Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

If you need an easy weeknight dinner that doesn’t require much fuss, homemade sloppy joes are always a good choice. The beef cooks with diced vegetables, then everything simmers in a rich, flavorful sauce before you pile it onto hamburger buns.

If you love easy recipes like this one, try my hamburger casserole with noodles, my chili cheese dogs, traditional shepherd’s pie, and my chili casserole with Jiffy cornbread. They are the kind of meal you can throw together on a busy night and still have everyone asking for seconds.

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Sloppy Joes

This old-fashioned comfort-food recipe is easy enough for a busy weeknight but satisfying enough that everyone will come back for seconds.

• Quick and Easy: You can have dinner ready in about 30 minutes.
• Made from Scratch: No canned sloppy joe sauce or seasoning packet is needed.
• Big Flavor: Ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and beef broth create a rich sweet-and-tangy sauce.
• Extra Vegetables: Bell pepper and onion add flavor and texture to the beef mixture.
• Family-Friendly: Sloppy joes are an easy dinner that both kids and adults enjoy.
• Budget-Friendly: Ground beef and everyday pantry ingredients make this an affordable family meal.
• Easy to Make Ahead: The sloppy joe mixture reheats beautifully, making it a great option for busy nights.

Ingredients Needed

You only need simple ingredients to make these homemade sloppy joes.

• Ground Beef: I use 2 pounds of ground beef. Use the beef you usually have on hand. Drain the grease.
• Bell Pepper: Use one red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced.
• Onion: Add a small diced onion for flavor. Yellow or white onion both work well.
• Garlic: I use jarred minced garlic because it’s convenient and easy. You can use freshly minced garlic instead.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: These simple seasonings add another layer of flavor to the beef and sauce.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Adds depth and a rich, beefy flavor to the sloppy joe mixture.
• Beef Broth: Beef broth provides enough liquid for the sauce to simmer while adding more savory flavor. As the mixture cooks, the sauce thickens and coats the ground beef.
• Ketchup: Ketchup is the base of the homemade sloppy joe sauce. It adds tomato flavor, sweetness, and tanginess.
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavor and helps give the sauce a thicker, richer consistency.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar provides just enough sweetness to balance the tangy ketchup and mustard.
• Mustard: Yellow mustard adds tanginess that keeps the sauce from tasting overly sweet.
• Hamburger Buns: Use your favorite brand of buns.

How to Make Sloppy Joes from Scratch

These easy homemade sloppy joes are the kind of dinner I love having in my back pocket. The ingredients are simple, the recipe is quick, and everything cooks in one skillet.

I like to serve sloppy joes with a simple side dish such as potato wedges, French fries, potato salad, coleslaw, or chips.

Step 1: Brown the Beef and Vegetables. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, bell pepper, and onion until the meat is fully cooked. Drain excess grease.

Step 2: Add the Sauce Ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and stir in garlic, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, ketchup, tomato paste, brown sugar, and mustard. Mix until everything is well combined and heated through.

Step 3: Simmer. Simmer for 7-10 minutes, letting the flavors meld and the sauce thicken.

Step 4: Serve. Spoon the warm sloppy joe mixture onto hamburger buns and serve immediately.

How to Store and Reheat Sloppy Joe Mix

• Refrigerator: Store leftover sloppy joe meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Store the meat mixture separately from the hamburger buns.
• Freezer: Allow the mixture to cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. Add a little splash of water or broth if needed to thin.
• Reheat: Reheat the sloppy joe mixture in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. If the mixture has thickened while refrigerated, stir in a small amount of beef broth or water to loosen the sauce.