Sloppy Joes (Classic Old Fashioned Sloppy Joe Recipe)
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For hectic nights, this old-fashioned sloppy joe recipe is your go-to dinner. Quick and hassle-free – brown some beef, add a special sauce, and serve it up on a bun. You’ll have a quick, hearty meal, pronto that kids and adults will love.
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Why We Love This Classic Old Fashioned Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Easy To Make – Sloppy joes are pretty easy to make, if you can cook ground beef you can make a sloppy joes. Plus this old fashioned recipe is easy to customize to your own flavor preferences.
- Cozy Comfort Food – To me sloppy joes are perfect on a cold day, they kind of remind me of chili honestly in the way they warm you up. This easy recipe is equally delicious for a summer picnic or party.
- Kid Friendly And Crowd Friendly – This recipe is pretty no fuss and kids like the messier sandwich factor. You can make a couple batches for a party and throw it in a slow cooker to keep it warm.
This is my mother in law’s classic Old Fashioned Sloppy Joe recipe. She used to make it this way with Heinz chili sauce, and my husband’s whole face lit up when I made it for him. I do sometimes make sloppy joes with ketchup like in my sloppy joe sliders recipe, but this version always makes my husband smile.
Ingredients For Homemade Sloppy Joes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.
- ground beef – I prefer lean ground beef. If you use 80/20 or a blend with more fat I recommend draining the meat really well so it’s not oily
- onion diced
- bell pepper diced, I prefer yellow or orange. You can use red or green bell pepper also.
- salt
- pepper
- minced garlic – I use the jarred garlic. If you have fresh garlic you’ll need about two cloves. You can swap garlic powder also.
- diced tomatoes in juice canned, tomatoes and juice both are used in this recipe, don’t drain
- Heinz chili sauce – some grocery stores do have a store brand version of this chili sauce (I know Kroger’s does, and Trader Joe’s has had it in the past.) This is usually found near the ketchup. It is similar to ketchup but has a lot more flavor and is a less sweet sauce. We almost always have a jar in our pantry on hand since it has a long shelf life for busy dinners.
- apple cider vinegar – You can use white vinegar here in a pinch, but it may have a little more tangy flavor. The apple cider vinegar balances a little better I find, and is what my mil would use.
- large buns rolls, hamburger buns or toasted bread also work
Some recipes also include a little bit of brown sugar, which can balance the tomatoes a little bit. I find using the chili sauce instead of ketchup that brown sugar isn’t needed.
How To Make Sloppy Joes
- Place the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the ground beef until brown all the way through, about 6-9 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the meat and place on paper towels to drain if needed.
- Add diced onion and bell pepper to the same pan. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Allow the vegetables to soften for 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Place ground beef back in the pan on top of the vegetables. Pour the remaining ingredients, the diced tomatoes and chili sauce, into the pan and stir.
- Wait for the whole mixture to begin to bubble, then let it simmer for five minutes. Scoop onto buns and enjoy!
What Do I Serve With Sloppy Joes?
Try serving sloppy joe meat with a baked potato, roasted potato wedges, creamy mashed potatoes or even with mashed sweet potatoes.
Sloppy Joes also go great with some crunchy potato chips, tater tots, or creamy mac and cheese.
Many people like coleslaw and some pickles with a sloppy joe sandwich, and my quick and easy 10 minute coleslaw is always win. Add some loaded baked potato salad and you have a party!
You can also try other veggies on the side like the broccoli cheese stuffed potatoes or the honey roasted baby carrots.
Ways To Use Leftover Sloppy Joe Meat?
The sloppy joe meat mixture is pretty flexible and can be served in a few different ways.
Try adding the Sloppy Joe meat on top of tater tots or french fries. You can spread leftover meat on garlic bread or Texas toast, or put it on top of noodles or rice.
We like making Sloppy Joe Sliders, they are great for game day. You can make sliders individually or use only half the pack of rolls if you only have a little bit of the meat mixture. Sloppy joe put in a wrap and rolled like a burrito is also delicious.
Sloppy Joe meat can also be used on top of a salad to make more of a taco salad style salad if you add toppings like corn, black beans tomatoes, and crushed corn chips. I also absolutely love the idea of these Sloppy Joe Hand Pies, these would also be great to freeze and reheat on a busy day.
Can I Use Ground Turkey Or Ground Chicken?
Yes, you can easily swap out ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef in this recipe.
How Do I Thicken The Sloppy Joe Sauce?
If for some reason your sloppy joe sauce is just a little too runny, try this. Mix two teaspoons of cornstarch with four teaspoons of water, then add it to the sloppy joe mixture. Let the entire mixture bubble for at least 2-3 minutes to fully thicken.
Do I Add Cheese To My Sloppy Joe Sandwich?
Some people like adding cheese to their homemade sloppy joe sandwiches. Usually a cheese like cheddar, colby jack or even American cheese is delicious. Pick a cheese that slices easily, and is a little bit melty for the best results.
How Long Will These Easy Sloppy Joes Last?
Expect leftover sloppy joes to last about 3-4 days. I recommend storing the meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store the meat separately from the buns so the buns don’t become soggy.
Can You Freeze Classic Sloppy Joes?
The leftover sloppy joe meat mixture also freezes very well, and can be made ahead. You can reheat the sloppy joe mixture in the microwave or on the stove.
I don’t recommend freezing the buns. Instead add the meat mixture to a bun after heating.
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion diced
- ½ medium bell pepper diced, I prefer yellow or orange
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes in juice canned, tomatoes and juice
- 12 ounces Heinz chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 large buns rolls or toasted bread also work
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the ground beef until brown all the way through, about 6-9 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the meat and place on paper towels to drain if needed.
- Add diced onion and bell pepper to the same pan. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Allow the vegetables to soften for 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Place ground beef back in the pan on top of the vegetables. Pour diced tomatoes and chili sauce into the pan and stir.
- Wait for the whole mixture to begin to bubble, then let it cook for five minutes. Scoop onto buns and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This?
I would love to see it! Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
