It’s time to ditch the canned stuff—these homemade Sloppy Joes are the real deal! They’re made from scratch in just 30 minutes.
Every mom needs a handful of 30 minute meals for busy weeknights. This is one of those quick dinners that I whip out frequently—almost as often as Pesto Tortellini or Mongolian Stir Fry!
From Scratch in 30 Minutes!
If you’ve never had a sloppy joe before, it’s a sandwich made with a sweet version of marinara sauce. This childhood classic has always been a favorite of mine, but it has to made from scratch, with real ingredients.
While the ingredient list below may seem a little long, I promise everything listed is there for a reason… mainly FLAVOR!
Are you ready to get cooking? 30 minutes is all you need to make these delicious, messy sandwiches. Let’s get started.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
What kind of meat can you use for sloppy joes? Traditional sloppy joes are made with ground beef. That’s what I’ve used in this recipe, however, ground chicken or even ground turkey can be a slightly healthier alternative.
Making sloppy joes is easy. All you need is one pan. I suggest grabbing an extra large skillet or a dutch oven.
COOK. Start by sautéing the onion and bell pepper, then add the ground beef and cook until browned. Sprinkle on the seasonings and minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. (Note: Adding the seasonings now and not after the liquid ingredients helps toast them which enhances their flavor.)
SIMMER. Pour in the tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Let the mixture simmer for at least 10 minutes. I like to let mine go a tad bit longer so that the sugars start caramelizing. It tastes even more amazing!!
Serving, Making Ahead + Storing
Serve the sloppy joe filling on top of toasted, buttered buns. You can use plain hamburger buns, potato buns, kaiser rolls, brioche buns, or even toss it into a grilled cheese sandwich. We like to add a thin slice of Swiss or Monterey jack on top… because everything is better with cheese!
You could add some sides, especially traditional BBQ side dishes like chips, coleslaw, or sliced veggies. We served ours with potato chips, pickles, and a big glass of lemonade. These are perfect for hot summer nights or when you’re in the mood for comfort food!
Making Ahead: Homemade sloppy joes are best served right away. The filling is incredibly moist, so as soon as it hits the bun, it starts getting soft. Just another reason why toasting the bun is a good idea. You can make the filling ahead of time and either refrigerate and reheat, or keep in a crockpot or Instant Pot on warm. This is especially useful when serving at potlucks, BBQs or game day parties.
STORE your leftover sloppy joes in the fridge in an airtight container. It should last 3-5 days. REHEAT it in the microwave until warmed through.
To FREEZE, place the sloppy joe filling into a freezer safe bag and lay it flat in the freezer. Then after it’s solidified you can store it standing up. It should last for about 3-6 months. When you’re ready, reheat low and slow on the stove or in the crockpot.
LOOKING FOR MORE EASY SANDWICH RECIPES? TRY THESE:
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Ham and Swiss Sliders
Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion - diced
- 1/2 c. finely diced green bell pepper
- 2 lb. ground beef
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 14 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 c. ketchup
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Additional Ingredients:
- Hamburger buns - toasted and lightly buttered
- Sliced cheese - optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet or dutch oven set over medium heat, add the oil. Once hot, add the onion and bell pepper, saute for 3 minutes, then add the ground beef. Break up the ground beef and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cumin, and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, dijon, Worcestershire. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Serve the filling on toasted, buttered buns. Add cheese, if desired.
Everyone at my house really loved it! So good and delicious!
It’s a great recipe for any night you need a quick meal!
Easy and delicious! I saw your photo with the cheese and had to try it. I think I’ll be adding slices of cheese to all my sloppy joes from now on!
Such an easy addition that makes a big difference.
Homemade Sloppy Joes are the BEST! The flavor is wonderful and it so quick to make too! Adding this to our monthly dinner rotation.
This is going on my meal plan today! They are also great with pepperoncini peppers which aren’t spicy but add awesome crispy flavor!❤️ I love your blog, everything is so beautiful and delicious!
Why have I never tried these with pepperoncini peppers?! Genius!!