Sloppy Joes that bring the flavor—rich, savory, and just the right amount of sweet piled high on golden, buttered buns.
The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes have been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. My grandpa was the Sloppy Joe master—he’d 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 up—and now they’re one of my family’s favorite dinners too.
Quick Tip
Why Is It Called a Sloppy Joe? It’s been traced it back to a 1930 cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, where a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his loose meat sandwiches. Just like that, the Sloppy Joe was born—and the name stuck.
Ingredients
Like a lot of my recipes, I sneak in veggies wherever I can. They boost flavor, stretch the beef, and add some extra nutrients—plus when they’re finely diced, no one even notices! You’ll love what they bring to these Sloppy Joes:
- Olive Oil and Butter: Helps cook the veggies & adds flavor.
- Onion and Garlic: Grate the onion so it softens quickly & blends right into the beef.
- Carrot and Pepper: Adds flavor, a bit of crunch, and a touch of sweetness.
- Ground Beef: I use 93/7 for good flavor without too much grease.
- Tomato Paste and Crushed Tomatoes: Better quality means better flavor.
- Ketchup: I always go with Heinz (not sponsored, just what I like best).
- Worcestershire and Beef Bouillon: Adds deep, rich, beefy flavor.
- Brown Sugar, Mustard, and Pepper: Balances the sweet & tangy notes.
How To Serve Sloppy Joes
- 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 option—wrap 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.
Sides To Serve With Sloppy Joes
- Potato chips: Quick, easy, and crunchy—always a good choice.
- Fries or sweet potato fries: Great with the saucy meat, just like a diner meal.
- Pickles: Dill or bread & butter both add a nice crunch.
- Pickled red onions: Adds a pop of flavor—great on the side or on top.
- Grilled corn: Sweet, smoky corn is so good with the rich meat.
- Roasted broccoli: An easy veggie side that gets a little crisp in the oven.
- Pasta salad: A cold salad like Greek pasta salad is so good on the side!
Storage
How to Store Sloppy Joes
- Fridge: Put the meat in a sealed container. It lasts 3–5 days.
- Freezer: Cool the meat, then freeze in a bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove or in the microwave, stirring until hot.
- Buns: Store them separately so they don’t get soggy. Toast right before eating.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Taco Lasagna A reader favorite recipe!
- Beef Tacos Baked and ready in 30 minutes or less
- Pasta e Fagioli Olive Garden copycat
- Ground Beef Stroganoff Served over egg noodles
- Beef Larb Thai-inspired ground beef over coconut rice
Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes taken up a notch—juicy, bold, and packed with flavor on warm, buttery buns. You’ll want it again tomorrow!
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
Instructions
- 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 6–8 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 5–8 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 2–3 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.
Video
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 1–3 minutes, until golden.
Storage: Store the meat in a sealed container in the fridge for 3–5 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.
Made As Directed But Put On Top Of Crispy French Fries. Was Amazing‼️
DELISH! That sounds amazing! Thanks so much Roger! 🙂
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! 🙂
does the servings mean you get 24 sloppy joes out of this?
Not sure where you’re seeing that? Serves 4-6
Question on the calorie count: is it 301 calories with or without a bun?
Haven’t made this yet, but have made many of your others and loved them all!
Thanks for asking! It’s without the bun, since buns vary so much depending on type, brand, etc. 🙂 I hope you love this recipe if you give it a try 🙂
This was so yummy!
Yay! So happy to hear that; glad you enjoyed these Andrea! 🙂
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! 🙂
Chelsea, When are you going to publish your own cookbook? I love your recipes.
Awe you made my day, thanks Peggy!! Hopefully one day 🙂 Thanks for your support <3