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Need a cheap dinner fast? What to make with ground beef tonight? This 20 minute Sloppy Joes Rest is fast, cheap & family-friendly so let’s grab that ground beef and make sloppy joes that even picky eaters will love!
“Listen. I’m an 80’s girl. I was raised on sloppy joes- NOT the manwhich sloppy joes. My mom made the absolute best!!!…..that is until I tried this recipe. Now both my mom and I use this as our “go-to” because it’s THAT good. The addition of the bell pepper and the liquid smoke…mwah!”
If you’re as busy as I am these days and feeling that daily pressure of “I don’t have an hour to make dinner” these 20 minute sloppy joes will save your life! Not only can you freeze it as a great freezer meal, but you can even chop and freeze the veggies ahead of time so you can just throw everything in the pot on the days you are too busy to cook.
Plus it’s made with pantry ingredients you already have on hand. No need to run out for a special sauce or hard to find ingredient.
I actually hated sloppy joes as a kid but as a mom I found myself often googling- “I have ground beef but don’t know what to make.” So after a few months of the google constantly recommending sloppy joes I decided to dig deep, attempt the impossible and make a sloppy joe recipe I’d not only like, but one I’d love to keep in our regular rotation. A secret ingredient is all it took… cue the liquid smoke…These are sloppy Joes Without Manwich.
You see, I want something cheap I can make for my family while gas and grocery prices are forever climbing and ground beef is a natural solution for a budget friendly meal. We buy in bulk, freeze in 1 pound packages and I’ve got dinner whenever I need it, regardless of my pocketbook! When I need a freezer meal, I’ve got sloppy joes waiting!
Whether you’re feeding a few people or you need to feed a crowd, sloppy joes are a total win!
Why You’ll Love This Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes: An easy ground beef dinner for busy nights.
- Made from scratch: No canned sloppy joe sauce needed.
- Big flavor: A simple homemade sauce makes these WAY more flavorful than the sloppy joes you remember.
- Simple ingredients: Most of what you need is probably already in your pantry.
- Great for a crowd: Double or triple the recipe for parties, game day or family gatherings.
- Make-ahead friendly: The filling is even better the next day!
What is a Sloppy Joe?
A sloppy joe is a saucy ground beef sandwich made with onions, tomato-based sauce, Worcestershire and seasonings, all piled onto a soft hamburger bun. And no, it’s not just chili slapped on a bun!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy to make homemade sloppy joes, but a few ingredients make a BIG difference in the flavor.
For the Sloppy Joe Meat
- Butter: Adds flavor and helps soften the vegetables.
- Onion: Creates a savory base for the sloppy joe filling.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds subtle sweetness and texture. Readers specifically rave about the bell pepper in this recipe!
- Garlic: Because ground beef and garlic just belong together.
- Ground Beef: We prefer 80/20 ground beef for the most flavor. Drain off excess grease if needed.
For the Homemade Sloppy Joe Sauce
- Ketchup: The tomato base of our sloppy joe sauce that adds sweetness, acidity and plenty of classic sloppy joe flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Just enough to balance the acidity without making the sloppy joes overly sweet.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds a little tang and sharpness.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Gives the sauce that deep, savory flavor that makes you wonder what exactly is in there.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: A splash of acidity balances all the rich, sweet flavors.
- Liquid Smoke: Our secret weapon! You only need a little to add subtle smoky BBQ flavor without overpowering the sauce.
- Chili Powder + Smoked Paprika: Adds another layer of smoky, savory flavor.
- Salt + Pepper: Brings everything together.
PRO TIP: Don’t skip the liquid smoke if you can help it! It’s one of the little things that makes this recipe taste so different from basic sloppy joes.
How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes
You only need one skillet and about 30 minutes for these easy sloppy joes.
- Sauté the onion. Melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven and cook the onion until it begins to soften.
- Add the pepper and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the garlic is fragrant.
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Make it saucy. Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon, Worcestershire, liquid smoke, vinegar and seasonings.
- Simmer. Let everything simmer for at least 5 minutes so the flavors can come together. If you have extra time, let it go longer!
- Serve. Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto toasted hamburger buns and dig in.
Tips for the Best Sloppy Joes
- Use 80/20 ground beef. A little extra fat means more flavor.
- Break the beef into small pieces. You want that sauce in every nook and cranny.
- Give it time to simmer. Five minutes works when you’re in a hurry, but a longer simmer develops even more flavor.
- Toast the buns. This adds flavor AND helps keep all that glorious sauce from immediately soaking through the bun.
- Make it ahead. Sloppy joe filling reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day.
- Add cheese. A slice of cheddar or pepper jack melting over the hot filling never hurt anyone.
- Make it easier for little kids. Tear the bun into bite-sized pieces, spoon the filling over the top and let them eat it with a fork. Less sloppy joe on the floor. Hopefully.
What to Serve With Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joes are the ultimate comfort food and pair perfectly with classic sides:
- Classic Grilled Corn
- Best Baked Beans
- Macaroni Salad
- Best Potato Salad
- Classic Broccoli Salad with Bacon
And honestly? A big pile of potato chips next to a sloppy joe is pretty hard to beat.
Sloppy Joe FAQs
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.
Yes. The liquid smoke gives our sloppy joe sauce its subtle smoky flavor, but the recipe will still work without it.
Yes! In fact, they’re even better after the flavors have had time to mingle. Make the filling a day or two ahead, refrigerate it in an airtight container and reheat it when you’re ready to eat.
Let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes. As some of the liquid evaporates, the sauce will naturally thicken and cling to the ground beef.
Yes! Brown the ground beef first, then transfer it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. For a standard-size slow cooker, we recommend doubling the recipe.
Definitely. Sloppy joes are one of our favorite dinners for feeding a crowd because the recipe is easy to double or triple and the filling can be made ahead of time.
How to Store and Freeze Sloppy Joes
Refrigerator: Let the sloppy joe filling cool and store it in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
Freezer: Cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm the filling in a saucepan over medium-low heat or microwave individual portions until heated through. Add a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick.
The Sloppy Joe That Changed My Mind
If you grew up thinking sloppy joes were nothing more than ground beef and overly sweet canned sauce dumped onto a bun, this is the recipe I want you to try.
A little Dijon, Worcestershire, bell pepper and that sneaky splash of liquid smoke make all the difference. It took months of testing to turn me into a sloppy joe person, and now this is one of those easy ground beef dinners I’m actually excited to see on the table.
Just don’t forget the toasted buns. Sloppy is good. Soggy is not.
More Ground Beef Dinner Recipes:
- Korean Ground Beef and Rice
- Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
- Instant Pot Chili
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Instant Pot Ground Beef Burrito Bowls
Watch How This Recipe is Made…
Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- ½ Cup Onion, diced fine
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced fine
- 1 ½ teaspoons Garlic, minced
- 1 Pound Ground Beef, we use 80% lean
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Dark or Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ¾ teaspoon Liquid Smoke
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 4 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.½ 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 ½ 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 ½ Tablespoons Dark or Light Brown Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, ¾ 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, ¼ 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.4 Buns
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
1/4 cup of vinegar is way too much. It’s all we could taste. I tried doctoring it, to save it but it couldn’t be saved. We ate it but I didn’t save the leftovers. We just tossed em. I’ll try again but cut down on the vinegar.
Thanks for the feedback Frank!
I enjoyed this but made some modifications. I lessened the amount of sugar. I added 3 finely diced carrots to sneak more veggies in. I didn’t have any vinegar so added a splash of lime. Lastly, I do not like liquid smoke so I left it out and added more chili powder. I used 1/2 turkey and half ground beef. My peppers were the mini ones. I love this recipe! And they are right, simmer this for an hour
Thank you so much for the feedback Angela! And I love all the alterations you made to fit with what you had and what you like!
**Add less vinegar if you’re sensitive to acid!
I could tell this was delicious and perfect right up until the vinegar step. I absolutely love every single one of OSB’s recipes and trusted the recipe, but ooops! Way too much vinegar for my family’s tastes. I tried to doctor it and save it, but it was a loss. Will have to try again with just 1 tbs of vinegar – I think it’ll be perfect for the acid shy!
Hi Elizabeth! Good advice for our readers who aren’t huge acid people. We love the acidity it adds in our house. It really balances out the heaviness of the other ingredients.
I LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it many times. Thank you!
Thanks Debbie!!
These were some of the best Sloppy Joes we’ve ever had! I made it from your excellent cookbook but checked here for comments and was glad I did since a number of people thought there was too much apple cider vinegar (so I only used 1.5 tablespoons, which was perfect). I was also unsure about the Liquid Smoke (I never use it and the bottle I had on hand had expired in 2019), but you had said somewhere it was a key ingredient, so I put it in, and it provided a wonderful flavor. Definitely a recipe I’ll be making again!
Thank you so much for the great feedback Helen! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
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!
Thank you so much Greta! So glad you enjoyed it!
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.
Thank you for the feedback Nina!
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.
Yay! Thank you so much Tom! This is a family favorite for sure!
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.
Thanks for the feedback Jamie! We love this recipe just as it is written, but you can definitely modify it to fit your taste!
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😂
Woop woop! Love to hear this! Thank you so much for the feedback!
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
Yay! Thank you so much for the feedback Lorrie!