BEST Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

I’m excited to share my Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe that comes together in 30 minutes using a from scratch tomato sauce so you can stop reaching for canned sauce.

I used to reach for the canned stuff on crazy nights, until I made this Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe and nothing canned ever sounded good again. With simple ground beef and a little ketchup the sauce becomes sweet, tangy and oddly complicated in the best way, so you wont believe how fast it comes together.

It’s a 30 minute meal that eats like a guilty pleasure but also something you can serve on a Tuesday and feel like a hero. Messy, loud, impossible to ignore.

Try it once and tell me which part hooked you first, I bet you cant pick just one.

Ingredients

• Ground beef gives most of the protein and rich, meaty flavor, adds some fat.
• Onion adds sweetness and crunch when not cooked down, plus fiber and vitamins.
• Ketchup supplies bulk tangy tomato flavor, sugar and carbs, keeps the sauce familiar.
• Brown sugar brings caramelized sweetness, balances tomato acidity, and adds extra carbs.
• Worcestershire sauce adds savory umami, a little saltiness and complex depth to sauce.
• Tomato paste gives concentrated tomato intensity, thickens the sauce and boosts umami.
• Apple cider vinegar brightens with tang and balances sweetness, a splash wakes everything up.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef, 85% lean
• 1 tbsp olive oil (optional, for browning)
• 1 medium yellow or sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped (optional but classic)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup (240 g) ketchup
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar if thats what you got)
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water or beef broth, if needed to thin the sauce
• 4 to 6 hamburger buns, split (buttered and toasted if you like)
• Optional: 4 slices cheddar cheese or 1/2 cup shredded cheddar for topping

How to Make this

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil if using, then add 1 lb ground beef and break it up with a spatula; brown well until mostly no pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the beef gets greasy, drain off excess fat but leave a little for flavor.

2. Push the beef to one side (or remove briefly), add the finely chopped 1 medium onion and 1/2 green bell pepper if using; cook until softened and starting to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, then stir everything together.

3. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, dont let it burn.

4. Stir in 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1 tbsp tomato paste until combined, scraping up any browned bits from the pan for flavor.

5. Add 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1/2 tsp smoked or regular paprika, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; mix well.

6. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then lower heat and simmer uncovered 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and tastes balanced. If it gets too thick, stir in up to 1/4 cup water or beef broth to loosen it.

7. Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt, a splash more vinegar for tang, or a touch more brown sugar if you want it sweeter. The sauce should be sweet, tangy and slightly savory, not one-note.

8. If using cheese, lay 4 slices cheddar on the toasted bun bottoms and spoon the hot sloppy joe meat over them so cheese melts, or stir 1/2 cup shredded cheddar into the hot mixture off heat for a cheesy version.

9. Butter and toast 4 to 6 hamburger buns if you like, pile on the sloppy joe meat, top with the bun tops and serve immediately. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy skillet or sauté pan, about 10 to 12 inches, for browning the beef and simmering the sauce
2. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon for breaking up meat and stirring
3. Chef’s knife for finely chopping onion and bell pepper
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for ketchup, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, etc.
6. Slotted spoon or tongs and a heatproof bowl or disposable container to drain off excess fat
7. Can opener and a small bowl or spoon for loosening tomato paste
8. Toaster or baking sheet and oven for toasting buns, plus a butter knife for spreading butter
9. Grater or a fork if you want to shred cheddar from a block instead of using pre shredded cheese

FAQ

BEST Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Ground beef: swap 1:1 with ground turkey or chicken (they’re leaner so add about 1 tbsp oil when browning), or use ground pork for a richer, juicier result, or use plant-based crumbles for a vegetarian version.
• Ketchup: replace with about 1 cup tomato sauce plus 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp vinegar (stir until sweet/tangy), or just use BBQ sauce for a smokier, sweeter sloppy joe.
• Worcestershire sauce: use soy sauce or tamari 1:1 for the savory umami, add a splash of balsamic or 1 tsp molasses if you want that tangy depth.
• Cheddar / buns: swap cheddar with American, provolone, or pepper jack for different melt and flavor, and use brioche, kaiser rolls, or even toasted sandwich bread if you don’t have hamburger buns.

Pro Tips

– Let the beef get some good color before breaking it up, dont stir it every second. Browning = flavor, and if theres too much fat drain most of it but leave a little for taste.

– Scrape up the browned bits and use a splash of broth or water to loosen the pan, it adds depth. Taste as you go, add a little more vinegar if it needs tang or a pinch more brown sugar if it needs sweetness.

– Toast and butter the buns, and get the cheese melty by putting the hot meat on top of the cheese so it melts naturally, or stir shredded cheese into the meat off the heat for an oozy version.

– Make a double batch and freeze portions, they reheat great. When reheating warm gently in a skillet with a splash of water or broth so it doesnt dry out, youll get even better flavor the next day.