Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe

5 from 11 votes

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This Homemade Sloppy Joes recipe is better than any package of sloppy joe mix and you’ll even have a few bucks leftover for dessert.

Sloppy Joe plated with chips and salad pm table
Homemade Sloppy Joes are better than any sloppy Joe mix!

Homemade Sloppy Joes

I don’t know of many kids who don’t like a good helping of Sloppy Joe, or if you prefer, Sloppy Joes. Singular or plural, it’s the same delicious meal when it comes to making this Homemade Sloppy Joes recipe. Or these Sloppy Joe Hand Pies.

Legend has it that the sloppy joe sandwich as we know it has its origins in Sioux City, Iowa.  It seems there that back in the 1930s,  a local cook named Joe came up with the template of this taste of Americana with his tomato-based “loose meat” sandwich. Talk about humble beginnings.

Surely Joe had no idea that his kitchen creation would be destined to become ubiquitous with classic American cuisine.

Interestingly enough, in America’s heartland of Wisconsin, Sloppy Joes are often referred to as Spanish hamburgers. This fact was made known to me tonight, and after asking a couple of cheesehead friends, I was told that this is indeed the case.

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Homemade Sloppy Joe Ingredients:

  • Ground beef
  • Sweet onion
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Brown sugar
  • Garlic or garlic powder (or both)
  • Sweet bell pepper (Optional)
3 Sloppy Joe Sandwiches on board behind plated Joe with chips

Coming off the recent flavor high that was provided by our Simple Goulash Recipe just a few days ago, I was generous with the amount of onions that I added to this one-pot wonder recipe. I have had sloppy Joes, made from a seasoning packet, numerous times.

There is no comparison, in taste or flavor, of those processed envelopes of seasoning and this made from scratch Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe. We served these beauties with slices of Provolone cheese, bread and butter pickles, and chips and salad.

Give this simple and flavorful recipe a try. You won ‘t believe how delicious it is to enjoy!

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A plate of Sloppy Joe, chips and salad in front of 3 Joes on a board

Homemade Sloppy Joes

5 from 11 votes
A delicious, made from scratch version of a true taste of Americana.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 people

Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 sweet onions, medium-size, coarse chop
  • 3 cloves garlic, coarse chop
  • 1/2 bell pepper, fine chop
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 lbs ground beef, lean
  • 1.5 cups ketchup
  • 2 tbsp mustard
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 6 hamburgr buns, toasted lightly in oven.
  • 2 tbsp butter

Instructions 

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, sautée onions and stir until wilted and light brown, about 5 minutes. Add diced pepper and garlic and continue to saute until pepper is softened. Add the ground beef and brown, drain off liquid from pain.
  • Stir in the mustard, garlic powder, brown sugar and  ketchup,  mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until ready to serve.
  • Butter the hamburger buns and place under oven broiler for 2 minutes, just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 695kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 117mg, Sodium: 961mg, Potassium: 836mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 735IU, Vitamin C: 21.5mg, Calcium: 139mg, Iron: 5.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @plattertalk or tag #plattertalk!
A close up of Sloppy Joe plate with pickle, chips and salad



Meet the Platter Talk Guys

Dan & Scott split their time between Wisconsin and Southwest Florida and are dads to six boys. Good food runs through their veins, and they love showing others how to cook easy recipes.

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37 Comments

  1. Haven’t eaten a sloppy joe for the longest time! These look great! Loved the little trivia with the recipe 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    I love sloppy joes! These look amazing, and I love the addition of the bell pepper. Yummy!

  3. I have heard of sloppy joes but I didn’t have a chance to try it yet. Your looks so delicious I am drooling. Will save it for the special day to come.

  4. I have heard of sloppy joes and each time when I see one I start to drool. Somehow I can’t get myself to try making one because I would like to try it form another hand first. I will save your recipe for the day when I am ready. =)

  5. 5 stars
    I have never eaten sloppy joes so I like the little story behind sloppy joes as well as some info about the ingredients.

  6. I have not had sloppy joes in a long, long time but these look fantastic! I’m realizing that my son has probably never had one either and that’s just wrong. I’m going to make these this week. Great post!

  7. I seriously can’t remember the last time I made sloppy joes and now I’m wondering why that is. I know my family loves them — so shame on me!

    1. It’s easy to forget how wonderful simple can taste – this recipe is a great reminder. I hope you try these soon!