pan in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, or until meat begins to brown.

    3. Season beef with salt and pepper, and flip over. Continue to cook, breaking meat apart into small pieces as you go with a wooden spoon or spatula, until meat is cooked through and no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. 

    4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add in ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Cook 2-3 minutes until flavors are melded. Serve on burger buns, brioche buns or potato rolls. 


*Notes/Substitutions:
The same portion of lean ground beef or bison could replace the 80/20 ground beef.

© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes,  please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.