Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

4.97 from 83

Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

This is the best homemade sloppy Joes recipe, made with real ingredients and the perfect balance of flavors and texture. Ready in 20 minutes!

See below the recipe card for step-by-step images.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: homemade sloppy joes, sloppy joe recipe

Servings:

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small sweet onion diced
1/2 small green bell pepper diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 toasted buns for serving

Instructions

Warm olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, and bell pepper; breaking up the meat into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes until beef is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Drain off grease.
Stir in tomato paste until thoroughly combined.
Add in ketchup, water, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine.
Gently simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until mixture has thickened.
Remove from heat and serve on toasted buns and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Crockpot option: Brown the beef, onion, and bell pepper in a skillet, then add to your crockpot along with all the other ingredients. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2, giving it a stir occasionally so it doesn't scorch. (Keep in mind that cooking in the slow cooker will result in a softer texture than sloppy joes made in the skillet.)

Storing leftovers: Store leftover sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, make sure the cooked meat mixture is completely cooled, then add to freezer-safe containers (the entire batch or individual portions) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.

Nutrition