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    Home » Recipes » Dinner & Lunch

    Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

    Published: Aug 29, 2017 · Modified: Jul 5, 2023 by Abeer Rizvi · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Quick and easy homemade sloppy joes recipe from scratch with simple ingredients. This easy one pot meal and 30 minute dinner idea is classic comfort food.

    I grew up eating homemade sloppy joes but I didn't know them by that name until very recently...lol.

    My mom would call it "loose meat sandwiches."

    She would serve them in hamburger buns with cheese and lettuce and they were deliciously  JUICY and flavorful.

    For sweetness, I make my homemade sloppy joes with brown sugar instead of honey since it just tastes BETTER.

    For tomato flavor, I make my homemade sloppy joes with tomato sauce and ketchup... Some people prefer tomato paste over tomato sauce but I don't like it too much.

    Quick and Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

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    Here are some TIPS for making easy sloppy joes from scratch:

    • Make sure to FINELY dice the onions so that you don't have big chunks of onions in your sandwiches.
    • You must BROWN the beef first to really enhance the overall flavor.
    • DON'T forget to drain excess fat.
    • I like to use Dijon mustard but you can use whatever mustard you like or even ground mustard powder.
    • The number of sandwiches you get from this recipe will depend on the SIZE of your hamburger buns.
    • For sloppy joe recipe (slow cooker), just dump all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 3 hours.
    • LEFTOVERS (without the bun) can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

    What can you add to sloppy joes?

    The classic recipe is shared below. However, you can also make homemade sloppy joes with :

    • BBQ sauce
    • Green peppers
    • Bacon bits
    • Jalapenos
    • Cheese

    Where did the sloppy joe get its name?

    Based on my research, it seems that a cook by the name of Joe added tomatoes in his "loose meat" and then called it sloppy joes.

    How long does it take to make manwich?

    It takes 30 minutes only.

    How much ground beef is needed to make 40 sloppy joes? 30 sloppy joes?

    According to my Mom, the general calculation is the following: 1 pound ground beef will make 6- 8 sloppy joe sandwiches (based on the size of your buns). So,  5 pound ground beef would make about 40 sandwiches. If you use 4 pounds ground beef and you will end up with about 32 sandwiches.

    How to freeze homemade sloppy joes?

    Allow the sloppy joes to cool down completely. Then, place them in a freezer bag or a tight sealed ziploc bag. Lay it flat in the freezer so that it doesn't take up too much space. This can be frozen for up to 1 month.

    Best Sloppy Joes Recipe

    How do you make homemade sloppy joes? How do you make sloppy joe sandwich? How do you make homemade manwich (sloppy joes manwich)?

    The process is very SIMPLE. Start off by heating the oil. Then, saute the onions and garlic. Add the ground beef and brown it. The, drain all the fat. Add mustard vinegar, brown sugar, Worchestire sauce, tomato sauce and ketchup. Mix everything. Then, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then serve in buns and enjoy!

    How to make homemade sloppy joes in crockpot?

    Just dump all the ingredients in a crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Serve in hamburger buns.

    How to thicken sloppy joes?

    Some people add a little cornstarch or flour but I think that affects the flavor. So, I suggest cooking it without the lid on medium heat for longer until the excess water is reduced.

    Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe (Simple Ingredients)

    Now, before anyone starts lecturing me whether these are healthy or not... let me just say that I don't think there is such a thing as a healthy sloppy joe recipe since ground beef is used and that's not considered to be the healthiest meat...hehe.

    You can use soy beef, if you like but it just won't taste the same.

    Anyways, that's all for today.

    If you liked this easy sloppy joe recipe, you may like some of these other easy dinner ideas too:

    Grilled Steak Kabobs Recipe

    Jalapeno Beef

    Spicy Beef Stir Fry (One Pan)

    Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

    One Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

    Recipe

    Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Sandwich on White Dish.

    Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

    Abeer Rizvi
    Quick and easy homemade sloppy joes recipe from scratch with simple ingredients. This easy one pot meal and 30 minute dinner idea is classic comfort food. 
    5 from 1 rating
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
    Calories 297 kcal

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    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Minced
    • 1 Onion Small, Finely chopped
    • 1 pound Ground beef
    • 8 ounce Tomato sauce
    • ⅓ cup Ketchup
    • 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Mustard
    • 1 tablespoon Vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • Salt To taste
    • Pepper To taste
    • 8 Hamburger buns

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oil in a large non-stick pan on medium heat. 
    • Add garlic onions and saute until golden brown.
    • Add ground beef and cook until it's brown.
    • Drain all the fat. 
    • Add tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. 
    • Mix everything together. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
    • To thicken it further, cook for a bit longer without the lid. 
    • Serve in hamburger buns and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Read all my notes and tips above.
    • Leftovers (without the bun) can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 14gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 550mgPotassium: 370mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 175IUVitamin C: 4.4mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 3.1mg

    An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.

    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or rate and tag @cakewhiz on social

    Until next time, tata my lovelies!

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    Hello, I'm Abeer Rizvi, the author and founder of CakeWhiz.com—a cherished dessert blog dedicated to baking, cake decorating, doctored cake mix recipes, and all things sweet. As a skilled food writer, baker, recipe developer, and cake decorator, I take pride in wearing multiple hats.

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