The VERY BEST Homemade Sloppy Joes is a sloppy joe recipe that's not only delicious but quick & easy to make using real ingredients instead of a store-bought can of sauce. Hundreds of raving reviews agree!
There aren't many dinners that you can get on the table faster than whipping up Sloppy Joes. And while the store-bought sauce that rhymes with San-wich might make this meal even quicker, it's got some less-than-ideal ingredients. After all, I tend to avoid high fructose corn syrup in my sweets, much less my dinner.
Ingredients
So what's a Sloppy Joe-lovin' family to do? Why, put together your own quick and easy, all-natural sauce, of course!
It only takes a couple of minutes, it tastes soooo much better (in fact, you get to control how sweet and/or salty you want it), and you don't have to worry about any unnecessary additives.
- Tomato sauce.
- Ketchup. I prefer using an all-natural recipe without too much added sugar, because as you'll see below, I like to control that. 😉
- Brown sugar. Use as much or as little as you like. Some people prefer totally savory Sloppy Joes while others like these sandwiches on the sweeter side. You can also substitute a squeeze of honey in place of any brown sugar (which I often do).
- Worcestershire sauce.
- Mustard. Believe it or not, a little squirt adds depth of flavor.
- Garlic powder + onion powder + fresh black pepper.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
I shared my Slow Cooker Chicken Sloppy Joes awhile back, which feature this same sauce, but sometimes you don't have the forethought (or time) to toss something into the crock pot first thing in the morning.
So if you still want an effortless, family-pleasing meal come 5 o'clock, make this tried-and-true Sloppy Joe recipe!
- Simply brown some ground beef (or turkey).
- Stir together a simple sauce.
- And then combine the two.
- Allow the mixture to simmer on the stove for a few minutes and then slap it on some buns.
Easy peasy!
There's really not much more to say about this recipe, folks. Kids adore it, but adults love it, too. It's so simple but oh-so-good. A side salad, some baked beans, and -- of course -- some thickly-sliced pickles on top of your Sloppy Joes, and...dinner is served!
Homemade Sloppy Joes Tips, Tricks, & Equipment
- If you're making your own Sloppy Joe sauce in order to avoid processed ingredients, be sure to use all-natural ketchup.
- This Sloppy Joe sauce is intended to be slightly sweet, but it's really a matter of taste. If you prefer a more savory sauce, feel free to use less brown sugar. Additionally, you may use unrefined sugar (or even a squeeze of honey) in place of the brown sugar, if you wish.
- If you like your Sloppy Joe meat with onions and peppers, you may dice up half an onion and half a bell pepper and cook them in a tablespoon of olive oil until softened (about 5 to 10 minutes) before browning the beef. Remove the onions and peppers from the pot and proceed with the recipe, cooking the meat and then stirring the onions/peppers back in at the same time you add the sauce.
- Along those same lines, if you'd like to make this meal even healthier by packing in some extra veggies unbeknownst to your kids (or your hubby), be sure to check out my How to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies post, which specifically addresses Sloppy Joes.
- My family loves Sloppy Joes so much that I've also come up with a zesty Tex-Mex version...olè!
- If, like me, you make a lot of ground beef (or ground turkey) recipes, this tool is pretty darn handy for breaking up your meat.
More Yummy Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Honey Balsamic Shredded Beef Sandwiches
- Bacon & Blue Cheese Egg Salad Sandwiches
- The ULTIMATE Stuffed Cheeseburger Sliders
- Caprese Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef (OR turkey)
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Hamburger buns
- Sliced pickles
Instructions
- Set a large pot over medium-low heat. Add a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil, and saute the garlic for a minute or two until just fragrant and very light golden brown. Add ground beef, increase heat to medium/medium high, and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart and stirring as meat cooks. Drain grease from meat.
- While meat is browning, make sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, until well combined. Pour over browned meat, stir, and simmer for a few minutes until heated through (or longer, if you have time, to allow the flavors to meld).
- Serve on hamburger buns or rolls with sliced pickles on top.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Notes
- This Sloppy Joe sauce is intended to be slightly sweet, but it's really a matter of taste. If you prefer a more savory sauce, feel free to use less brown sugar. Additionally, you may use unrefined sugar (or even a squeeze of honey) in place of the brown sugar, if you wish.
- If you like your Sloppy Joe meat with onions and peppers, you may dice up half an onion and half a bell pepper and cook them in a tablespoon of olive oil until softened (about 5 to 10 minutes) before browning the beef. Remove the onions and peppers from the pot and proceed with the recipe, cooking the meat and then stirring the onions/peppers back in at the same time you add the sauce.
Post originally published on January 13, 2015 (back when a certain two-year-old couldn't keep her little marker-stained mitts away long enough for me to snap a few pictures) and updated on November 2, 2017, and January 5, 2021.
AmberK
My family loved this recipe! I made it exactly as written with only one substitution: coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. If someone else needs to sub out the brown, 2T of coconut sugar is perfect. Thank you for a new dinner recipe for our rotation.
Szh
Excellent!!! Thank you.
Alan Brown
I'm English. When you say Tomato Sauce, do you mean pureed tomatoes (i.e. passata) We have "Tomato sauce" but I beleive that's what you call ketchup,a bit confusing for me...
Samantha Skaggs
Hi Alan! Yes, in America, "tomato sauce" is a plain puree of tomatoes. Ketchup is the condiment with added salt and flavoring. Hope that helps! ๐
Sharon Aldrich
I don't eat meat and I tried this recipe using imitation meat crumbles. I have to say this was fantastic! Reminded me of my mom's recipe. Excellent combination of seasonings and flavor. I also used diced tomatoes for a little extra texture. Thanks for a great recipe! This is a keeper and I shall pass it on. Also had all the ingredients on hand.
Janet G
Exceeded my expectations! Delicious! Will never make out of the can again!
Cai Ray
No leftovers. Fantastic harkening back to a childhood favorite - thank you!
Julie
Great recipe - I only gave it 4 stars as it is very sweet and I cut back to 2 Tablespoons. I will make it again but cut out the brown sugar altogether or reduce to a few teaspoons. I added a touch of hot oil as we like more spice.
Keisha
I made this and it was the best sloppy joe I've EVER had. Thank you, Samantha
Mary Beth
I know this is not beef bourguignon but even the most basic meals deserve a review! Especially when you find a quick, easy and delicious recipe with ingredients you probably have in your pantry. I use ground turkey and prefer a sweeter sauce so I go with 4 Tbs brown sugar. Put on a soft potato roll, top with the sliced dill pickles and itโs back to childhood I go!
Dinner Mommy
Super easy! Super yummy. Made with Hawaiian bread rolls and brioche bread rolls.
WHAT do you serve WITH Sloppy Joes?
Samantha Skaggs
Whatever you like! Ha. We usually have baked beans and a green salad. My kids like it with tater tots or mac and cheese. Sometimes I'll make some sort of slaw or potato salad or pasta salad. During the summer we might have sliced marinated tomatoes. Really, the possibilities are endless! Hope that helps. ๐
Rosli Bin Mohamed
Marvelous and delicious recipes...yummy
Keith
Very tasty. Made - Easy peasy๐
VIP
Delicious,loved it,my new favorite sloppy joe recipe โค๏ธ
JJClem
Very simple recipe. I added the green pepper and onions for my recipe and we had this for dinner tonight. It was awesome!! Sweet and tangy. Put it on a toasted bun and it will taste even better.
Heidi H
This was a win! My kids loved this! I omitted the extra sugar and still tasted yummy. Recipe is definitely saved for future use!
Colt
i think people may not have the stuff but if so IT IS AMAZING
Joan
Sorry , but this one just doesn't measure up. I would be happy to share mine but it isn't written down anywhere. I just add things until they taste great.