The Best Sloppy Joes
Juicy ground beef, simmered in a hearty tomato sauce, nestled onto toasted hamburger buns – this is the best batch of Sloppy Joes you’ve ever had.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
These are the most amazing sloppy Joes!
And I have a few tips to help make sure you enjoy them as much as we did:
- Choose lean ground beef. I like to use 85% to 90% lean ground beef for sloppy Joes. If you’re using beef with a higher fat content, drain away any excess fat after browning the beef and before adding additional ingredients. You can also make these sloppy Joes with ground turkey and ground chicken.
- Use any color bell pepper. Green pepper is traditional for sloppy Joes, but there are no rules, so choose red, yellow, or orange if desired.
- Choose dried counterparts of the onion and garlic if desired. I prefer fresh aromatics in my sloppy Joes, but if you don’t have them on hand, you can use 1/2 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder instead. Whisk the dried spices into the tomato sauce mixture before adding to the pan.
- Adjust the amount of brown sugar if desired. We like our sloppy Joes on the savory/tangy side, so this recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. If you prefer a sweeter sandwich experience, add another tablespoon or two. For added sweetness, you can also add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
- Choose your mustard. Yellow mustard is traditional for sloppy Joes, but I prefer the piquant essence of Dijon for sloppy Joes; I find that it balances the sweetness of the ketchup and brown sugar in the most wonderful way. That said, any prepared mustard will work in this dish.
- Simmer for as long as you can. Even though these sloppy Joes are ready to serve after 10 to 15 minutes of simmering, the longer the mixture cooks, the deeper the flavor because ingredients have a chance to meld and evolve. If the mixture gets too thick while simmering, add a little water or beef broth.
- Brush your hamburger buns with melted butter. This isn’t mandatory, but the sweetness of the butter perfectly complements the tangy beef filling.
Make these sloppy Joes spicy if desired. If you like sandwiches with a little heat, add a minced (seeded) jalapeno when you add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. You can also add heat by adding 1 teaspoon (or more) of crushed red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce mixture.
Make these sloppy Joes in advance. As mentioned above, flavors evolve over time, so I often make my sloppy Joe mixture one day in advance and reheat just before serving. To make this recipe in advance, prepare the beef mixture as instructed, cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze these sloppy Joes for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the cooktop, adding a little water if necessary to thin the meat mixture.
Consider additional ideas for serving
While serving on hamburger buns is conventional, this savory beef mixture is excellent when served other ways.
- Sloppy Joe Casserole: Transfer the beef to a baking dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake until the mashed potatoes are golden brown, and the filling is bubbly.
- Sloppy Joe Pasta: Fold the beef into cooked pasta (such as elbows or small shells) and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
- Sloppy Joe Pizza: Spoon the beef mixture onto store-bought pizza crust, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake as directed.
- Sloppy Joe Nachos: Ladle the beef mixture over warmed tortilla chips and top with shredded Mexican cheese, salsa, black olives, green onions, and avocado.
- Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes: Spoon the beef mixture into baked potatoes and top with cheddar cheese and/or sour cream and chives.
- Sloppy Joe Chili Dogs: Spoon the beef mixture over cooked hot dogs and top with pickled jalapenos or banana peppers.
- Sloppy Joe Chili Cheese Fries: Spoon the beef mixture over cooked French fries (such as the frozen variety), and top with cheddar cheese or a smooth cheese sauce.
- Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers: Combine the beef mixture and cooked rice (about a 2:1 ratio). Stuff the mixture into bell peppers and bake until the peppers are tender.
The Best Sloppy Joes
Juicy ground beef, simmered in a hearty tomato sauce, nestled onto toasted hamburger buns, these are the best Sloppy Joes ever.
Ingredients
- 16 ounces 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef, 85% to 90% lean
- 1/3 cup chopped white onion
- 1 small green bell pepper, or 1/2 large bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
- Melted butter for brushing on the hamburger buns, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and mustard. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet, stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain away any fat.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
- Add the tomato sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes (and up to 45 minutes), until thickened. Note, if the mixture thickens more than desired over time, add a little water or beef broth.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Serve on toasted buns. If desired, brush the top of the buns with melted butter.
Calories: 364kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1032mg, Potassium: 941mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 683IU, Vitamin C: 35mg, Calcium: 107mg, Iron: 6mg