There’s nothing more nostalgic than a Sloppy Joe! These messy but oh-so-delicious sandwiches are filled with ground meat that’s sauteed with onions and peppers in a tangy sauce and are just as much fun to eat as they are to make!
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While a Sloppy Joe sandwich is often associated with school cafeterias and can therefore get a bad rap at times, I’m here to tell you that these are not your lunch lady’s Sloppy Joes! (Am I the only one who wants to belt out Adam Sandler’s “Lunch Lady Land”?)
These are the tangy, delicious, perfectly seasoned and easy homemade Sloppy Joes everyone loves!
Sloppy Joe sandwiches come together quickly and are great for weeknights! Serve with sauteed broccoli and stovetop mac and cheese or smashed potatoes and roasted broccoli for a complete meal.
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Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
- Ground beef. Though you can use a 80/20 beef you don’t really need to since there are a lot of flavor enhancers being added. A lean ground beef (85% or 90%) works best for Sloppy Joes.
- Vinegar. This adds the tanginess Sloppy Joes are known for. I’ve found cider vinegar works best with the flavors in this dish.
- Sugar. Use brown sugar for a bit of sweetness.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Dice one medium yellow onion and one large green bell pepper. Mince 5 cloves of garlic and set aside. Heat a large pan to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the onion, and bell pepper, and saute for about 5 minutes, or until soft. (Photo #1)
- Add 1 1/2 pounds of 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef to the pan and turn the heat to medium-high. (Photo #2)
- Saute for about 5-7 minutes or until the beef is cooked through, then add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. (Photo #3)
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or until the garlic is very fragrant. (Photo #4)
- Add 1 cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup of water and mix until combined and keep at a low simmer. Taste test the Sloppy Joe mixture and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Once satisfied with the taste, turn the heat to low and continue to cook while you prepare the buns. (Photo #5)
- Heat a pan or griddle top to medium heat and add a touch of olive oil. Open 4 hamburger buns and place them cut-side-down in the pan and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Divide the beef mixture on to the 4 buns, serve, and enjoy!
Top tips
- Make ahead. The Sloppy Joe mixture will taste even better the next day making this a great make-ahead meal!
- The sauce. If you find the sauce is too dry, simply add an ounce or two of water at a time and mix to loosen it back up.
- Buns. While a Sloppy Joe is traditionally served on a hamburger bun (which makes these “sloppy”), you can also serve in a hot dog bun for a slightly less sloppy experience.
More retro recipes you’ll love
If you’re looking for simple foods that are a little retro and a lot nostalgic, give these recipes a try!
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Easy Homemade Sloppy Joe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 large green bell pepper diced
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 85 or 90% works well
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water plus more if needed
- 4 hamburger buns
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Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat with the olive oil and add the onion and bell pepper. Saute until soft (about 5 minutes).
- Add the ground beef to the pan and turn the heat up to medium-high. Saute the beef until cooked through (about 5-7 minutes) then mix in the salt, chili powder, and hot red pepper flakes.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes or until very fragrant.
- Add the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Mix well and keep at a low simmer.
- Taste test the sloppy Joes and adjust salt and pepper if required. Once satisfied, turn the heat to low and move on to browning the buns
- Heat a pan or griddle top to medium heat and add a touch of olive oil. Place the buns, cut side down, in the pan and cook until browned (about 1-2 minutes). Divide the beef on to the 4 buns and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 4 large or 6 moderate-sized sandwiches.
- If the sauce is too dry, simply add 1-2 ounces of water and mix again to loosen it up.
- Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I am currently a subscriber to your content. Why am I required to constantly re-enter my email address to print recipes from your website? This process makes me not want to use your content.
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Truly easy and delicious. The family loved it. I quadrupled the recipe to freeze for another meal so I can have an easy button one night. I feed a family of seven every day. From scratch. I made the buns so they were hot out of the oven delicious with the sloppy joes. This is a keeper and will be on rotation in my home. Thank you.
So happy you enjoyed!
Great recipe and super quick to make.
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Robert!
As a former Long Islander myself, I remember these as a kid growing up. I’m guessing it was from one of those packets back in the early 80s. A definite improvment! We tune in alot to see what other NY centric dishes are out there. For example, the potato salad was definetely a throw back to those days from our past, as that flavor is so unique. It brought us right back. keep up the great work!
Great recipes thank you
Its yummy is all i can say.
So glad you enjoyed, Rick!
A lot of sloppy Joe recipes call for tomato paste and sauce, which I’ve tried but was never satisfied. I came upon this recipe and gave it a try! Wow! Loved it! My husband loved it too! I prefer only ketchup and so does my husband! Thank you for sharing your recipe, Tara and Jim!
We’re so glad you liked it Ara!