Homemade Sloppy Joes
on Aug 08, 2022, Updated Oct 11, 2023
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These Homemade Sloppy Joes are a hit with kids and adults alike. The ground beef is seasoned with onion and garlic and cooked in a delicious sauce that’s sweet and tangy. Serve it on toasted hamburger buns and you’re good to go!
You’ll love the tangy flavor of these Homemade Sloppy Joes. They’re everyone’s favorite comfort food!
What Is A Sloppy Joe?
Sloppy Joe is a sandwich that’s made with seasoned ground beef in a sweet and tangy tomato-based sauce. The sauce is typically made with tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, and additional seasonings. Sloppy Joes are served on hamburger buns.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- ground beef
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- garlic
- yellow onion
- barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- garlic powder
- hamburger buns
(Note: Full recipe is at the bottom of the post)
How to Make BBQ Hamburger
- In a large pan over medium heat, add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until browned. Use a spoon to remove any excess oil that’s collected in the pan.
- Add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until well combined and saucy.
- Serve warm on toasted hamburger buns.
Tips and Tricks:
- These Homemade Sloppy Joes can be made up to 2 days before you plan to serve them. After making the meat sauce, place it into an airtight container and refrigerate. When ready to use, reheat the sauce in a skillet until warmed throughout.
- Make a batch of Sloppy Joe sauce and store it in the freezer! Let the meat mixture cool to room temperature and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw the meat mixture in the fridge overnight and then reheat it on the stovetop.
Variations
Make these Homemade Sloppy Joes your own by switching up the ingredients. Here are some ideas:
- Make a sweet and sour Sloppy Joe sauce by adding a small can of crushed pineapple.
- Use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef.
- Add a tablespoon of ground ginger and use hoisin sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce for Asian-inspired Sloppy Joes.
- Add fiber and flavor by adding shredded carrots, zucchini, and a cup of black beans.
- Make them lower in carbohydrates by serving the Sloppy Joes on lettuce leaves instead of hamburger buns.
Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ketchup to taste
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 hamburger buns, toasted
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium heat, add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until browned. Use a spoon to remove any excess oil that’s collected in the pan.
- Add the garlic and onion and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until well combined and saucy.
- Serve warm on toasted hamburger buns.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
