All these years I’ve thought sloppy joes were the worst dinner ever, but after months of testing I’ve finally found a recipe I LOVE!
Every time I heard that we were having sloppy joes for lunch at school as a kid, I cringed. I was never too excited for sloppy joes at home either. Not knowing what was in the sloppy joes made it harder for me to eat — it should have been called “Mystery Joes” or something along those lines.
For years, we tried new recipes and each one was getting closer and closer to me finally accepting the sloppy mess of a meal. Everyone went crazy for them at school and families we knew loved them, clearly I was missing something.
We have finally found the best sloppy joe recipe EVER! Not just the best, but a totally crave-able recipe! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty and a little spicy.
Creating the Best Sloppy Joes Recipe
As a teenager, I watched Adam Sandler and Chris Farley perform “lunch lady land” on Saturday Night Live. Interestingly enough, this skit gave me a new outlook on sloppy joes, not sure why.
Well, a couple decades later this bad boy lands on my plate and a whole slew of feelings came rushing back: disgust, anxiety, unpleasant crunchy things, failure after failure of trying this recipe in the past, and almost complete despair of ever finding a Sloppy Joes recipe that actually tasted good.
Would this one be another flop? I sat down to the dinner table with that fake smile, that “thanks honey, this looks great” face on that I had nailed down over my childhood years. The smells began to hit my nostrils and to my surprise they were pleasant, smokey richness, grilled onions and peppers, almost like a bbq restaurant smell.
I began to feel a little excitement in this Mystery Joe. I went in for the first bite and it was all over from there, seconds and thirds landed on my plate and my taste buds were chest bumping each other.
What is a Sloppy Joe?
To be clear, a sloppy joe is not a sandwich with chili piled on top. A sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef or pork, onions, tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun.
The dish originated in the United States during the early 20th century. According to legend, a cook named Joe at Floyd Angell’s café in Sioux City, Iowa, added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches and the “sloppy joe” sandwich was born. And the rest, as they say, is history!
Sloppy Joe Ingredients
For this easy sloppy joe recipe, you’ll need a handful of ingredients. I bet most of these ingredients are in your pantry already! For the sloppy joe meat mixture, you’ll need…
- Butter
- Onion
- Red Bell Pepper
- Garlic
- Ground Beef
Although you can’t have sloppy joes without the meat, the sloppy joe sauce is what really makes this recipe. For the sloppy joe sauce, you’ll need…
- Brown Sugar
- Dijon Mustard
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Liquid Smoke
- Ketchup
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Spices: chili powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper
What makes this sloppy joe sauce so amazing is its blend of sweet and smoky flavors. The sauce has so much depth to it, which you wouldn’t expect for such a simple dinner recipe! The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes
I’m not sure we could have made this sloppy joe recipe any easier! Here’s the basic rundown of how to make the best sloppy joes and how to make sloppy joe sauce:
- In a Dutch oven, saute the onion in a little butter until translucent.
- Add the diced bell pepper and garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add in the ground beef and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
- The sloppy joe sauce ingredients are added next. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes, or up to an hour.
- Scoop the sloppy joe mixture onto buttered buns and enjoy!
The complete instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Watch How These Sloppy Joes are Made…
Can I Make Sloppy Joes with Ground Turkey?
Absolutely! You can use pretty much any ground meat you’d like in these easy sloppy joes. If you’d like to use ground turkey in particular, we recommend making our Healthier Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes instead.
Can I Omit the Liquid Smoke?
We love the hint of smokiness it adds to this sloppy joe recipe, but you can omit it if you don’t have any on hand.
What is the Difference Between Manwich and Sloppy Joes?
Manwich is basically a brand of sloppy joes that you can buy at the grocery store. It comes in a can and just needs to be warmed up before serving it on buns. It’s an okay version of a sloppy joe, but making sloppy joes from scratch is far superior in my opinion!
Can I Make Sloppy Joes in a Slow Cooker?
Most definitely. You’ll need to brown the beef first, then you can add everything into the slow cooker and let it cook low and slow for up to three hours. You’ll need to stir it occasionally though! If you have a regular sized slow cooker, we recommend doubling this easy sloppy joe recipe to fill the entire thing.
Tips for the Best Sloppy Joes
We prefer using 80% lean ground beef to make these sloppy joes from scratch. You don’t want to use beef that’s too lean, as the fat adds lots of moisture and flavor to this dish.
The sloppy joe mixture can be prepped in advance and enjoyed the next day. Simply reheat on the stove or stick in a Crockpot to keep warm.
If needed, this easy sloppy joe recipe can be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd!
This recipe is super kid friendly, but eating a sloppy joe is not kid friendly at all. Haha! There’s nothing messier! So here’s my tip…break up the bun into the bite size pieces and scoop the filling over the top. It makes it much easier for the little to eat!
What Goes With Sloppy Joes?
Not sure what to serve with your sloppy joes from scratch? Here are a few of our favorite sloppy joes sides:
- Classic Grilled Corn
- Best Baked Beans
- Macaroni Salad
- Best Potato Salad
- Classic Broccoli Salad with Bacon
Storage Tips
Storing: Sloppy joe filling can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freezing: Cool the sloppy joes filling completely in the refrigerator before you freeze it. Freeze it in labeled freezer bags and lay it flat in your freezer so you can stack your frozen meals. You can freeze it for 3 – 6 months.
Reheating: When you’re ready to eat the frozen sloppy joes filling, place it in the fridge overnight to thaw and then warm it on the stove.
You will love this easy dinner recipe! Homemade sloppy joes are pure comfort food that is inexpensive, hearty, beefy and bold in flavor.
More Ground Beef Dinner Recipes:
You can find all of our beef recipes here.
The Best Sloppy Joes
Description
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 Cup Onion, diced fine
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced fine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic, minced
- 1 Pound Ground Beef, we use 80% lean
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons Dark or Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Buns, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter.3 Tablespoons Butter
- Once melted, quickly add the onion and stir occasionally until translucent.1/2 Cup Onion
- Add the peppers and garlic and stir occasionally for 1 minute then add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon, stirring it all together.1 Red Bell Pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic, 1 Pound Ground Beef
- Allow to cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the brown sugar, mustard, worcestershire, liquid smoke, chili powder, and paprika.2 1/2 Tablespoons Dark or Light Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, 3/4 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- Stir for 30 seconds and then add the ketchup and vinegar.1 Cup Ketchup, 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- Allow to cook for 5 minutes, season to taste and serve or cook up to 1 hour on low and then serve. The longer it cooks the better the flavor.Salt and Pepper
- Scoop onto buns that have been brushed with butter.Buns
Notes
Nutrition
Recommended Products
Greta
This is THE BEST! I love the red bell pepper, smoked paprika and other flavors. I don’t add as much vinegar, but everything else is spot on!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Greta! So glad you enjoyed it!
Nina
I was excited to try this recipe as I hadn’t had sloppy Joe’s in years. Unfortunately, it was insanely sweet and too heavy on the apple cider vinegar and that is with only 2/3 cup of ketchup and 3 tbsp of cider vinegar. It tasted like ground beef in a cloingly sweet BBQ sauce. Even my kids thought it was too sweet and they love sugar.
Sweet Basil
Thank you for the feedback Nina!
Tom Kaye
Been looking for a “Go To” Sloppy Joe recipe and this is it. Only thing I would do different is drain the fat from the beef. Too much fat for me and I used 85% lean.
Sweet Basil
Yay! Thank you so much Tom! This is a family favorite for sure!
Jamie
I wish I would have read the comments before starting to make the recipe, the pictures just looked so good- I figured no reviews needed “I’m going for it!” You definitely NEED to cut down on the apple cider vinegar, it overpowers all of the other delicious flavors. I added more ketchup, brown sugar, and paprika to try to tone down the acidic vinegar taste, didn’t work too well. I’ll be trying the recipe again with half of the apple cider vinegar in it.
Sweet Basil
Thanks for the feedback Jamie! We love this recipe just as it is written, but you can definitely modify it to fit your taste!
Life of Fragrances
Quite yummy, only sub I made was I used 3/4 cup of Trader Joe’s truffle ketchup as that’s all I had on hand. I also decreased the ACV by half.
I would for sure make this again, in fact it may rival my hubby’s personal sloppy Joe recipe😂
Sweet Basil
Woop woop! Love to hear this! Thank you so much for the feedback!
Lorrie
Loved it, but we don’t care for ketchup in my house so I subbed it with hickory bbq sauce, chillies in place of the bell pepper due to an allergy. It’s been well received every time. I’ve tried it with ground beef, chicken, turkey and pork and it’s been a hit with each variety
Thanks for an adult and child friendly meal
Sweet Basil
Yay! Thank you so much for the feedback Lorrie!
Kimberly
Okay well scratch everything I said before (i tend to over analyze and criticize my cooking) bc as it cooked a little longer the flavor developed and although it was still very tangy, my family absolutely ADORED them and said they were the most amazing mix of spicy sweet and tangy ever!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much for the feedback Kimberly! Yes, vinegar will tame a little as it simmers and melds with the rest of the ingredients. I’m so glad that your family enjoyed it!
Kimberly
Everything was going so well until I added the ACV 🙁 honestly I can’t taste anything else now, it’s literally as sour as like, salt & vinegar potato chips 😭 what did I do wrong please tell me🙏🏽 Does it need to cook out like alcohol or is it supposed to be really tangy?
Diana Wilson
Hands down THE best Sloppy Joe recipe. Made this in the slow cooker and doubled the recipe, as suggested. I used half ground sirloin(90%) and ground Chuck/sirloin blend (85%) and drained the fat after browning. Based on other reviews, I reduced the apple cider by half. It had just the right amount of smokiness and the addition of the chili powder gives it a nice kick. This is a keeper!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Diana! This totally makes me day!
Cindy
The most flavorful and delicious sloppy joes ever! I love using red bell pepper in ours; double or triple the recipe for parties! 🎉
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Cindy! It is a great dish for a crowd!
Sharon L Volkman
This is absolutely the best. Family favorite. Everybody asks for the recipe.
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Sharon! Love to hear this!!
Joanna
What can I use if I don’t have a dutch?
Sweet Basil
Hi Joanna! Any good sturdy pot will work great!
Roger Longfellow
This is my adopted Sloppy Joe recipe for a number of years now. I have made it many times. My wife and I are huge fans of the good “Joe”. The counterpoint of the vinegar and sugar/ketchup is essential. If you don’t have liquid smoke just double the smoked paprika. Either way, the smoke flavour has to be there otherwise there you’re missing the point of the recipe (at least I think so). Also cook it out slowly for an hour. This is not fast food, or shouldn’t be. Also, I always add a chopped long, mild red chile with the red bell pepper to up the heat just a little bit. Purely optional.
Sweet Basil
Great idea with he red Chile!
Tina Reza
Your recipes all look so good. I wish I could taste every one of them!!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Tina! Xoxo!
Amy
Is the calorie content, just the sloppy joe or does it include the bun?
Andrea
Can this be made in the instant pot?
Sweet Basil
I haven’t tried it yet, but it is on my list of recipes to figure out. This is my plan…saute the onions and beef in the IP, then add the rest of the ingredients. It will only need 10 minutes on high pressure to cook, but it will be a little more soupy so I’m going to cut back on the liquids a little. Sorry that is so vague!
Linda
Delicious!! Very flavorful. I didn’t have liquid smoke or chili powder but will put those items on my grocery list to make this again. Might add a little less brown sugar
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much for the feedback and review Linda! So glad you enjoyed it!
Patti Shenfield
These were delicious! On homemade Hamburger buns! I followed the other reviews and added only 2 TBSP of the vinegar, and upped the liquid smoke to 1 tsp. This will be my ‘go to recipe’
Sweet Basil
Yay! Love to hear this! Thanks for taking time to leave a comment and review!
Debra Schmid
Best sloppy Joe’s we’ve eaten!
Sweet Basil
Yay!! Thank you so much!
Erin
The filling has just finished cooking and it’s going to the office for lunch tomorrow. They are very much looking forward to these !
Sweet Basil
Yay! How did it go??
Mary Beth Krueger
I make Sloppy Joes quit often as I am a bar owner and we have football games at the bar and it does go along way with a crowd. I was just curious of what was in your best Sloppy Joe recipe. Everyone tells me I do make the best Sloppy Joe’s, people that know I am making it and really don’t get into football do stop in just to have my “Joes”! Well guess what I don’t have a recipe it is all in my head and what is in your recipe is exactly how I make mine. Yes they are the best tasting that I have ever had. Enjoy!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Mary Beth!
janelle holloman
This is my go to sloppy joe recipe! Easy to make and easy to make it your own by altering the amount of spices to your preference. I usually made a quadruple batch and freeze some….always love a good freezer meal!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Janelle!
Jazzy’s mom
The best, truly the best sloppy joes ever!!!!!
Sweet Basil
Woop woop!! Thank you!
Peter
Made a homemade gluten free Mac and cheese with elbow macaroni poured the sloppy joe over the top with grated free parm over the top! Can’t beat that for good old comfort food. Hum!!
Sweet Basil
Wow! That sounds divine! So glad you enjoyed it!
Deb Crisp
This was so good! My boys loved it! I will decrease the sugar next time but will definitely make again. Thank you.
Sweet Basil
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kris
Best sloppy joes we ever had. I simmered them for about hour which I think really brings out the spices and makes all the flavors meld together. Thank you for the recipe. Manwich has nothing on these!!
Sweet Basil
Yay Kris! Thank you so much for the feedback! And yes, the simmering makes a huge difference!
William
This recipe was entirely too sweet! I had to add another tbsp of chili powder just make it palatable. Don’t get me wrong the flavor was good, would just recommend cutting the brow sugar in half or more.
Sweet Basil
Hi William! Everyone tastes sweetness differently. I would definitely recommend cutting the sugar in half if you don’t enjoy the sweetness. Thank you for the feedback!
Alecia Campbell
These are the best tasting sloppy joes I’ve ever had. I’ve used this recipe several times. It comes in handy on a busy weeknight that will please the entire family. In fact, these sloppy joes are simmering on the stove as I type this.
Sweet Basil
Yessssss! Then I know for sure your house is smelling delicious! thank you for the feedback, and I’m so glad you love it as much as we do!!
Karly
My family loves sloppy joes! Its great trying different versions. Pinning!!!
Sweet Basil
You will love these!
Michelle Brownie
Do I just triple the recipe for 3 lbs ground beef?
Sweet Basil
Hi Michelle! Yes! Just triple the whole recipe. Enjoy!
Michele
I assisted my very picky 10 year old son cook this for dinner tonight. We didn’t have the liquid smoke or the paprika, but we still absolutely loved it. My son is really proud of his ‘cheffing’ and he’s looking forward to having the leftovers for dinner tomorrow.
Sweet Basil
Yesssss!! This made my day Michele! We have totally found that getting the kids to help cook our meals helps them be less picky! Way to go mom!
Melinda j. Smith
Tonight, we had your Best Sloppy Joes and your Best Broccoli Salad. Let me tell you all…these were truly the best! I was skeptical with the 1/4 cup of ACV,,,DON’T taste it right after you stir that in! Let it cook awhile and it cooks in fantastically! My only issue was not draining off the grease. It pooled and I skimmed it off, next time I will drain the beef. So Good!!! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Yahoo!! Thanks for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed them both! And I love that combo for a meal!
Liz
Just made this for dinner and we loved it! Didn’t have liquid smoke but used all the other ingredients exactly as per your recipe! My husband says we will definitely have this again. Delicious!
Sweet Basil
Yesssss! Love to hear it! Thanks, Liz!
Amanda Nolden
I added about 8oz of tomato sauce! Yum yum!! Thanks! Very flavorful!
Sweet Basil
So glad you enjoyed it Amanda!!
Susy
Made these with ground turkey, you would never know. Delish!
Sweet Basil
Yessss! We love subbing ground turkey for these! Have you seen our healthier sloppy joes recipe that uses turkey? https://ohsweetbasil.com/healthier-sloppy-joes-with-turkey-recipe/
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment!
Donna
is this sloppy jo sweet ??
Sweet Basil
No, I wouldn’t say they are sweet. They have some sweet notes, but they are definitely a savory dinner.
Whitney B
I made these a couple nights ago. I don’t have liquid smoke, but the smoked paprika still added that delicious smokiness. My husband and I enjoyed them.
Sweet Basil
Yeah! We love to hear that!
Brenda
Making now, didn’t have bell peppers, used jalapeno peppers instead, fingers crossed 🤞🤞🤞😁 the apple cider vinegar is strong at first but mellows after it cooks for a little while 😉
Sweet Basil
Yeah! Enjoy! That will be extra spicy! Yum!
Kristy
Holy vinegar! After adding the vinegar I ended up having to throw away the entire meal. If I try this again I will not be adding any of the Apple cider vinegar. My whole house smells like it! 1/4 cup seemed a bit extreme for me but I tried it anyway…. I wish I would have started with 1/2 tsp!
Sweet Basil
I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy it! Vinegar is one of those ingredients that people taste more strongly than other people. We’ve had a lot of readers say they cut the vinegar in half. Luckily this recipe is easily adapted to different tastes!
Amanda Nolden
I wonder if you make sure to add vinegar first and simmer at least 10min if it would dissipate?? I didnt have any issue.
Heather
LOVED IT! Making it again tonight in fact! (I had to re-find the recipe)
The only change I made was a personal taste one. I left out the smoke liquid flavor just because I don’t like anything smoked and it was SOOOOO good.
Thanks for your efforts in tweaking for months until you found just the right mix 😁
Everyone went for 2nds and even the boys ate a 3rd. That NEVER happens so I know they loved it.
Sweet Basil
Anytime the kids go for seconds, I’m happy dancing around the kitchen!! I’m so glad this was a hit in your house!!
Carrie
The sloppy Joes were a little too tangy for me I’d add a little more brown sugar and recommend draining the fat after browning ground beef otherwise definitely a keeper
Sweet Basil
There’s no need to drain the fat unless there is excess fat. Feel free to definitely add more brown sugar to your liking!
Arlene Bialaszewski
My husband just came and thanked me for finding your recipe. He and my adult son have called it their favorite new meal. They ask to have it every week, and they rave about it every time. I like it because it is not as sweet as some other recipes I have tried. We liked this recipe so much that I subscribed to your mailing list. Looking forward to trying many other of your recipes.
Sweet Basil
Arlene, you just made my day! We love hearing when our recipes are enjoyed by families together! Thanks for taking time to leave a comment!!
Shannon
We are not big sloppy joe eaters either just because they seem to be so tangy. But we did actually really enjoy this recipe. Thanks for sharing 😉
Sweet Basil
That is great news! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
Carolyn Baughman
I’ve made these several times and they are The Best. The only change I made was to add one small stalk celery finely diced. I love these sloppy joes. Thank you for the recipe.
Sweet Basil
Yay! I am so glad you enjoy these and celery is a great idea! I think my picky little eater would flip their lids, but it sounds delicious to me!
Gus
Way way way too sweet. Not a bad recipe, but I’d cut out the brown sugar at a minimum.
Sweet Basil
And that’s an easy thing to do as this recipe is so great to make per everyone’s tastes.
Oklahoma Foodie
Multiplied the amounts by five (oy!) for a work lunch. Made it the night before, stored in the fridge, and reheated in the crock pot the day of. The flavors intensified as it sat overnight; I think it’s even better the second day. It’s pretty sweet (I might use less ketchup next time), but the tangy bite really does balance it well. I especially like that it doesn’t taste like chili, sweet spaghetti sauce, or barbecue – like some of the homemade recipes end up like. It’s distinctly sloppy joes, without using a canned sauce. Great recipe. Very pleased!
Sweet Basil
Oh we totally agree that many recipes taste like that for sure! And good for you on multiplying it for so many! You win for employee of the month!
Mike
Yes, it tastes noticeably better the day after. This recipe is definitely a keeper! No more buying canned mixes for sure.
Sweet Basil
YAY!!
Meghan
My husband works in fine dining, so it can be overwhelming to find recipes that meet what he sees on the regular. However, it pushes me to keep searching. And wow! What a happy little find! This recipe isn’t lacking in any area. I’m almost 100% sure that it’s perfect – and I haven’t even made it yet! Thank you for a confidence boost. Serving oh sweet basil sloppy joes tonight! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
AHHHHH!! So nice of you!
Kc
I’m thinking of trying to do this with lentils and making it vegetarian. I’ve had great lentil sloppy joes but can’t find my go to recipe. This one sounds great. However I’d like to put it in the crockpot. Any thoughts on if liquids should be adjusted depending on if I use dry or canned lentils?
Sweet Basil
Oh please let us know how that goes! I haven’t tried it with lentils but if you did dry you’d need more liquid and that would change it so I’d do canned
Tuomo
What kind of chili powder do you use? Hot or powder blend?
Sweet Basil
Just regular chili powder
Suzanne
I made your sloppy joe’s for my BF last night and he said they were so good I should open a resturant and serve nothing but these!
Sweet Basil
Haha I love the idea of a Sloppy Restaurant!
Becky
My husband has requested sloppy joes for dinner tonight. Your recipe and comments really excite me! Can’t wait to make this for dinner tonight. I will be using potato buns.
Sweet Basil
Ohhhh I love it with those potato buns. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Angie
Happy to report back….it was a big hit!! Followed it to the letter & everyone commented on the texture & taste..thanks again. And yes, Eagles DO fly 😎
Sweet Basil
Haha, yay!
Sue
I made this for the superbowl and it was great. My one mistake is I didn’t use the lean hamburger. Big mistake! Too much grease. I served them as a slider using the hawaiian rolls. Big hit! I will be making these again. Thanks for the recipe
Sweet Basil
Hi Sue, glad you liked them! If you don’t use lean you can just drain out the grease or even move the meat to a paper towel lined plate after draining to soak up even more of the fat. 🙂
Angie
Ok, I’m in. Living in PA & diehard Eagles fans, I am going to make this for the first time for Super Bowl today! Ingredients look great, love the reviews….so here we go. Thanks for the recipe & feel free to cheer for Philadelphia (as long as you’re not Patriot fans) I’m sure the sloppy Joe’s will ease our pain if we don’t take the ring ~ Cheers!!
Sweet Basil
Haha, I hope it all worked out! xoxo
Rayleigh
Do you think you can make these in a crock pot?
Sweet Basil
Absolutely. Just cook the meat first then add everything in.
Katrina
Very tasty we did not have the liquid smoke so added about a tsp of pureed chipotle in adobe sauce for some smokiness and one seeded and diced fresno chili. When we tasted the sauce it was a tad off balance on heat and vinigar so added a drizzle of mollasses. Plan on getting the liquid smoke for next time but this variation was very tasty full of flavor with a warm sweet heat that lingered. Even my daughter who is not a ground beef anything person ate it right up. Thanks for sharing.
Sweet Basil
Yay, I love it when the kids dig in!
Kristina
So I’d only ever had cafeteria Sloppy Joes. And by had I mean that I took one, awful bite 20-something years ago and only ate the soggy fries that came with it or brought my lunch if it appeared on the menu from that moment on. For some reason, I decided I was curious to give this much hated school menu item a chance as an adult. This recipe. Omg. I love this Sloppy Joe. Just this one. Because it’s absolutely delicious and so perfectly sloppy in the best way. I told my husband I wanted to use the sauce with shredded chicken or pork, but he just looked at me and said, “Don’t you go messing with perfection.” The tiny human loved it, as well. Definitely the best Sloppy Joe of all the Sloppy Joe’s that ever were.
Sweet Basil
We are both sitting here trying to think of a good response to your comment and all we can say is, you are seriously the best. I (Carrian) was soooo on board with you, gross sloppy as a kid and now I’m a die hard fan. Your comment totally made our day. Thank you!!!
Joseph Coryell
Trying this tonight, my daughter insisted we have Sloppy Joes saw your recipe and all I need is buns and red peppers. Read comments from users and most are favorable so here goes. Sounds delicious” I’ll be back “ joeseppi
Sweet Basil
Hope you love it!
Rosie
This was absolutely delicious! The hubs and kids agreed that this was the best sloppy joes we’ve ever had!!!!
Sweet Basil
We are thrilled to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment. Happy weekend!
Beth
So, how necessary is the Liquid Smoke??
Sweet Basil
It gives such a hint of wonderful smokiness but you absolutely can skip it. Thanks for asking!
Mel Mac
My mother-in-law (who I believe is related to you somehow, a cousin of a parent, or some such thing…), made these for us last week when we were visiting in Utah. As a lifelong Sloppy Joe fan (the homemade kind, that is), these were the best Sloppy Joes I have ever had! I couldn’t get enough. I begged her for the recipe and she directed me to your blog. Can’t wait to make them again for my own family. Well done!
Sweet Basil
So, so happy to hear that! Who is your mother in law and how are we related? Can’t wait to hear!
Katherine
Just made this for dinner and YUM! We used 90% lean ground beef, 2 Tb butter, 2 Tb light brown sugar, forgot the red bell pepper (haha… oops) and let it simmer for an hour uncovered and it was amazing! My husband gives it 2 thumbs up (and so do I)! Also, for anyone deliberating whether or not to buy smoked paprika and/or liquid smoke… BUY them! They are so essential to the BBQ sauce! Which, by the way, is one dang good BBQ sauce. You could just keep it in a bottle in the fridge and put it on everything. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Oh my goodness, what a good idea!! It would be so good over meatballs or even a bbq pork sandwich! Good thinking!
Nancy
Should the hamburger be drained at any point?
Sweet Basil
If there’s a whole lot of grease you can, but we don’t usually have too much.
Nancy
Should the hamburgert be drained at any point?
mike
Made this recipe and would definitely make it again but wit a lot less brown sugar and a little less vinegar. Next time I will add both to taste at the end.
Sweet Basil
Thanks Mike! It’s definitely an easy recipe to adapt to tastes. Cade likes his more spicy and I like mine sweeter. 🙂
Bethany
Since it states in the recipe that the longer it cooks the better would it be possible to throw this n the crock pot? I apologize if this has already been asked- I see a lot of comments and am being lazy.
How long would you be willing to keep it in the slow cooker on low?
Sweet Basil
Hi Bethany,
I’ll add a note to the recipe, that’s such a great idea. I would double it if you have a regular sized crock pot (this freezes really well) and cook it on low for up to 3 hours. Ours still boils on low, so stirring occasionally will be key.
Karen
This was very lovely and my whole family loved it. I did cut back the sugar and apple cider vinegar back by half and ketchup to 2/3 c.
Karen
Rating didn’t populate so trying again.
Sweet Basil
Thank you Karen!
johanna
One question! One night a week I have night classes, so I always have to premake the meals so that when my boyfriend and kids come home he can just pop it in the oven. I do enchiladas a lot, and pulled pork in a crockpot… Could I do this recipe and then move it to a crock pot? Would it be okay to let it sit on low heat for an hour? Thanks for the awesome recipe!! Super excited to make it! 🙂
Sweet Basil
You can do the whole thing in the crockpot! I would still saute everything in a pan and then move it over on low for up to 2 hours. 🙂
Johanna Hennigar
Awesome, thank you so much!! 🙂
Sweet Basil
You’re so welcome!
ann
They are the best sloppy joe’s. I made them twice this week. I can’t get enough.Thanks for taking the time to share.
Sweet Basil
Ann,
Thank you for such a sweet comment! We are thrilled that you like them!
Kara
I am so excited that I found your site. I have tried several recipes, and they’ve all been fantastic…this was no exception! They truly are THE BEST SLOPPY JOES! Even my son claims to hate sloppy joes, loved them. These will definitely be on our regular meal rotation. Thank you for an another amazing recipe!
Sweet Basil
Kara, so sweet of you! I can totally relate to your son, sloppy joes were the worst when I was younger. I wish my mom had this recipe when I was little, haha!
Melissa
I am confused by those saying there was too much apple cider vinegar. My fiancé and I doubled the recipe and let it simmer for 40 minutes to cook down the liquid, and we both loved it!
Sweet Basil
Hi Melissa, thanks for your comment. We love it too, but vinegar is one of those ingredients that people can sometimes taste more strongly than others. I’m so, so glad you like it how it is. We really do love it! xoxo
Liz
I made this recipe a while ago and loved it!! Do you think this would freeze well? Sloppy joes have a similar texture to chili and I’ve frozen chili with good results, just wondering if you’ve tried it before. Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Dana
This is a great sloppy joe recipe! My daughter and I both dislike sloppy joes..but yours have changed our minds and taste buds thanx!
Sweet Basil
Dana, I cannot even tell you how giddy that makes us. Thank you so much!
Judy
I fixed these one night last week and thought that they were wonderful! Based on other reviews, I halved the cider vinegar…but I love cider vinegar and will try the entire amount next time. I used 90/10 beef blend since that’s what I had, and it was fine. As a bonus, I made fresh hamburger buns. What a treat meal!!
Jo Jo
These were definitely not my favorite – the apple cider was way too much! I will stick to making mine with the seasoning packet and a can of tomato soup.
Sweet Basil
Thank you for taking the time to comment even if you didn’t enjoy them. If the cider isn’t your favorite you can always cut back a little. 🙂 Then again, everyone has their own idea of what’s delicious so maybe the packet is just what will be your favorite. My friend loves the canned version, though I just can’t love it like she does.
Yvette
The recipe was so-so. I prefer the packet of sloppy joe seasoning where you add a 6oz., can of tomato paste and a little bit of water over this recipe.
Abby
I wish I had tried your version of sloppy joes first!! I made some tonight and they needed so much help. I started searching for another version to see how to save our dinner. Thank goodness I found this one!!!!! I modified my first attempt as much as I could to resemble this one….it was sooooo much better.
Thank you thank you thank you.
Sweet Basil
Such a big compliment that our recipe could help save a flop. Thank you!! xoxo!
Sarah
This is a firehouse favorite! I pre-cut all the veggies and put all the spices and such in a baggies and ship my firefighter off with some buns and 80/20 ground beef (and he insists american cheese) when he goes onto shift. He says they haven’t been disappointed yet- and its super easy! Woohoo!
Sweet Basil
That’s so fun! And we are totally laughing because who knows why, but knowing they are being made in a firehouse totally made us both so happy. lol thanks!
Santana
I made these for my sons 1st birthday party. They were DELICIOUS! I followed the recipe to the T. I tripped the recipe and let them cook/ simmer for about 2 hours. There was so many compliments and 2 people asked for the recipe. I will definitely be making these again! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
So, so thrilled!!! Thank you so much!
Santana
So I am really excited to make these for my son’s birthday party. I’m needing to triple the recipe and that scares me! Can u make the day before the party do you think?
Sweet Basil
Hi Santana,
We’ve done two ways, I’ve made it all ahead and reheated it, which was fine. And I’ve also made the sauce and then the next day cooked the beef and added the sauce to simmer until company. Both ways have helped me cook large portions without the stress of slaving before company came and it was able to cook it all evenly since it was tripled. But yes, you can do it, haha!
Jess
I just made this recipe and it is fantastic! I think the apple cider vinegar is a bit strong but not nearly as bad as some of the previous commenters make it sound. I will definitely make this one again!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Jess!
Marybeth
Made this for dinner tonight and reduced the vinegar by about 3 Tbsp. and it was delicious. My husband wants me to double the recipe minus the hamburg and use it as a barbecue sauce. I am going to try it on chicken. Thanks fr the recipe.
Sweet Basil
Oh, now that is a good idea, bbq sauce! Let me know if you try it and I’ll have to put it on our try list as well!
Michele
I was really looking forward to these but I just didn’t love them and I couldn’t get my kids to eat them. I think I’d cut down the vinegar and the sugar and possibly even the liquid smoke.
Sweet Basil
Just goes to show that we all definitely have different taste buds. 🙂 I agree, if it wasn’t for you I’d cut down on the vinegar and smoke. 🙂 Thanks Michele!
Clint
When my kids were small, they would cook Sloppy Joes from a recipe in their kids’ cookbook. This recipe is more complicated than theirs was, turns out a wonderful result, and brings back a slew of fond memories.
Sweet Basil
I love that! We had a kids’ cookbook too. Maybe it was the same!
vivian
This was part of dinner tonight for my husband and son and they both really liked it. My husband, as usual, would have liked more spice, but I think I will just put a bottle of sriraha on the table next time to suit everyone. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sweet Basil
HAHA! THere ya go, just put it out so he can doctor anything up. I am sure more spice would please a lot of people but I just can’t handle crazy spicy!
Samantha
Hey! Great recipe! Making it for dinner tonight!! When you cook it on low for the hour, do you cover it or leave it uncovered??
Sweet Basil
Samantha, I usually cover it just because it’s habit but it doesn’t really matter. 🙂
Laura
I can’t wait to try these- Must confess I love any Sloppy Joe- even from a can!
Sweet Basil
Haha, well hopefully you’ll love this even more! xoxo
Melody Mahala
Best sloppy joes we’ve ever had! Definitely going in the recipe book!
Sweet Basil
Melody!! Thank you, thank you! So happy that you all enjoyed them!
Patti
I just made this last night….loved!!!!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Patti! We are glad you enjoyed it!
Andrea Neumann
I liked it, but like the rest of the comments above, I would not add as much apple cider vinegar. I would cut back on some of the brown sugar too. I made 3 lbs of hamburger to share and we also put some on hot dogs which went over well. Overall, my family liked it.
Jenni Sisson
I agree. Fabulous recipe, but way too much cider vinegar. I’d reduce it by half or more. I ended up putting in a lot more brown sugar to counteract the acid, and it ended up sweeter than I wanted it.
Rachael
This was awesome! I’m another one that hated the sloppy joe stuff from a can. But this was delicious! I used some spicy ketchup because I had it on hand and it was great. Definitely a keeper!
Sweet Basil
Right? That stuff was not my favorite growing up. Love the spicy ketchup addition!
Theresa Brownlee
Do you drain the fat out of the ground beef before you add the rest of the ingredients?
Sweet Basil
Not always. If there is more than a drizzle I will drain it otherwise I just leave it as it doesn’t really affect the recipe.
Becky
I really liked this recipe, but it makes so much sauce that I think the hamburger needs to be doubled, and I thought the cider vinegar was a bit too much so I’ll probably half that next time.
Dusty
I made these tonight and they were very good. The next time I make this i will use less apple cider vinegar.
Sweet Basil
Thanks so much Dusty!
NSE
I don’t know where to get the liquid smoke in my country!
Would the recipe be affected without it!! Would it taste totally different?
Is there a substitute?
Sweet Basil
You can skip it if you need to. 🙂
Lolo
We just happened to have everything at home to make this recipe, so we’re making it tonight! My family never really did sloppy joe’s regularly, but my husband LOVES them, so we’re excited to try a homemade recipe!!
Sweet Basil
Oh good! I hope you all love them as much as we do!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I’ve actually never tried a sloppy joe before.. think it is definitely an American tradition/thing? I do have to try it though – looks SO delicious.
Sweet Basil
Oh gosh, I HATED them growing up so I actually ate bread and jam when they were served and didn’t try them again until I was well into my adult years lol. They are actually really good!