This easy homemade sloppy joe recipe is sweet, tangy, savory, and ready in just 20 minutes! Made with ground beef, onions, green peppers, and a simple sauce from pantry staples, this old-fashioned family favorite is so much better than canned sauce.
Love Sloppy Joes? Try my cheesy Sloppy Joe Sliders or Sloppy Joe Casserole for two more delicious ways to enjoy this family favorite!
Recipe Summary: Best Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Best Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
- 🕒 Ready In: 20 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 6 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 248 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce
- 📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free, make-ahead friendly, kid-friendly
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A one-skillet family favorite with a thick, sweet and tangy sauce that's perfect for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd!
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This sloppy joe recipe is the one I grew up eating, passed down from my Great Grandmom through four generations. We've lost the handwritten recipe card for these old-fashioned sloppy joes more times than I can count, but somehow it always finds its way back! They're still one of my family's most requested dinners.
Serve these sloppy joes with my stovetop mac and cheese or doctored-up baked beans for an easy family dinner. For cookouts, try my warm German potato salad!
This recipe is so delicious! We often take supper over to an older neighbor and he requested sloppy joes for his birthday. I made these last week and he raved about them! Both my husband and our friend said they were the best sloppy joes he'd ever had! — Barb ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why You'll Love This Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Rich, savory flavor. Searing the beef after sautéing the peppers and onions builds extra flavor.
- Perfectly balanced sauce. Ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar create that classic sweet and tangy flavor.
- Thick, saucy texture. The sauce clings to the beef without getting watery or soupy.
- Quick and easy. Simple pantry ingredients, one skillet, and just 20 minutes!
Jump to:
- Recipe Summary: Best Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Why You'll Love This Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations
- How to make this Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Expert Tips for the Best Sloppy Joes
- Sloppy Joe Recipe FAQs
- What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
- Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
- More Easy Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
- Best Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
Key Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make the best sloppy joe recipe from scratch!
- Ground beef. I use 80/20 for rich flavor, but 85–90% lean beef, ground turkey, or chicken also work. For another easy ground beef dinner, try my One Pot Cheeseburger Helper.
- Onion and green bell pepper. Add savory flavor, sweetness, and texture.
- Homemade sloppy joe sauce. Ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and a little sugar create the perfect sweet and tangy balance.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Variations
| Make it spicy | Add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or diced jalapeños with the onions and peppers. |
| Swap the ground beef | Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. Season well for the best flavor. |
| Skip the buns | Serve the sloppy joe mixture over baked potatoes, rice, toast, or in crisp lettuce wraps for a lighter option. |
How to make this Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Step 1: Cook the vegetables. Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Step 2: Brown the beef. Push the vegetables aside and increase the heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and sear undisturbed for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, flip, and break apart as it cooks for another 2–3 minutes. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Step 3: Make the sloppy joe sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar until combined.
- Step 4: Simmer. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce is thick, glossy, and clings to the beef. It should leave a clean trail when you drag a spoon through the skillet.
- Step 5: Serve. Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto toasted hamburger buns or potato rolls and enjoy!
Expert Tips for the Best Sloppy Joes
- Brown the beef well. Let it sear undisturbed before breaking it apart for richer flavor.
- Toast the buns. Lightly toasted buns help prevent sogginess.
- Too sweet? Add a splash of vinegar or extra yellow mustard.
- Too tangy? Stir in another pinch of sugar.
- Too thick? Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
- Too thin? Simmer another minute or two until thickened.
Sloppy Joe Recipe FAQs
Homemade sloppy joes are made with ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, and a sweet and tangy sauce of ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar.
Brown the beef well for rich, savory flavor, and let the homemade sloppy joe sauce simmer until it's thick enough to cling to the meat without getting watery.
Manwich is a premade, canned sloppy joe sauce. This homemade version uses simple pantry ingredients to make a flavorful sweet and tangy sauce from scratch.
Absolutely! Many readers double the sauce ingredients for extra saucy sloppy joes. Just simmer a little longer if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
Drain excess grease from the ground beef and simmer the sauce until thickened. It should coat the meat rather than pool in the skillet.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
These homemade sloppy joes are great with French fries, potato chips, coleslaw, or crunchy pickles. For a heartier dinner, serve them with my creamy stovetop mac and cheese or doctored-up baked beans.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
- Make ahead: Prepare the sloppy joe mixture up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate until ready to reheat.
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled sloppy joe filling in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then reheat on the stovetop until heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
- Serving a crowd: Transfer the cooked sloppy joe mixture to a slow cooker on the warm setting for parties or tailgates. Keep the filling at 140°F or hotter, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed.
More Easy Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Sloppy Joe Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Best Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
Video
Equipment
- large frying pan or saute pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef, or lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 1 medium green pepper, chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and green pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Push the vegetables to the edges of the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Add ground beef in an even layer and sear undisturbed for 5 minutes, until browned underneath.
- Season with salt and pepper, flip, and break the beef into smaller pieces. Cook another 2–3 minutes, until no longer pink. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the homemade sloppy joe sauce is thick, glossy, and coats the meat. Serve on lightly toasted hamburger buns, brioche buns, or potato rolls.
Notes
- Ground beef: I use 80/20 for rich flavor, but lean ground beef, bison, ground turkey, or chicken also work. Drain excess grease as needed.
- Extra saucy sloppy joes: Many readers double the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar for extra sauce. Simmer longer if needed to thicken.
- Toast the buns: Lightly toasted hamburger buns or potato rolls help prevent sogginess.
- Adjust the flavor: Add extra mustard or Worcestershire sauce for more tang and savory flavor, or a pinch of sugar for sweetness.
- Sauce consistency: Add a splash of water if too thick, or simmer another 2–3 minutes if too thin.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Sharon says
I recently gave this recipe a little love with fresh photos, step-by-step instructions, and some extra tips! ❤️ This sloppy joe recipe holds such a special place in my heart. It's been passed down from my Great Grandmom through four generations, and I have so many wonderful memories of my family making it. The recipe hasn't changed, just the post! And if you love an extra saucy sloppy joe, try doubling the sauce ingredients. It's a reader favorite!
Nancy Frazier says
Wonderful and easy to follow recipe. I also enjoy the fact that I had everything needed for this recipe in my pantry.
I made this today to take on our upcoming bluegrass festival camping trip - we wanted an easy lunch and this fit the bill perfectly. Why buy from a can (with added unwanted ingredients) when this has everything you need.
Made exactly as recipe called, only adding a very small can of tomato sauce to increase the moisture and reduce risk of tasting dry since not eating right away. I also used brown sugar simply beca6I wanted to see how it tasted.
Hubby said it smelled wonderful and we can't wait to enjoy!
Sharon says
So happy to hear this, Nancy! Sounds like the perfect camping meal 🙂
Ace says
Fantastic! My husband said, “You can make this again!”😅
Sharon says
So happy to hear this! Thanks for sharing! 🙂