Homemade Sloppy Joes take less than 30 minutes to make and will make the whole family happy! Ground beef in a flavorful tomato sauce, served on toasted buns.
We also have Sloppy Joe Sliders!
Originally posted September 23, 2010. Updated October 2, 2025.
Homemade sloppy joes have always been my go to dinner when I need something quick that nobody is going to complain about. These are ready in less than 30 minutes and are mostly made from things you probably already have in your pantry.
Ground beef is cooked with onion and bell pepper and then it all gets simmered in a ketchup-based sauce that has a nice kick from chili powder and yellow mustard. It also has a tiny bit of brown sugar for a hint of sweetness.
If you need a quick crowd-pleasing side dish to serve with it, try Stovetop Mac & Cheese or Roasted Ranch Broccoli!
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I always use a lean ground beef for sloppy joes but use whatever you have. You may need to drain it if you use a fattier ground beef.
- Onion – use whatever color onion that you have.
- Green bell pepper – you could use any color pepper but I think the green bell pepper flavor works best for sloppy joes.
- Ketchup – this is the tomato base for the sauce.
- Brown sugar – just a tiny bit, it just adds a hint of sweetness.
- Yellow mustard – you could use a dijon mustard if you prefer.
- Worcestershire sauce – this adds depth and a savory flavor to the sloppy joes.
- Garlic powder – you can use fresh garlic if you prefer.
- Chili powder – this adds so much flavor to the sauce.
- Buns – whatever kind you like! You could even serve these on toasted bread.
How To Make Sloppy Joes
- Cook meat. Cook ground beef, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add. Add ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, and water.
- Simmer. Simmer until sauce has thickened to desired consistency.
- Serve. Serve hot on toasted buns.
How Long Is It Good For?
The sloppy joes meat is good for up to 3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.
When you are ready to serve it, reheat in the microwave or on the stove. You may need to add more water to loosen it up.
Can You Freeze It?
You can freeze leftover sloppy joes meat for up to 3 months. Make sure to use an airtight container.
When you are ready to serve it, let it defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove. And make sure you have some buns to serve it on!
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Sloppy Joes
Homemade Sloppy Joes take less than 30 minutes to make and will make the whole family happy! Ground beef in a flavorful tomato sauce, served on toasted buns.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup water
- 6 buns
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add beef, onion, and green bell pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables have softened. Drain if necessary.
- Add ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, and water.
- Let simmer until thickened to the consistency you want for your sloppy joes.
- Serve on toasted buns.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 259Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 371mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 21g
Rachel in NC says
Yum! We love sloppy joes. I always add bell pepper and extra onion to mine, then broil them with a slice of pepper jack on top.
.-= Rachel in NC´s last blog ..Carrabba’s Tastemaker Event =-.
Yum Yucky says
But it looks so nice and neat. I’m gonna get that on my shirt. (Mmm! you put chili powder in it!)
.-= Yum Yucky´s last blog ..Dear Yum Yucky- Is It Safe to Gnaw On Roadkill =-.
Michelle Sturges says
looks delicious!
.-= Michelle Sturges´s last blog ..Chicken Pot Pie =-.
Pam says
These look good! Now that I found some decent ground meat, maybe I will have to give this one a try!
.-= Pam´s last blog ..Apple Pie Blondies- Take Two =-.
Lisa says
That looks like an absolutely delicious sloppy joe. I’ll have to try it one night for dinner.
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies =-.
Roxan says
Ok, I’m so lame… It’s not like I didn’t grow up with sloppy joes myself, but for some reason as I read this I thought to myself ‘i can’t eat these, they’re too messy… oh wait… SLOPPY joes’! Haha, I think it’s still too early for me. These look great!
thesavingmom says
I really don’t care for ground meat either, but it’s easy for the kids to eat so I have a few more recipes…meatloaf, tacos, pizza, roasted meatballs with sweet potatoes and other veggies. Thanks for your recipe. ~Jessica
Cristine says
They look yummy!
And that vanilla-hazelnut spread you mentioned on my blog sounds fabulous!
.-= Cristine´s last blog ..Huli-Huli Chicken =-.