Classic Sloppy Joes in 20 minutes with a homemade tomato gravy and bell peppers on hamburger buns that have won 3 sloppy joe competitions!
Classic Comfort Food recipes like Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Ultimate Beef Stew and Slow Cooker Chili are popular because they’re family favorites that bring back happy food memories!
Ultimate Sloppy Joes are a quick meal made without the canned sauce or the packets of Sloppy Joe seasoning you may have grown up with. With just a few pantry ingredients you’ll have a whole new appreciation for classic American dinner favorite Sloppy Joe.
These are called Ultimate Sloppy Joes (also known as a Loose Meat Sandwich is some parts), but you may also want to refer to them as Award Winning Sloppy Joes because this recipe has been victorious in three separate sandwich contests including one competition where it beat out over 50 other Sloppy Joe recipes!
Plus, it wins the most important contest of all, the kid contest. Kids LOVE this recipe because it is the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors. You will not see a single kid refuse these Sloppy Joes during any weeknight dinners.
These are the best Sloppy Joes. They’re so good that the base of this recipe made led us to create 25 more Sloppy Joe recipes! There are so many delicious meals, from Philly Cheese Steak, Bacon Cheeseburger, to Pizza too, so if you love these Classic Sloppy Joes you should definitely try out more (another favorite is the Bacon, Beer and Cheese Sloppy Joes)!
How to Make Ultimate Sloppy Joes
Homemade Sloppy Joes are made with ground beef, onion and green bell peppers that are simmered in a brown sugar and ketchup gravy until thickened and served on a bun.
- Step One: Cook the beef until it begins to get a yummy brown crust on the edges. To get a good sear on the meat use high heat instead of medium heat or even medium-high heat, this will create a nice crust giving it a texture more like hamburgers.
- Step Two: After excess oil is drained, add in the butter and chopped onion and green peppers.
- Step Three: After a couple of minutes of browning, drop the heat to medium, add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the meat mixture, and cook until ready to eat!
- Step Four: Spoon beef mixture onto toasted buns. Make sure to toast your bun before adding the filling. If you don’t your bun it may get too soggy, too quickly (psst, you could also butter it to make it even more delicious).
More Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure not to cook down the sauce too much, sometimes the Sloppy Joes can get dry. You’re looking for a consistency where you can see the individual bits of meat, but not dry enough where they don’t cling to each other in sauce.
Sloppy Joes can be served again the next day if you add a bit of liquid to help create a bit more Sloppy Joe sauce. To avoid more sugar being added, start with some tomato sauce and water in ¼ cup increments as you gently reheat and taste.
If you look at the back of the store bought sauce, many of the ingredients are similar, though this recipe is not exactly like a homemade version of the canned Sloppy Joes. This is also not the same as if you grew up eating Sloppy Joes made with tomato sauce, but the ketchup in the recipe acts in a similar way.
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Key Ingredients in Ultimate Sloppy Joes
- Beef: Lean ground beef is the best for this recipe. High fat ground beef will cook down too much so compensate if need be. This recipe calls for one pound ground beef, but you can double everything to make more!
- Ketchup: Your favorite kind will do.
- Mustard: Classic American yellow mustard will do the trick.
- Bell Peppers: This recipe calls for green peepers, but you can use the less bitter red, orange, or even yellow bell peppers (also called capsicum). You can also leave it out, but remember you are removing probably a half cup or more of ingredients, so it will be saucier.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added. You can even raw granulated sugar if preferred.
- Garlic: You can mince one or two cloves garlic, or use pre-minced garlic cloves.
- Onion: We’re using a medium onion in this recipe.
Variations on Ultimate Sloppy Joes
- Meat: Make the Sloppy Joe recipe a little healthier by swapping ground beef for ground turkey.
- Spicy Joes: You can add a tablespoon of red pepper flakes, or hot sauce to give this yummy recipe a good kick!
- Smokey Joes: Add a half cup of your favorite BBQ sauce to make this sandwich sizzle with an incredible depth of flavor!
- Cheese: It’s delicious to add in some American, mozzarella cheese, or cheddar cheese to the filling when it is done. Some people like to top the sandwich with cheese. Either way cheese makes it just a little more awesome.
- More Flavor: If you want a bit more savory flavor you can also add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to the Sloppy Joe meat. A teaspoon onion powder and a dash of chili powder will take it up a notch too!
- Tomato Sauce: If you would like to swap the ketchup for tomato sauce or tomato paste, just play with the rest of the ingredients to increase the sweetness more as the ketchup adds a definite sweet flavor.
- Leftovers: If you would like to use leftovers you may have in another recipe, just use the method found in Ground Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese and you’ll be in heaven!
Alternative Cooking Methods for Ultimate Sloppy Joes
- Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes: Add the ingredients (minus the buns) to the crock pot and cook on low for 4 hours. Stir before serving and scoop onto your toasted hamburger bun.
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes: Brown the ground beef in the instant pot on the sauté setting per the instructions, then add in the rest of the ingredients (except the buns). Add the lid and set the pressure to high for ten minutes. Release the pressure naturally for five minutes, open the top and scooped onto toasted hamburger buns.
How to Serve Sloppy Joes
Homemade Sloppy Joes are all about comfort food flavors so you’ll love serving them with Onion Rings, Potato Wedges, Sweet Potato Fries or Roasted Potatoes along with some healthier Roasted Vegetables.
More Yummy Sandwiches
How to Store Ultimate Sloppy Joes
- Serve: These sandwiches are best served fresh once they are assembled. You can keep the filling warm in a slow cooker for up to 4 hours or at room temperature for 2 hours.
- Store: Store the Ultimate Sloppy Joes filling separately in an air tight container and assemble the sandwiches right before you want to serve. The filling can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool the beef mixture completely and place in a sealed container. Freeze Sloppy Joes filling for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper , chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet (this browns very well) on high heat and brown until a deep brown crust appears before breaking the beef apart.
- Stir the ground beef and brown until a deep crust appears on about 50 or so percent of the beef, and it is cooked through, then remove the beef, drain the excess liquid and add the butter, onions and bell pepper to the pan.
- Let brown for 1-2 minutes before stirring, then let brown for another 1-2 minutes before stirring again and add the beef back into the pan.
- Add the garlic, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, to the pan and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 75% of the mixture is above liquid), 3-5 minutes.
- Serve on toasted hamburger buns.
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Photos used in a previous version of this post.
It was super good & I will be fixing it for Christmas Eve party. Mine also didn’t have the gravy but I Think that might be because I use 93% lean hamburger. Do you think using 85% lean would make it so there would be more gravy?
Yes, I would recommend using 85% lean. When making it ahead of time, I would add more ketchup mustard sauce or even a bit of water to loosen the sauce back up. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Easy, delicious, husband loved it!!! This recipe is a keeper!
Too sweet for me with ketchup & brown sugar. I’m sure my husband will love it.
I will make it again using tomato sauce, half the brown sugar & ketchup. Thank you.
Everyone loved this recipe though I did 1 1/2 and added ingredients to make it turn out perfect.
These are delicious! And I learned something new – giving a deep brown sear really enhanced the flavor. I’ve never done that, just cooked my hamburger the same boring way I always do.
My mixture did not end up with a gravy. It was thick and sticky and bun-ready immediately with no need to cook it down. Is there an ingredient missing? Tomato sauce or broth or something?
It doesn’t sound like anything wrong if you followed the recipe, sometimes it will be thicker depending on the heat and the moisture in the meat. So glad you liked the searing the trick!
If a added sloppy joe mix before I cooked the meat is this still ok?
I cooked the meat with sauce for 20 minutes then let it simmer.
You won’t get a nice brown on the meat and the flavor of browning but as long as the meat cooks it’s fine.
I made this last night and it was delicious! It was also very quick and easy. I had it on the table in about 30 minutes.
My wife and I love a good sloppy joe, and this recipe has become our go to favorite! BTW this is the first review I’ve ever done, it’s that good! Thanks and God bless you.
We are huge Sloppy Joe fans over here too – I believe I have 26 recipes on the site and many more to come haha!
If you ever wanna switch them up – I’d go with the Philly cheesesteak Sloppy Joes – my two favorite things combined!
https://dinnerthendessert.com/philly-cheese-steak-sloppy-joes/
Just finished eating these. They were great! My husband loved them too!
Awesome! Love it when it’s a hit all around!
This Is the best sloppy Joe recipe. My husband and I loved this. It is quick and easy. I will be making this again! Some nice grilled buns and dinner was a hit!
I made this tonight and I didn’t have any veggies to add unfortunately (we’re broke) but it still turned out great! I used garlic powder & dried minced onion, less than half the amount of brown sugar. My husband said it’s way better than the canned sauce. Super happy to have found this recipe. Next time I will try it with fresh onions and bell peppers!
I’m glad it turned out great for you guys! A good veggie saving tip is go with frozen veggies. Most places have an onion and bell pepper mix and frozen veggies are picked at the peak of their season so while not as crisp as fresh, they are just as good for you! I would defrost & drain the veggies so they don’t release too much extra liquid.
For the Instant Pot version, when adding the meat and other ingredients do you stir everything prior to starting? Or just add ingredients on top and start? Thanks!
Yes, you want to give it a good stir before starting the IP cooking time.
I made this for my husband. He said it is the best sloppy joe he has ever had. It was very easy and quick to make. I did add about 1/4 tsp chili powder to offset some of the sweetness. I could have used half the brown sugar but my husband says he wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for this recipe. It will now be part of our regular rotation.
My husband and I are solidly from the “Sloppy Joe Generation.” We grew up in the 80s and Manwich was a common occurrence, and I personally wasn’t a fan. This recipe, however, is awesome! It’s everything that a Sloppy Joe should be. I make it with ground turkey as beef doesn’t agree with my stomach, but to make it a bit “beefy” I add 1/2 c. water and a bit of beef bullion. I also add a bit of Worcestershire Sauce and double the recipe since we have a big family. This is a new family favorite!
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
If opting for the crockpot, do you brown the meat before putting it in the crockpot? Thanks!
Yes 🙂 Enjoy!
What a fantastic recipe! Better than Manwich. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar. Wow, it makes a delicious meal!
Great recipe! I had four uncooked hamburgers left from the night before so meat was about 1.5 lbs. Used one full onion and whole green pepper. I overestimated the brown sugar (not big on measuring) so I added 3/4 cup of marinara sauce. Husband and grown boys loved this!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Thanks for the 5 stars Cari.
Unfortunately this recipe didnt work. It is way too sweet and waaaay too much ketchup.
I tried this after reading that it’s kid approved. My toddler feasts on my hopes and dreams and the occasional cup of milk, so I was willing to give it a try. No such luck, she spit out the first bite and refused to eat anymore. I don’t hold that against this recipe though. These sloppy joes are absolutely delicious. My husband said he only wants this recipe from now on.
I’m not a fan of sloppy Joe’s but this recipe is excellent. Even I had one! Goes together quickly with ingredients on hand. I will make these from now on. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Glad you decided to give it a try!
I made this for my family and they are all very picky eaters and they loved it!!! I didn’t have brown sugar so I used white sugar instead and it was delicious
Oh YUM!!!! These are wonderful. I only had Dijon mustard and I don’t use brown sugar so I used agave. But these are so good. And yes def butter and toast the buns. Thanks can’t wait to try your other recipes.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can this be made ahead of time and put in the freezer?
Yes but when you reheat you may need to add a bit of liquid to help create more of the sauce for the sloppy joes. Try adding a bit of water or tomato sauce little by little until it’s the right consistency. Enjoy!
I added a bit of Worcestershire sauce, best thing!
This is now my favorite Sloppy Joe recipe! The entire family LOVED it! Can’t wait to try the rest of your recipe’s!! Thanks So Much!!!
Thank you so much, Tammy! I look forward to seeing you around the site.
My family loved this recipe; with or without the cheese, it has great flavor! I appreciate how simple and quick these were to make and that there was no tomato paste involved! Thank you 🙂
Receta arroz integral por favor, Srita. Sabrina.
https://dinnerthendessert.com/perfect-brown-rice-every-time/
Just made this tonight. It was delicious. My sceptical husband asked for seconds.
These were great! My 4 year old twins ate them even though “we don’t like onions”. Managed to sneak the green peppers right past them – suckers!
Served mine with sharp cheddar cheese slice on Kings Hawaiian buns. Nice sweet kick to round it out.
Haha, love it!
These are the Absolute Best Sloppy Joes I’ve ever had! Soooo Delicious ???????????. Don’t forget to toast the bun! THX
I was looking for something quick to make for dinner since I ended up working late. Most of the ingredients I had at home and only had to stop to get some ground beef on my way home. I’ve never been a huge fan of Sloppy Joes but my SO really likes them so I thought “why not”. And boy oh boy am I happy I landed on this recipe. This recipe has permanently changed my mind on what a good sloppy joe is. Thank you so much for sharing this. I can’t wait to make them again!
I made these! They are amazing! My Fiance’s mother uses this recipe too!
I made this sloppy joe for supper tonight. I will be making again cause it was delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
We are making these for the second weekend in a row…they are awesome.
Fantastic! So happy you love them so much!
Interesting how only positive reviews are posted.
This recipe was dreadful. For anyone who liked it; save yourself the work and simply pour some of your favorite bbq sauce into your hamburger. Much easier. However, probably won’t improve the outcome.
I’m sorry this recipe didn’t live up to your expectation.
I had it for lunch It was Delicious
I told my boyfriend I wanted to make sloppy joes for dinner… not from a packet but homemade and low in salt. He said “meh, okay” (disapproving but no other idea for dinner). I made these ultimate sloppy joes last night for dinner. I made the recipe as isand added some chopped jalapenos at the end. My boyfriend woofed them down and asked what was in these because they were the best sloppy joes he’s ever had. Thanks, Sabrina.
Yay!! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know, Carol.
This recipe was delicious! Ran out of ketchup. Used tomato sauce and half of the brown sugar. We couldn’t get enough.
Awesome recipe I would totally recommend this to anyone!!! I just added some jalapeño peppers and Worcestershire and siracha and used half ketchup and half tomato sauce!!?
So glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca!
Great recipe for the Ultimate Sloppy Joes !!!!! These are awesome!!! I added some siracha and BBQ sauce and Worcestershire and jalapeño peppers to add a little spice ?
Love this recipe. Huge hit with my wife. I want to make this in the slow cooker so I have a question about that. Do you brown the beef before adding it to the slow cooker or add beef uncooked?
Yes, brown before adding for sure, also got that email taken care of for you. 🙂
Why must every recipe on the Internet come with a long-winded tale? I don’t want to know your life story, foodies. I just want a damn recipe.
Below the title of every recipe at the top of the page is a “jump to recipe” button. Click on that and it’ll take you right there.
Without a doubt, BEST sloppy joe recipe EVER!!! This is my #1 go to sloppy jo that I go to every time! Never, ever will I buy that canned stuff again!
Yay!! This just made me so happy!!
Excellent. Will be making again!
I Wanted to make Sloppy Joes this afternoon and needed the recipe for the sauce after scouring the pantree and finding no Manwich. Very Delicious! I will continue to make this insted of buying the can. Thank you!
Yay so glad to hear it! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving the review!
I made these last night. I’d used 3 cloves of garlic to start with (we were in the mood for garlic), but I’m afraid we thought the final result tasted bland. I ended up adding extra salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and then some vinegar from pickled banana peppers. They all helped a bit, but it just didn’t taste like Sloppy Jo sauces I’ve made over the years. I even accidentally used too much yellow mustard to start with, and was afraid it would taste too sharp, but it just tasted like something was missing. I feel badly that we didn’t like it – it was not terrible, by any means, it just didn’t taste like what we were expecting.
Awesome sloppy joes! My son could not get enough.
These sloppy joes are the best ever. I give them. 100 stars.
Wow, thanks!!
I made this with bear meat, and opted out of peppers (ick!). But I added mushrooms and a couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bear meat is really lean, so I didn’t have any grease to drain off. We didn’t have any cheese, so that was out, too. I served it on toasted sourdough hoagie rolls. This was shockingly easy to make, and actually took the amount of time listed to make, which never happens to me. Holy crow, they were delicious–my two-year-olds loved them! I am way less than stellar in the kitchen, so I’m counting the success of these “sloppy bears” as a major victory!
I’m so glad you were able to customize them to your liking! Thanks so much for the 5 star rating!
I like to add chopped celery to sloppy joes; in about half as much as the onions and/or peppers. I think it adds a depth to the mixture; maybe it’s just that my mom always did this and I liked hers a lot. Made these according to your directions, though, and they were very good. I have to make a bunch of these for an upcoming event, a big batch of beef sloppy joes, a fairly large batch of chicken or turkey sloppy joes, and a small lentil or jackfruit version. Will probably use your recipe for them, just varying the protein. May or may not add the celery this time, but thanks for a great recipe.
Enjoy!
Just made this, so tasty! Just exactly like sloppy joes are supposed to be. I always wing it and sometimes it wouldn’t come out right, then I saw this recipe and the ingredients were very close to mine so now I have the correct measurements so they’ll come out great every time!
Yep. This recipe is written with great care, which always draws our attention. We thought 2 Tsp was a lot of sugar, so we used 2 tsp instead, and we melted 1 anchovie with the onions like one would for a ragu.