Homemade Sloppy Joes
Have you ever made Sloppy Joes from scratch? They’re so much better, and an easy dinner to boot!
A few months ago, my husband begged me to make Sloppy Joes. I was a little surprised to learn we had been married for over 15 years without my knowing how much he loved them! I was not in the habit of making them because I have mixed memories of these sandwiches. Mostly unfavorable, to be honest.
Once my husband and I really got into our memories of sloppy joes, I realized that I’ve probably never had a good one. My Mom didn’t make them, but I do remember them being served in the school cafeteria. The sauce tasted like pure ketchup, and it was one of my least favorite menu items as a kid!
For this Sloppy Joe recipe, I spent time looking through some of my favorite books. Church cookbooks! I have quite a collection from the 1950s and on, and it’s my favorite place to do research when I’m working on old-school recipes.
In those cookbooks, the recipes varied, but I saw common threads for the homemade Sloppy Joe sauce. Brown sugar, ketchup or tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and yellow mustard were the most common sauce ingredients. No wonder cooks used to love making it! One pan, the kids love it, and it uses ingredients almost everyone has.
As I tested this recipe, I quickly realized that what I was served as a kiddo was NOT a real Sloppy Joe. No wonder I didn’t like it! And making these from scratch with a homemade sauce is absolutely the way.
In my opinion, this recipe tastes like a delicious homemade tomato-based BBQ sauce. Spoiler alert, I love it! And back to my original inspiration, so does my husband.
Recipe Substitutions and Additions
Bell Pepper: If it were just my husband and me eating this, I would absolutely be adding 1/4-1/2 cup diced bell peppers when I add the onions. Green pepper or red pepper would be my choice.
Ground chicken or ground turkey: Either is a lean protein and a great substitute for the meat mixture.
Fresh garlic: A few garlic cloves would be a very welcome addition. Mince them and add them towards the end of the cook time for the hamburger meat.
Serving Suggestions
The traditional way to serve sloppy joe sandwiches is on hamburger buns with or without a slice of cheese. The flavors pair well with crispy French fries or potato chips, sweet-and-sour coleslaw, or baked potatoes.
To mix it up, serve it over hot dogs for a twist on chili dogs!
I also think this would work wonderfully for meal prep, on top of mashed cauliflower with steamed vegetables. For dessert, make these adorable Cookie Monster Cookies, or my Blackberry Dump Cake!
Storing Leftovers
Allow leftover beef to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in the microwave or a skillet. Add a splash of water or beef broth to help the sauce loosen back up if necessary.
I hope you love this old-school Sloppy Joe recipe! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it goes in the comments below.
Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion. Sauté, crumbling the meat as you stir. I like to use a ground beef chopper (linked above), but that is totally optional!
- Drain the beef, then return it to the skillet.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir to coat the ground beef crumbles.
- Cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes on low.
- Serve warm.
