30 Minute Sloppy Joes

It doesn’t get better than simple, homemade Sloppy Joes! They’re budget friendly, not fancy and a total American classic. I know you’ll love this homemade version as much as I do!

Did everyone grow up on Sloppy Joes? Even though I didn’t really eat them growing up, I feel like it’s one of those dishes that’s instantly familiar and comforting. I was recently inspired to make a from-scratch version, and I’m so glad I did. It turns out Sloppy Joes are really easy to make from scratch, and aside from the ground beef (or turkey!), it’s all spices and pantry ingredients. Needless to say, I’m obsessed and love this dish for weeknight comfort food. If you’re a sloppy joe lover, you gotta check out my One Pot Sloppy Joe Pasta!

What is a Sloppy Joe?

If you’ve never heard of Sloppy Joes, you’re totally missing out! It’s one of those dishes that doesn’t necessarily sound special, but that first bite just makes you smile. Sloppy Joes are basically a tomato and ground meat mixture served on a hamburger bun. You can honestly go crazy with a good Sloppy Joe filling, though…put it on a salad, eat it as a dip with chips, or with a spoon straight out of the pan!

How Do You Make Sloppy Joes From Scratch?

Once you make your first batch of homemade Sloppy Joes you’ll never go back. My version is a little less sloppy and a little more structured, which I personally prefer! Of course, you can adjust this recipe to your preferred thickness for a really sloppy Sloppy Joe.

• Heat your oil on a hot pan, and then add the oil, onion, and peppers so they can begin softening and cooking to golden perfection.
• Add your meat (we use ground beef or turkey from ButcherBox!) and seasonings, cooking for 5-7 minutes, until the meat is browned. I love that this recipe is slightly sweet, a little tangy, and perfectly saucy.
• Add the saucy ingredients: ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and water. Let’s get a simmer going, baby!
• Here’s the secret, my key finishing touch to a REALLY good Sloppy Joe: spread room-temp butter or ghee on the bun (or butter your skillet/pan) and get the bread browned and caramelized. Sloppy Joe on a toasted bun is heaven on earth!

More Weeknight Meals

No-Fuss Spinach Lasagna
Chicken Parmesan
Turkey Taco Bake
Easy Picadillo
Tuscan Sheet Pan Chicken with Potatoes and Kale
Easy Meatball Sub
Chicken & Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Food photography by Ashley Cuoco

30 Minute Sloppy Joes

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Laney Schwartz
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stove Top

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Description

It doesn’t get better than simple, homemade Sloppy Joes! They’re budget friendly, not fancy and a total American classic. I know you’ll love this homemade version as much as I do!

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Ingredients

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• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, small dice
• 1 red bell pepper, small dice
• 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup water
• 4 hamburger buns
• 2 tablespoons butter

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Instructions

1. Preheat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the oil, onion,  bell pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes until veggies begin to soften. 
2. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and chili powder and cook for 5-7 minutes until meat is browned. 
3. Add the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and water. Mix with beef mixture until well combined and a bit saucy. 
4. Heat a separate pan over medium/high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Place the hamburger buns face down in the pan to brown the inside, about 2-3 minutes. Remove, add more butter if needed and repeat with remaining buns. Serve the sloppy joe mixture on the toasted buns and enjoy.

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