Home > Recipes > Sandwiches > All-Time Best Homemade Sloppy Joes
by Michelle
February 9, 2021
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4.60 (20 ratings)Easy homemade sloppy joes are the perfect weeknight dinner recipe. Saucy, spiced ground beef tops a hearty hamburger bun for a finger-lickin’ delicious meal. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have this ultra-comforting sandwich on the dinner table in no time.
My grandma and her sister (my great aunt) lived on opposite sides of a duplex house; when we were kids and would spend time at my grandma’s, we also would spend a good bit of time over on my aunt’s side of the house as well. My great aunt was famous for a few of her specialty items – poor man’s cookies, broccoli casserole, and, my favorite, sloppy joes. There was nothing terribly fancy about it – a can of Manwich and some ground meat, but there was something about eating such a messy sandwich I just loved. It must be a kid thing!
A while ago, sloppy joes popped into my head out of nowhere; I hadn’t had them in at least 10 years, but I suddenly was on a quest to make a version from scratch. I remembered there sometimes being onion and green pepper in my aunt’s recipe and then went from there. Here’s to favorite kid flavors and homemade replications!
What is a Sloppy Joe?
Sloppy Joes are a “loose meat sandwich” made with ground beef and a hearty tomato sauce mixed with onion and peppers and seasoned with simple spices. Typically served on hamburger buns, the meaty middle can hardly be contained and often spills over the side of the sandwich, making them a truly sloppy meal.
There are a few versions about how the sloppy joe came about. They could have been invented in:
- Havana at a bar called “Sloppy Joes”
- Key West, FL by someone who went to “Sloppy Joes” in Havana and then created their own restaurant with this loose meat sandwich.
- Sioux City, Iowa where a cook named Joe made these loose meat sandwiches.
No matter how they were invented, one thing is certain, these sloppy sandwiches are sure to fill you up and leave you with a sloppy, saucy grin.
How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes
I’m always totally enamored with a nostalgic taste that can be replicated from scratch. These homemade sloppy joes come together with a handful of ingredients and will be ready for dinner in 45 minutes.
Ingredients
- Aromatics:Onion, green pepper, and garlic give a depth of flavor to the sauce that keeps you coming back for more.
- Ground Beef: Literally the meat of this sandwich.
- Tomato Puree + Ketchup:Tomato puree keeps the sauce thick while the ketchup adds in sweet tomato flavor.
- Sugar + Spice: Brown sugar, chili powder, salt, and pepper give this iconic sandwich some much-needed flavor.
Directions for Easy Sloppy Joes
- Cook the aromatics: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and pepper to the pan. Sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the pan to a bowl and set aside.
- Cook the meat: Add the ground beef to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high heat. Cook the beef, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks, until the beef is completely browned. Drain excess fat and grease from the pan.
- Make the sauce: Add the vegetables back to the pan. Stir in tomato puree, ketchup, brown sugar, and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sloppy joe mixture until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve on hamburger buns.
Serving Suggestions for Homemade Sloppy Joes
The beauty of these homemade Sloppy Joes is that there really is no wrong way to go about serving and eating them. You can keep it simple with a hamburger bun and nothing else or dress it up to your heart’s content. Here are a few different ways you can try out these easy sloppy joes.
Serve them on:
- Sandwich between buttery pieces of Texas toast.
- Loft the sloppy joe filling on a fresh baked potato.
- Serve on Hawaiian rolls for mini sloppy joe sliders.
Serve them with:
- A side of homemade macaroni and cheese.
- Salty potato chips.
- Easy homemade french fries
Top your Sloppy Joes with:
- Shredded cheese
- Pickles
- Diced white onion
- Pickled jalapeños
Recipe Notes and Tips
Can you use other meat in this recipe?
I use 2 pounds of ground beef to make these easy Sloppy Joes. You can easily swap out the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a beyond the meat substitute depending on your dietary needs.
How do you safely drain the fat from the pan?
To easily drain the grease from the pan, push the ground beef to one side of your cooking dish. Then:
- Use a spoon to scoop out the grease into a foil-lined bowl.
- Squeeze the grease out of the pan using a turkey baster and transfer to a foil-lined bowl.
- Or wipe the grease out of the pan by absorbing it into 3-4 paper towels.
How do you make sloppy joe sauce from scratch?
Making sloppy joe sauce, like Manwich, from scratch involves a blend of tomato sauce, ketchup, onion, green pepper, and spices. In place of tomato sauce, I use tomato puree to make it a thick sauce that really clings to the meat.
Storing, Freezing, Make-Ahead
- Storing: Keep leftover sloppy joe meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Cool the sloppy joe meat completely before freezing. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Move the sloppy joe meat from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan on eating the sloppy joes. Heat the meat in a saucepan or skillet until warmed through.
- Make-ahead: You can brown the meat in advance and simply add it to the skillet when you are cooking it with the sauce before serving.
- Double: To make a double batch of the sloppy joe meat sauce, double the recipe ingredients. I would suggest cooking the sloppy joes in a large pot like a 7-qt dutch oven to contain all of the meaty goodness.
Sensational Sandwiches To Make Next:
- Monte Crisco Sandwich
- Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
- Chipped Ham BBQ Sandwiches
- Homemade Primanti Bros. Sandwich
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Easy, meaty, and filling, these homemade sloppy joes are everything you love about a sloppy joe sandwich with no canned ingredients. Perfect for your busy weeknights and your childhood classic cravings!
If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Homemade Sloppy Joes
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 45 minutes mins
This easy, homemade sloppy joe recipe comes together quickly for a classic sandwich that is sure to make you feel like a kid again.
4.60 (20 ratings)
Print Pin Rate
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds (907.18 g) ground beef
- 2 cups (524 g) tomato puree
- 1 cup (240 g) ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Hamburger buns, to serve
Instructions
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and pepper and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the pan to a bowl.
Add the ground beef to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the beef is completely browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. If the beef has released a lot of fat, drain off most of it.
Add the vegetables back to the pan and stir in the tomato puree, ketchup, brown sugar and chili powder. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve on hamburger buns. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Ground Beef: You can substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a "beyond the meat" product.
- Storing: Keep leftover sloppy joe meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Cool the sloppy joe meat completely before freezing. Place in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Move the sloppy joe meat from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan on eating the sloppy joes. Heat the meat in a saucepan or skillet until warmed through.
- Make-ahead: You can brown the meat in advance and simply add it to the skillet when you are cooking it with the sauce before serving.
- Double: To make a double batch of the sloppy joe meat sauce, double the recipe ingredients. I would suggest cooking the sloppy joes in a large pot like a 7-qt dutch oven to contain all of the ingredients.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 371mg, Potassium: 833mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 618IU, Vitamin C: 22mg, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Michelle
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Photography byLauren Grant.
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57 Comments on “All-Time Best Homemade Sloppy Joes”
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Michelle — Reply
My go-to Sloppy Joe recipe. I’ve been making this recipe for years. Always tastes great!
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Tom Kovalcik — Reply
This is on my rotation now. So many great flavors. Nothing like the the ones at school while growing up.
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Samdra Erickson — Reply
How much ground beef for the sloppy joe recipe
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Elle — Reply
This is a staple in my menu routine. Since my daughter is vegetarian, I use a meat substitute. She eats the left overs for breakfast.
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Lisa — Reply
Excellent sloppy joe recipe! My older son had about four helpings! I will definitely repeat this one!
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KIM TODD — Reply
I made this for a group that helped me paint this past week. The whole family, adults and kids declared these the best sloppy joes they had ever had! Made the recipe exactly as shown except substitued a yellow pepper for the green.
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Janet Bradley — Reply
Could use BBQ sauce for the ketcup? I’ve seen other recipes that do, but haven’t tried it yet. What is your opinion?
Can’t wait to try this regardless of your answer, but I will wait for it.
Thanks, Jan
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Janet, I have not tried that, but I think it would work fine if you like BBQ flavor!
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Macy — Reply
Love your family recipes and stories.
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Michelle — Reply
Aw thank you, Macy!
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Cindy — Reply
I think sloppy joes are best served in a hot dog bun. The meat stays in so much better!
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Michelle — Reply
Such a good idea!!
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Emilie — Reply
These have become a staple in our house. They are delicious and get two thumbs up from my 8 and 5 year old.
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Rose Klatt — Reply
This is a lot like my home-made recipe! Here’s a trick my sister-in-law taught me for picky kids that don’t like to SEE bits of peppers and onions in their sloppy Joe’s. She sends the tomato, ketsup, peppers, onions, and garlic through the food processor and you still get that yummy flavor and the kids are happy!
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Teresa Webber — Reply
Would you happen to have any idea how many calories are in one of your sloppy Joe’s? My son is trying to gain weight & loves your food!! So, he was wondering. Thank you. Teresa Webber:)
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Sandy — Reply
Wonderful, lovely sauce, but you forgot 1 thing, a big spoonful of horseradish! Then it’s perfect. I am making it for
a Super Bowl nosh.-
Sandy L Bandt — Reply
Oh, AND don’t forget the made from scratch cole slaw!
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Batschpeng — Reply
Hi!
i found your website yesterday and i’m really thrilled.
but because i’m german there are the usual differences in units, ingredients, the temperature, etc.but for finding an exchange (if needed) it’s necessary to get to know the precise nature of the relevant things.
soooo, here: in our stores tomato puree is sold in different degrees of concentration. the usual one is concentrated three times – and has about 100 calories (only for your orientation). if i used a 28-ounces can of this…. very salty, very intensive…. not the best idea, i think :)
can u tell me anything abt your puree?
keep on cooking <3
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Michelle — Reply
Hi! What you’ve described sounds more like tomato paste. Puree is sort of a slightly thickened tomato sauce. I hope that helps!
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Batschpeng —
absolutely!
it’s called “passierte Tomaten” (which could be understood as “happened tomatoes” – but the verb “passieren” also means .. *drum-roll* .. “to puree sth.”/”to blend sth.” !)
;)
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Joyce — Reply
My husband was craving sloppy joe’s one night a few months ago, so I decided to google recipes, and I fell upon this one. I made it, and he fell in love with the flavor! I must admit, I did too! I am back again tonight to get the recipe to make it again! EXCELLENT! We grew up eating the canned version, too..and this one tastes so “grown up”..so yummy! :)
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Michelle Buchanan — Reply
Sloppy Joe’s Mmmm!
Enjoyed your post, many memories also for me :) The recipe is right on. I add a slice of American cheese (any preference, really) then place in oven under broil for a minute. Put the top bun on after removing from oven. This is in hopes of keeping the utterly tasty mess tamed lol not susseful yet . But a yummy addition anyway. -
Kristine Crawack — Reply
THIS is Sloppy Joes?!
Somehow I always thought they were some kind of sausage… Or am I thinking of Slim Jims?
… Good thing I’m going to America for the very first time next year, maybe I can get a bit more aquinted with the food culture ;)
Thanks for sharing :)! -
Tashiana — Reply
This was such a fun post to read, and so many other people have said it too!
The sloppy joe looks amazing. Maybe after 18 years it’s time for me to finally try one! I’m from the UK and it is just not a thing here at all….you can’t buy them to eat out anywhere!
Ever since I watched the Mary Kate + Ashley film ‘it takes two’ when I as about 6, I’ve been craving a sloppy Joe! This looks super yummy. -
Kaleen — Reply
Mmmmm….. Made these with ground turkey and they were great! Tastes like childhood!
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Linda — Reply
Omg…just made this for dinner. Way better than the canned version I had as a kid!
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Shana — Reply
Made this and let me tell you it is soooooo much better than the can version! My kids loved it! :)
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Sarah — Reply
Made these for dinner last night. They were so good I had it again for breakfast! Easy, fast and YUMMY!!! What more could you ask for. Thanks for another great recipe!!!
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Courtney Engle — Reply
Made these for dinner earlier in the week and got rave reviews from two teenage boys and my husband! Per one of the spawn, “Best sloppy Joes you have ever made mom!”
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Maralyn Woods — Reply
My mom made this from scratch too and she always added a touch of liquid smoke. To this day that ‘s the way I make it too. It just doesn’t taste like a sloppy Joe to me without the smokey flavor.
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Robin — Reply
Great to see this Same recipe my Nana made (and I still make)….with a few exceptions. In Saylorsburg PA, where a “huckster” came to Nana’s house with produce and meats to choose from, garlic cloves weren’t a readily available staple. The general store didn’t have tomato puree either. (Think the 1950’s….) And she didn’t add chili powder. So instead of the above, it was red pepper flakes, tomato paste, white sugar rather than brown….and the recipe was SPECIFIC for two small (glass) bottles of HEINZ ketchup (no other ketchup would do). I think I’m going to have to try puree and brown sugar. Her sauce is much, much more red than yours and I suspect I might like it better. Thanks for the nostalgia!!
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Samina | The Cupcake Confession — Reply
Ahhh lovely childhood memories!!!! These look great!
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Shelby — Reply
I love Sloppy Joes- have always made them from scratch. In the South,our best recipes always contain mustard and vinegar, to give them that tang.
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Karen — Reply
I’ve never had Manwich-my mom always made them from scratch, so I have, too.
When my girls were little, their good friend didn’t like my cooking very much (at home she ate things like pizza rolls and hamburger helper so meals at our house were out of her comfort zone) until I happened to make slppy joes once. Finally, something everyone liked-I made it every time she ate with us from then on. :) -
Diana — Reply
I just tried this with Morning Star’s Crumbles (fake ground beef)…I can’t eat red meat, but still wanted to try it! It turned out great!
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marcie — Reply
I grew up loving sloppy joe’s — they were a favorite in our house. I’m really loving this homemade version — they look incredible!
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Ina Scott — Reply
I make sloppy Joes all the time from scratch, but I will have to try this recipe. Sounds yummy!
My version is with the veggies and a Ketchup and BBQ sauce mixture. -
Hailey — Reply
You can’t beat a good Sloppy Joe. These look great! I will have to try the recipe soon. :)
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Nicole — Reply
This looks great!
(I’ve been having trouble with the ‘pin it’ button for at least a week now. Am I the only one? I’m using Firefox on a Mac.)-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Nicole, I just tried it and it seemed to work fine (I use Safari on a Mac). Please let me know if you continue to have problems!
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Lynne — Reply
My kids (and husband) still regularly ask for Sloppy Joes for dinner. My mom makes dinner for us every Monday, and this hits the rotation every couple of months. It’s not a favorite of mine or my mom’s, but she makes it for them – it couldn’t be easier.
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Betsy Harner — Reply
Our family “go to” recipe is: ground beef, ketchup, mustard, worcheshire and a can of chicken gumbo soup……I know this sounds totally gross-BUT it is to die for! So nostalgic as we have made this for years. My friend even calls it-Marge’s bbq (that was my mom!).
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Martha in KS — Reply
That’s the recipe my family used too. It was in a Betty Crocker kid’s cookbook. Can you even buy Chicken Gumbo Soup anymore?
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Lauren Campbell —
Mom’s Special Sandwich= ground meat browned, onion, worcheshire sauce and a can of chicken gumbo soup; 1 loaf of french bread, meat mixture spread on bread, topped with ketchup, mustard and topped with cheese… toasted in oven until cheese melts. This was a childhood staple my mom would make. I made it for my husband the other day… when I was telling him about it, the ingredients didn’t appeal to him… but once together and on the dinner table he said it def. was a comfort meal :)
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Anglin — Reply
I’m not sure about the ingredient ‘tomato puree’. Is that crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, or tomato sauce? Or none of the above? Thanks!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Anglin, None of the above :) It’s its own thing; it’s thicker than tomato sauce, but not as thick as paste (still pourable).
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Lynne — Reply
I’d describe it as crushed tomatoes pureed (in food processor or blender) with seeds strained out if you had to make it yourself. Wikipedia says it’s cooked, but I don’t think that’s necessary.
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Karla — Reply
I grew up in eastern PA where the cheesesteak is king, but my parents are from Uniontown, PA so me and my sisters grew up eating Sloppy Joes. Despite my mom being a fabulous cook, our Uncle Joe made the best Sloppy Joes and always served them on Cellone’s rolls. To this day, when we are out in western PA we stop and buy those rolls so we can have Uncle Joe’s Sloppy Joes when we get home.
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Karla, My grandma used to buy Cellone’s bread exclusively! So funny!
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Terri C — Reply
It was fun to tread about your grandma and aunt, this recipe sounds perfect!
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Lisa @ Simple Pairings — Reply
Ah, sloppy joes – one of my favorite childhood meals! They’re messy but have always been so satisfying to me. The homemade version is even better!
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Sandie — Reply
Great to see this on a food site – I’ve been making this for my family since having it whilst holidaying in the States in the early 80’s. Its now made by my sons for their families. The Oldies are the best
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Reshana — Reply
Looks very delicious! Craving those now :-)
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SimoCuriosa — Reply
looks very good!!
:D -
Renee @ Awesome on $20 — Reply
How funny, I just posted a sloppy joe recipe my mom used to make when I was a kid. I was too lazy to make it from scratch, though. I’ll have to try this version and see if it works in my casserole. Looks beautiful.
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Matt Robinson — Reply
Loved reading this, sounds just like my home as a kid! Now I’ve got these on my mind and can’t wait to make some soon!
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Catherine McCord — Reply
Such a classic! Would love a bowl of this over pasta or even quinoa!
