Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes (Best Sloppy Joe Recipe)
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These easy homemade sloppy joes are rich, saucy, and perfectly balanced—sweet, tangy, savory, and just a little spicy. Made with simple pantry staples and ready in under 30 minutes, this comforting weeknight dinner tastes far better than any canned mix.
Total Time:30 minutes
Yield:4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Olive oil — 1 tbsp
Lean ground beef — 1 lb
Sweet onion, diced — 1 small
Green bell pepper, diced — ½ small
Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
Tomato paste — 1 tbsp
Ketchup — ½ cup
Water — ⅓ cup
Brown sugar — 1 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce — 1 tbsp
Yellow mustard — 2 tsp
Coarse salt — ½ tsp
Black pepper — ¼ tsp
Red pepper flakes — ¼ tsp
Toasted buns — 4 (for serving)
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, diced onion, and green bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles, until fully cooked and vegetables are tender.
Stir in minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant. Drain excess grease.
Add tomato paste and stir well, allowing it to cook briefly to deepen flavor.
Pour in ketchup and water. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth and glossy.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and scoopable.
Spoon sloppy joe mixture onto toasted buns and serve immediately.
Notes
For a tangier flavor, add an extra ½ teaspoon mustard.
For a sweeter profile, increase brown sugar by ½ teaspoon.
Toasting the buns helps prevent sogginess and improves texture.
This filling reheats beautifully for leftovers or meal prep.
