A homemade Sloppy Joe recipe that’s true to its name – sloppy moreish deliciousness! These Sloppy Joes are savoury and sweet with a touch of tang. Terrific freezer friendly meal option and to scale up to make vast quantities to feed a hungry crowd.
While Sloppy Joes are often touted as a quick meal option, if you have the time to let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, you’ll be rewarded with extra tender meat and extra flavour. Just clamp the lid on and walk away!
A SLOPPY JOE RECIPE TO LOVE
I read somewhere that Sloppy Joes are a “Poor man’s barbecue”, and I blinked, somewhat bemused. Because while it’s a terrifically economical meal option and easy to scale up to feed a crowd, it never crossed my mind as a choice for budget reasons.
It’s just darn tasty – and everybody loves it.
Moreish. Juicy, savoury, a touch sweet and it’s one of those things where you take a bite and it’s so good, you don’t want to talk, you just want to keep eating, until the entire Sloppy Joe sandwich is inhaled and you contemplate whether to wait the recommended 20 minutes for “stomach creep” to kick in, or just go another one right now.
HOMEMADE SLOPPY JOES!
Here in Australia, we don’t have Sloppy Joe seasoning mixes or sauces. So packet mixes aren’t an option – and even if they were, I’d still make it from scratch because it’s easy. It doesn’t require any hard to find ingredients and in fact, I’m pretty sure the ingredients that go in Sloppy Joes are standard pantry items for most people.
OK, so if you spied the ketchup in the photo below, I know this isn’t technically “made from scratch” BUT this recipe uses a lot less ketchup than many. Also, I prefer using plain crushed canned tomato rather than a flavoured canned tomato sauce and adding my own seasonings.
LIKE MAKING BOLOGNESE….
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, it’s basically like making Bolognese. And the flavour is somewhat reminiscent of it too, except Sloppy Joes taste a bit more like BBQ Sauce.
The one big difference is that the sauce is cooked right down so it’s really thick and not saucy at all. Juicy but not saucy, otherwise it’s too wet to pile onto sliders. Nobody wants soggy Sloppy Joes!
HOW TO SERVE SLOPPY JOES
As for serving:
- The rolls – any soft bread rolls will work great, but no one has ever said NO to Sloppy Joes served on normal sliced bread!
- TOAST the bread, no matter what you use – this helps stop the Sloppy Joe filling from soaking it;
- Buttering is optional – I don’t because I can’t taste it once all that juicy filling is piled on;
- Cheese is optional for most people, but around these parts – it’s essential. Slices or grated. My favourite is Swiss or Gruyere, then Cheddar;
- Other fixings – pickles (dill pickle, onion, anything of choice!), jalapeño or chillies (fresh or canned), hot sauce (if you like a kick!). For crunch, try corn chips/fritos or Slaw (see note below).
On the side – in the States, the Sloppy Joes I had came with crisps on the side. I wouldn’t do that for a meal, but for gatherings, I love the idea of laying out a big pot of Sloppy Joe filling, a basket of warm buns and bowls of crisps!
For a meal option, try serving it with this Everyday Cabbage Salad (which is my non-mayo Slaw). That would work well as it can be the side salad or be used in the Sloppy Joe Sandwiches. A classic mayo-based Coleslaw is also an option, but I think the Sloppy Joe Sauce works better with the fresher no-mayonnaise Slaw.
And don’t forget – this is ideal freezer food! Make a BIG BATCH and freeze in serving size portions!! – Nagi x
THE BEST OF GROUND BEEF / MINCE
- Bolognese and Lasagna
- Italian Meatballs
- Meatloaf (reader fave!)
- Cottage Pie
- Salisbury Steak (big reader fave!)
- See all Ground Beef / Mince recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make this Sloppy Joe recipe!
- 1 tbsp /15g butter
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 green capsicum/bell pepper , diced
- 500 g/1lb ground beef (mince) (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard OR 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 400 g/14oz crushed tomato , canned
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 beef bouillon cube , crumbled (Note 2)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 5 to 6 soft rolls (Note 3)
- Cheese slices (optional)
- Other fixing options - see Note 4
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Melt butter in a large pot over high heat.
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Ad garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes until onion is almost translucent.
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Add capsicum and cook for 2 minutes until softened.
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Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until it changes from red to brown.
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Add remaining ingredients. Mix well, then turn heat down to medium low (or low for strong stoves).
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Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to make sure it doesn't catch on the base. (If in rush, cook 15 minutes without lid)
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Remove lid and give it a good stir for a minute. Mixture should be thick, not runny and saucy (see video). Adjust salt to taste.
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Toast rolls. Butter if desired (I don't).
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Pile on lots of filling, immediately top with cheese (heat should semi melt, otherwise pop under broiler/grill). Top with lid and serve immediately!
1. Meat - Also terrific made with pork! If using chicken or turkey, switch the bouillon cube for chicken and use 1 tsp extra Worcestershire Sauce.
2. Beef bouillon cube - or 1.5 tsp beef stock powder. If you don't have either, chicken will also do. Worst case - use salt (add to taste at the end)
3. Rolls - my favourite is brioche buns and soft small hamburger buns. Any rolls or bread is fine here.
4. Other Fixing Options: pickles (dill pickle, onion, anything of choice!), jalapeño or chillies (fresh or canned), hot sauce (if you like a kick!). For crunch, try corn chips/fritos or Slaw (see note below).
On the side - crisps are a favourite in the States which is ideal for gatherings.
For a meal option, try this Everyday Cabbage Salad (my non-mayo Slaw), doubles as side OR stuffing in the Sloppy Joes. A classic mayo-based Coleslaw is also an option, but I think the Sloppy Joe Sauce works better with the fresher no-mayonnaise Slaw.
5. Slow Cooker Option: Cook for 6 hours on LOW for amazingly ultra tender meat! Give it a good stir at the end to evaporate excess liquid.
6. Storing: Filling will keep 4 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container, or up to 3 months in the freezer (cool then freeze). Defrost then reheat using method of choice (I microwave). Best not to keep rolls with filling on it - goes sloppy (oh... the name....😂)
7. Nutrition - assuming soft white rolls used, not brioche.
LIFE OF DOZER
After having just gotten back from 2 weeks in Vietnam, he was very concerned as he watched me pack for a weekend away with friends.
Relief set in when he saw I also packed a bag for him. (And he checked thoroughly to ensure his favourite toys and treats were included)
Made this tonight & it was a big hit! I’ve never been a fan of sloppy joes’s, bc the canned stuff is too strong. My husband never eats it when I make the canned stuff for the kids. But he commented that he really liked this one. Nothing like making something from scratch! Thx for the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it Renee!!! Thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂 N x
DELICIOUS!!! Made this and it was an absolute hit. My family wants this for dinner on the regular now 🙂
Great to hear you enjoyed this one Eli! Thanks for letting me know – N x
I made half with ground pork and half with veggie round ground (a vegetarian ground beef alternative) and both were DELICIOUS! I read others comments about them being too sweet, but we all thought they were perfect; so much better than store-bought sauce.
Thanks Nagi!
That’s so great to hear Becca! So glad you didn’t think it was too sweet 🙂 I mean, it IS sweeter than Bolognese but that’s the way it is supposed to be 🙂 N x
Hits the right tummy spot, this recipe! We had it Monday night, then Tuesday to finish the leftovers. Everyone was happy! 😋
That’s terrific to hear Ev! So glad you enjoyed this, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback – N x ❤️
aw, I’m truly salivating when watching your sloppy joe videos. I’m thinking of burger, pasta or even soup with these gorgeous! Ok, I’m buying ingredients after work to try this asap xD
– Natalie
I really wanted to love these. I lost my sloppy Joe recipe a long time ago – it was not overly sweet, and this one is definitely too sweet for me. My hubby will probably be eating all of this. I like to see Dozer, we lost our Golden earlier this year, and so miss her – they are the best dogs.
Hi Barb! Sorry to hear this wasn’t to your taste 🙂 You could easily skip the brown sugar and reduce the ketchup ,that is where the sweet is coming from. I think your Sloppy Joes must’ve been REALLY low on sugar, I thought mine would not be sweet enough for some people as most recipes use far more sugar! Thank you for the feedback though, what I will do is put the sugar as an add in if people don’t want a sweet Sloppy Joe 🙂 That way it can be adjusted to taste. N x
PS I am sorry to hear you lost your Goldie 😢 I am dreading when it comes to my time. I just want to enjoy every day I have with him… they don’t live long enough!!
Love ya work. Just a query on the amount of sugar used. Have read about Sloppy Joes for years and always wondered what they tasted like so I made this recipe and it was way to sweet for me. Are they supposed to be really sweet.
Hi Georgie! Sloppy Joes are supposed to be a bit sweet but not super sweet! This one only has 1.5 tbsp sugar which is far less than many and other than that it’s from the ketchup. You definitely didn’t accidentally add more sugar?? And used plain canned tomato?? N x
Hi Nagi! That canned sloppy joe sauce is just nasty! I make mine very similar to these, except I add some of my homemade pickle relish and some bbq sauce. My boys always loved them! In fact, I’m making a batch tomorrow and some pasta salad to take to a friend’s house on Sunday. I’m going to stop by the store and get some potato rolls to serve them on. Give me a beer to go with and I’m happy!
Oooh YES to pickle relish Dorothy!! Glad to hear your off to a PARTEE on Sunday (it IS a party isn’t it??) N x
Sloppy joes are absolutely yummy N!
One tsp of dry mustard though and not 2?
No to peppers for me, but yes to frito’s cuz I like to put some in for the crunch…esp if the bun is getting soggy! Bleech!
I see ur getting an English lesson again.
This picture of Dozer says it all! Dogs are smart and know what we are up to and saying! 😂
Have fun with your friends!
Hi J! To be honest, I use Dijon or yellow mustard OR dried. I’ve added my quantities for each so people have options! It’s not a major ingredient so I’m pretty flexible on this! N x
Dozer got his bag of goodies! Spoiled animal just like mine was. YUMI food. Not sure what will be cooking because yesterday was hot today not its fresh and gentle rain. TOMMOROW will be mild and Monday hot again. Do not feel eating when is hot. Got nice home grown lettuce ok that’s not much got fish too. We have Coles now too, it was open the other day and across the road is Woolies. In Coles everything new and fresh love it. Last night news it was said that food prices will go up so Sloppy Joes is good idea never mind been poor mans meal. Hope you have good weekend.
Thanks Vera! Had a fabulous weekend – and so did Dozer 🙂 He was EXHAUSTED when we got home!
I read in your blog how to tenderize chicken. I can’t remember how to do it. Please, reprint it or tell me where to find it in your ebooks. Thank you.
Slice chicken breast thinly, sprinkle with a small amount of baking soda (1/2 – 1tsp, depending on how much chicken you have), mix to coat and leave for 20min. Rinse clean with water and dry on paper towels.
It’s in the Chinese Chicken Satay recipe (which is delicious, if you haven’t tried it yet).
🙂
I didn’t expect an answer that quick. The following day!!
All blogs should be that responsive. Thank you and I look forward to your blog.
Um, I’m not Nagi…
Just a reader who loves cooking her food and happens to remember stuff I find helpful 🙂
😂😂😂
Hi Suzanne! I usually am quicker than this to respond, but I was away over the weekend 🙂 You’ll find tenderising directions in every Chinese chicken recipe, either in the actual recipe itself or in the notes to the recipe as an optional step. Here is one – Chop Suey 🙂 https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-stir-fry-chop-suey/
Your recipe for Sloppy Joes is basically the same as I’ve always known them to be made too, except some people also include very finely diced celery and/or a bit of American style standard chili powder, also. There is a version often made with condensed tomato soup, yellow prepared “hot dog” mustard, brown sugar, onion, green pepper, etc. that has been popular in US public schools for many generations, as well, actually tastes better than it might sound, and is one of the more edible of public school menu items, in fact. (Oh, and there are some people who use Concord grape jelly in lieu of brown sugar, which is also surprisingly better than it might sound, but I tend to stick with the traditional brown sugar.). Most versions are better than anything from a tin can! It’s so easy to make, and tastes just as good when warmed after freezing, too.
We often serve them with an Italian dressed garden salad, or a mayo & sour cream based overnight creamy coleslaw, and brown sugar(Boston) baked beans, but usually do include chips (our version of crisps) or fries (your version of chips?) There is a similarity to BBQ, but I think of them as being their own thing also.
I saw some of those recipes with condensed soup! And the yellow American mustard too 🙂 And I agree, anything you make even if using prepared sauces / soups is going to taste better than Sloppy Joes from a can 🙂 N x
Hi, Nagi–you can make this a bit more sugar- and sodium-free by using Splenda brown sugar and an NSA (no sodium added) beef broth instead of beef bouillon, which is 99% sodium anyway. (If you don’t care for Splenda, you could try Truvia with a little molasses.)
I’ve been looking for a good Sloppy Joe recipe, and this one seems to fit the bill. Thank you!
(By the way, you mean “its” rather than “it’s”; “it’s” ALWAYs means “it is” or “it has.”)
Ooh, that’s such a terrific idea, thanks Steve!!! (And for picking up the typo! 😂)
Thank you, Nagi! I showed this recipe to my husband so that he has no excuse to use the can of Sloppy Joe sauce. I call that stuff “crap in a can” because it has too much sugar in it and I really don’t care for it. Your recipe will make Sloppy Joes taste so much better! Thank you!!!
Glad to see that sweet Dozer has a bag packed for him so that he gets to go too. Love Dozer!
He had the BEST time! When we got home on Sunday, he collapsed and didn’t move all night – he was absolutely shattered!!!
Hi Nagi,
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
I have one question though… is there a substitute for Worcester sauce? We live in a country that doesn’t sell it anywhere, however we can get sauces like HP and A1 etc. I know these are not the same but wondering if we could use one of them or something else instead without compromising the flavours too much.
Thank you so much for your amazing recipes! 🙂
Hi Mille! I would use HP in a heartbeat 🙂 I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes, thank you for reading Mille! N xx
Mmmmmmmmm, Sloppy Joes. My mom made them when we were kids. I haven’t had one in years!
I’ve enjoyed the photos of your trip. I have a ridiculous irrational fear of flying so I only visit exotic places through other people’s photos or through cooking traditional dishes from various countries. Silly huh? Wish there was a magic pill……well, there is Valium….😉😳😭
Not silly Marci 🙂 I know plenty of people who have never flown anywhere, most of my relatives in Japan actually! (But yes the Valium would certainly make your trip much more comfortable… 😂 And also I am constantly reminded we have a far higher chance of a car accident than flight accident!!)
Just curious, why the need for bouillon cubes?
Hi Norma! Secret ingredient in this – tastier than just using salt! 🙂 N x
The recipe I use calls for 2 teaspoons of chopped manzanilla olives, which are just pimiento stuffed olives. They add a nice taste to the Sloppy Joes. I also add a little red wine vinegar. Both add some tanginess.
This looks really good. I actually just left a comment the other day on your request a recipe page asking for some more mince meat recipes that freeze well. Great timing lol. You could probably put the meat in tacos/tortillas as well for something different.
I think I saw that and it gave me the idea to do these Sloppy Joes!! N x