This easy sloppy joe recipe is a hearty family friendly weeknight dinner! Ground beef simmers in a sweet and tangy homemade sauce then is served on a toasted bun.

Easy sloppy Joe recipe on a plate with pickles for serving.

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Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

This is one of those dishes that almost everyone grew up eating, it’s not the prettiest but always delicious! This easy sloppy joe recipe was a childhood favorite in my house, as well as homemade meatloaf and goulash recipe.

Making these sloppy joes from scratch is a classic 30-minute meal like salisbury steak with mushroom gravy that’s hearty, flavorful, economical and family-friendly. My kids love these and they are far better than the school lunch lady version!

Ingredient Notes

Sloppy Joe Ingredients on the counter including ground beef, onion, pepper and sauce ingredients.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Ground beef: I use 80-90% lean ground beef. You can make ground turkey sloppy joes if preferred.
  • Onion: I prefer to use a white or yellow onion when making sloppy joes. If you don’t have an onion on hand, feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
  • Red bell pepper: Diced red bell pepper is my go-to veggie to add in. Feel free to add in others like chopped yellow bell pepper or a green bell pepper.
  • Ketchup: This gives the sloppy joes that famous red color and tangy taste. The bulk of the sauce is made of ketchup.

How to Make Sloppy Joes

Brown the beef in a large skillet with chopped onion, red bell pepper and garlic. Drain any excess grease from the meat mixture.

Add in the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire and season with salt and pepper.

Sloppy joes sauce ingredients added to browned ground beef with diced onions and red peppers in a pot.
Hand lifting lid off Dutch oven filled with homemade sloppy joes mixture.

Cover and let simmer for 10 to 20 minutes (stirring occasionally). If more liquid is needed, add more ketchup or a couple Tablespoons of water.

Wooden spoon scooping sloppy joe meat mixture with ground beef, onions, and red peppers.

Add mixture to toasted hamburger buns and serve with potato chips and pickles.

Close up of a homemade sloppy joe on a plate showing saucy meat and a toasted bun.

Cooking Tips

  • Thickening the sauce. The sauce will thicken as it simmers. If your sloppy joes have too much liquid after simmering, add in corn starch. Mix a Tablespoon of both cornstarch and water together in a small bowl then add mixture to the sauce and stir.
  • Toast the buns. This makes all the difference! Not only does it give a nice flavor, but it helps soak in the sauce without getting soggy. I love to toast mine on a buttered griddle for a few minutes until golden.
  • Crockpot. Sloppy joes are easy to make in the slow cooker. Once the meat is browned in a skillet, just add all the ingredients and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.
  • Repurpose leftovers. Use leftovers to make a whole new dish! Serve over a baked potato or on top of nachos.
Easy sloppy joe mixture in a skillet ready for serving.

More retro recipes to make include tuna melt, crockpot beef stroganoff and these lunch lady peanut butter bars.

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Close-up of a sloppy joe sandwich on a bun with saucy ground beef filling and red peppers.

Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

5 from 34 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
This easy sloppy joe recipe is hearty, saucy and a family friendly dinner! Ground beef is simmered in a homemade sweet and tangy sauce then served on a toasted bun.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • ⅓ cup chopped onion
  • ⅓ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar , more to taste (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce , more to taste
  • water
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 4-6 hamburger buns , toast if desired

Instructions

  • In a large skillet over medium heat brown the one pound ground beef with 1/3 cup onion and 1/3 cup red pepper. Sprinkle salt and pepper over top. Drain any grease from the meat mixture. Add 1 teaspoon garlic the last minute of cooking.
  • Add in 3/4 cup ketchup, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon mustard and 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more ketchup or water if you need more liquid. 
  • Serve warm on fresh hamburger buns.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Hamburger buns: We love to use brioche buns or make homemade hamburger buns.
Tomato sauce: If you prefer to use tomato sauce, you can swap it for the ketchup to make it less sweet. Add in extra seasonings to taste. 
Storage: Store leftovers in a covered airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze in a zip top bag up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 481mg, Potassium: 421mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 415IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.