Sloppy Joes
The BEST recipe for a homemade Sloppy Joe! Ground beef in a hearty tomato sauce on toasted hamburger buns. A family favorite that's perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup*
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard, or to taste
- 2-3 tsp brown sugar, or to taste*
For the Sloppy Joes
- 1 Tbsp extra light olive oil, or any high-heat cooking oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef, 85%-90% lean
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 small green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced, or use 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
Instructions
- Make the Sauce - In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and brown sugar, and set it aside.
- Cook the Beef - Place a large skillet or dutch oven over medium/high heat. Add olive oil and ground beef. Saute the beef for about 5 minutes until cooked through and no longer pink, breaking it up with a spatula. If you see extra fat on the bottom, tilt the pan and spoon it out or blot it up with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add vegetables - Stir in the diced peppers and onion. Cook another 5 minutes until the veggies are tender and beef is browned. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Add the sauce and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 10-15 minutes or until thickened to your liking. Adjust the seasoning taste* and add water if you prefer a looser consistency. Serve on toasted buns for Sloppy Joe Sandwiches.
Notes
*Why ketchup? I recently started adding ketchup to my sauce, and I found that it adds more dimension, acidity, and sweetness to improve the flavor of the sauce.
*Add sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of your ketchup. Start with 2 teaspoons and add more if needed.
Sloppy Joe Tasting Guide - You can adjust the flavor profile of your sloppy joe based on your preferences. It helps to add a bit of the sauce to a bun and adjust after taking a bite.
- Too sweet? Add a pinch of salt or 1/ 2 tsp apple-cider vinegar
- Too Tangy? Add 1/2 tsp brown sugar or a drizzle of ketchup
- Too Tomato-y? Simmer an extra 5 min to concentrate flavors and caramelize sugars.
- Missing depth? Add extra Worcestershire.
- Too loose? Simmer uncovered 3-5 minutes to thicken
- Too thick? Add a splash of water
Nutrition Facts
Sloppy Joes
Amount per Serving
Calories
359
% Daily Value*
Fat
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
5
g
31
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
7
g
Cholesterol
59
mg
20
%
Sodium
1073
mg
47
%
Potassium
743
mg
21
%
Carbohydrates
33
g
11
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
12
g
13
%
Protein
24
g
48
%
Vitamin A
479
IU
10
%
Vitamin C
19
mg
23
%
Calcium
83
mg
8
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
