This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see Disclosure Policy for details.
Try these Homemade Sloppy Joes and you'll never buy the canned sandwich sauce again! This recipe is full of flavor and comes together quickly for a yummy weeknight meal!
Jump to Recipe
Love a good sloppy joe but don't love the canned sauce? Yep, same here! And as easy as it is to just use a can of Manwich, this homemade version is almost just as easy and soooo much tastier!
Sloppy joes were a family staple growing up and now that I've got kids of my own, that still remains true. I always have the ingredients on hand and can whip these yummy sandwiches up in under 30 minutes. Give them a try and let me know what you think!!!
Ingredients in Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Ground Beef - I like to use 85% lean ground beef, but any will work!
- Yellow Onion
- Red Bell Pepper - If you've got super picky kiddos, you can skip the bell pepper!
- Tomato Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Yellow Mustard
- Black Pepper
How do you make Homemade Sloppy Joes?
First, you'll add the ground beef, onion and peppers to a hot skillet. I like to use a meat chopper like this one to break up the meat while it browns. Once the meat is fully cooked, you'll drain the excess grease. Next, the remaining ingredients are added and stirred in.
Lastly, you'll let the sloppy joes simmer for 10-15 minutes. This gives the sauce enough time to thicken up a bit and become even more flavorful! Serve warm on hamburger buns.
Can Sloppy Joes be Frozen?
Yes!! I like to make a double batch so I have leftovers to freeze. Simply put leftover sloppy joe meat into freezer baggies, label them and seal tightly. Then I lay them flat in the freezer for the next time I need a quick meal!
Other simple Weeknight Meal Ideas:
- One Pot Spaghetti turns the classic into a weeknight favorite, thanks to fewer dishes, less time and more flavor!!
- Sheet Pan Pork Loin has juicy pork loin, crispy brussels sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes all in one, proving that healthy really can be quick and delicious!
- With flavorful Italian sausage, cheese-filled ravioli and spices, Ravioli Soup is a hearty soup everyone will love!
- Honey Garlic Pork Chops are juicy, tender pork chops cooked in a flavorful honey garlic sauce. They’re delicious on their own or served over a bed of rice and veggies!
Connect with Dance Around the Kitchen!
Follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a recipe!! And as always, thank you for following along with my blog, making my recipes, liking and sharing on social media and any other way you support Dance Around the Kitchen! -Kelsey
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ c diced yellow onion
- ¼ c diced red bell pepper
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- ¼ c brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the ground beef, red peppers and onions.
- Brown until no longer red; drain the excess grease.
- Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and black pepper and stir.
- Let simmer until thickened, about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve on hamburger buns.
Pamela says
My old 1980 recipe is similar. I will try the tomato sauce not catsup/ketchup. I make 2-4lbs.
With 2lbs. I put in my crockpot to simmer up to 2hrs. Ground beef breaks down and it flavors better.
Lisa Kroes says
This is the only way to make sloppy joes! Forget store bought. Not only was this easy to make, they were the best sloppy joes I’ve ever had!
kelsey says
Thank you so much for the great rating and review!! 🙂 It made my day!
Vivian Chavez says
This sloppy Joe recipe was so much better then the can sloppy Joe mix. Flavor was very good ! And it's TRUE I wont be buying canned mix again. Husband loved it!
kelsey says
This comment made my day!! Thank you for your kind words and great rating! 🙂