This Sloppy Joes Recipe is rich, saucy, a little sweet, and piled high on golden buttered buns for the best easy family dinner.
authorโs note
Grandpaโs Sloppy Joes Recipe!
Sloppy Joes have been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. My grandpa was the Sloppy Joe masterโheโd whip up a huge batch for the whole extended family, and not a single bite ever went to waste. Those dinners were always the best.
He never measured anything, so I had to recreate the magic from memory. After a lot of trial and error, I finally nailed it.
These Sloppy Joes are everything I loved growing upโand now theyโre one of my familyโs favorite dinners too.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Ground beef | I use 93/7. Ground turkey also works. |
| Onion | Grate it on the large holes of a box grater so it melts right into the sauce. |
| Carrot & bell pepper | Use a food processor to finely chop these fast and make them nearly disappear. |
| Tomato paste | Let it cook with the beef for a few minutes to deepen the flavor. |
| Brown sugar | Some ketchup and tomato brands are sweeter than others, so add more or less to taste. |
| Red wine vinegar | Optional, but a small splash at the end wakes up all the flavors. |
| Brioche buns | Butter and toast them so they hold up to the saucy filling. |
Featured Comment
โMade as directed but put on top of crispy French fries. Was amazingโผ๏ธโ
โ Roger
How To Make This Sloppy Joes Recipe
- Prep veggies: Grate the onion and finely chop or pulse the veggies.
- Cook veggies: Cook onion, garlic, carrots, and peppers until softened.
- Brown beef: Push veggies aside and cook the beef.
- Add tomato ingredients: Stir in tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.
- Add sauce: Mix in ketchup, Worcestershire, bouillon, seasonings, and brown sugar.
- Simmer: Let everything bubble until thick and rich.
- Buns: Butter buns and toast until golden. Pile high and serve.
chelseaโs recipe tip
How To Serve This Sloppy Joes Recipe
- Toasted buns: Toast the buns with butter so they hold up to the saucy meat.
- Slider buns: Same great flavor in a smaller size; perfect for parties!
- Lettuce wraps: A lighter optionโwrap the filling in crisp romaine lettuce.
- Over baked potatoes: Spoon the meat over a baked potato for a hearty twist.
- On top of rice or mashed potatoes: Turns Sloppy Joes into a simple bowl meal.
Storage
- Fridge: Put the meat in a sealed container. It lasts 3โ5 days.
- Freezer: Cool the meat, then freeze in a bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm this Sloppy Joes recipe on the stove or microwave, stirring until hot.
- Buns: Store them separately so they donโt get soggy. Toast right before eating.
Sides To Serve With Sloppy Joes Recipe
Appetizers
Elote Recipe
Salads
Greek Pasta Salad
Side Dishes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Salads
Italian Salad Recipe
Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes taken up a notchโjuicy, bold, and packed with flavor on warm, buttery buns. Youโll want it again tomorrow!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grated yellow onion 1 small onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot 1 carrot
- 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1 pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef 93/7
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup ketchup Heinz recommended
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar see note 1
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar optional
- Brioche buns or your favorite hamburger buns, for serving, plus butter for buns
Instructionsย
- Grate onion on the large holes of a grater. Mince the garlic. Finely chop (or grate) the carrot. Dice bell pepper. OR: Add the carrot, bell pepper, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Heat oil and butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook for 6โ8 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and veggies are mostly tender. Push veggies to the edges. Add ground beef to the center. Let sit for 45 seconds, then stir and break it up. Cook for 5โ8 minutes, or until no longer pink. Mix the veggies into the beef as it cooks.
- Stir in the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Cook for 2โ3 minutes to deepen the flavor. Add ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, ground mustard, beef bouillon, and pepper. Stir well, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the buns (see note 2). Once sauce has thickened, stir in red wine vinegar if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the pan from heat. Spoon the filling onto toasted buns and serve right away.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Depending on the tomatoes and ketchup (some are sweeter than others), you may want more or less brown sugar.
Note 2: To toast the buns, spread softened butter on the inside and place them in a dry nonstick pan over medium-high heat for 1โ3 minutes, until golden.
Storage: Store the meat in a sealed container in the fridge for 3โ5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until hot. Keep buns separate and toast just before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 22.4g | Fat: 8.3g | Cholesterol: 50.3mg | Sodium: 588mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 12.2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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As a new mom in a bit of a recipe rut, I came across this and decided to give it a try. I havenโt had a Sloppy Joe since I was a kid, and even then it came out of a canโฆ this was delicious! I served it on pretzel buns (just due to dietary restrictions I have). I quickly volunteered to make our familyโs Sunday after church lunch, and this was enjoyed by all. The second time I made it (in the same week!) I made a double batch. I subbed coconut aminos for the beef bouillon (again, dietary restrictions), but wow- delicious! I love the added carrots upping the nutrition. Adding this one to my recipe book to make on repeat for years to come!
This absolutely made my day to read! Iโm especially honored this helped pull you out of a recipe rut during the new mom season. I love the pretzel bun idea, and Iโm so glad the swaps worked out so well too. Thank you for taking the time to share, and Iโm thrilled this one earned a spot in your repeat recipe book!
Love your recipes. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much Victor!
Made As Directed But Put On Top Of Crispy French Fries. Was Amazingโผ๏ธ
DELISH! That sounds amazing! Thanks so much Roger! ๐
These were delicious!
A more nutritious version of a classic comfort food. These had lots of flavour and were simple to make.
We left out the brown sugar entirely (sweet enough from the ketchup).
Will make again.
I am so happy to hear you loved these Sloppy Joes! Thanks Gillian! ๐
does the servings mean you get 24 sloppy joes out of this?
Not sure where youโre seeing that? Serves 4-6
Question on the calorie count: is it 301 calories with or without a bun?
Havenโt made this yet, but have made many of your others and loved them all!
Thanks for asking! Itโs without the bun, since buns vary so much depending on type, brand, etc. ๐ I hope you love this recipe if you give it a try ๐
This was so yummy!
Yay! So happy to hear that; glad you enjoyed these Andrea! ๐
Chelsea, I made your Sloppy Joe recipe, and it was a big hit with my husband and I! Well worth the extra effort to add the veg mixture. Definately a keeper!
So happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment Michele! ๐
Chelsea, When are you going to publish your own cookbook? I love your recipes.
Awe you made my day, thanks Peggy!! Hopefully one day ๐ Thanks for your support <3