Sloppy Joe Recipe

5 from 38 votes

Easy Sloppy Joe recipe with seasoned ground beef, simmered in sweet and tangy homemade sauce. A family favorite for generations!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, game day, lunch, Main Course

Keyword: easy weeknight dinner, ground beef, sandwiches, sloppy joe

Servings:

Calories: 248kcal

Ingredients

1 lb 80/20 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

Sauté onions and pepper in 1 tablespoon 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.
3. Brown the ground beef: Spread ground beef out in center of pan in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, or until meat begins to brown. 
4. 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.  
5. 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.

Video

Notes

For the best texture, serve on lightly toasted buns.

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

Troubleshooting:

Sauce Too thick? Add a splash of water to loosen it up.
Too loose? Simmer the sloppy joes 2-3 minutes longer.
Want a tangier sauce? Add a little extra mustard or Worcestershire sauce.
Want it a bit sweeter? Add a pinch more sugar.

Nutrition