Sloppy Joe Recipe (with Ketchup)

Name: Sloppy Joe Recipe (with Ketchup)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ lb ground beef 90% lean; 1 onion (finely diced (1-1.5- cup)); 1 red bell pepper (finely diced); 1 tbsp garlic (minced); 1 ¼ tsp smoked paprika; 1 ¼ tsp chipotle chili powder; ½ tsp salt; 1 15 oz can tomato sauce; ¾ cup ketchup; 1 tbsp worcestershire; 1 tbsp dijon mustard; 1-2 tsp brown sugar (optional if you like it a little sweeter); For serving: Buns (toasted for extra delicious results)

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This homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe (with Ketchup) is so much better than the canned version! It's made with a rich, tangy ketchup base and a few smoky spices that are bold, messy, and totally delicious! Pile it onto toasted buns for that perfect texture and delicious weeknight dinner!

Ground beef sandwiches are just one of our many one pan dinners. Just perfect for busy weeknights when you want something quick but tasty!

Sloppy joe filling in a sandwich on a white plate.

As a mom to 5 kids I was always searching for recipes that would stretch the grocery budget. Sloppy Joes were one of those recipes! Not only are they a great way to use up ground beef, but they are a classic everyone can agree on.

After so many years of making sloppy joes, we have decided that a couple unique ingredients provides a flavor that even the parents approve of.

Other ground meat recipes that are on the rotation include one pot Ground Beef Pasta and Italian Stuffed Pepper Casserole. Next time you go to the store, buy that extra large package of ground beef with confidence!

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Why this recipe is great

Amazing flavor: Too many sloppy joe fillings are kind of boring and gloopy. But not this one! The texture is just right, the flavor is the perfect mix of spices, and the consistency is spot-on (not too thin, but not too thick).
Inexpensive: It's made with simple, affordable ingredients you can find anywhere. Every family needs some meals like that on the rotation!
Freezer-Friendly: When the days were hectic, one of my favorite tricks was doubling (or tripling) our favorite dinners and freezing the extras for later. This recipe is perfect for that-just stash some away and you've got an quick and easy dinner!

Sloppy Joe Ingredients

Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.

Tomato sauce, chili peppers, salt, garlic, ketchup, paprika, cane sugar, bell pepper, onion, beef, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, and sandwich bread on a white counter.

Ground beef: Lean ground beef is best, but any will do. Just be sure to drain it well after browning before continuing on with the recipe.
Onion: Yellow onion, sweet onion, or white onion are all good choices here.
Bell pepper: Red bell pepper has a more mild flavor, but any color will do.
Garlic: We like to use the already minced garlic found in the produce or freezer section for convenience, but feel free to mince your own.
Mustard: Dijon mustard has the best overall flavor without being too sharp.
Worcestershire: This condiment is a combinations of savory seasonings.
Brown sugar: Just a bit to draw out the flavors.
Ketchup: This provides a touch more sweetness, but is the best consistency for the thickness of the sauce.
Tomato sauce: A small can is all that is needed.
Spices: Kosher salt along with the smokiness from chipotle chili powder and smoked paprika liven things up.
Buns: Our favorite buns are buttery brioche, but pick your favorite ones.

Helpful kitchen tools

How to make sloppy joe sauce with ketchup

Beef in a large pot with a cooking tool to grind the beef.

Grab a large pot, and heat it over medium-high to high heat. Place the ground meat inside and as it cooks, break it up. A spatula works well, but our favorite tool for this job is this meat chopper. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the meat is mostly cooked through and the pieces are evenly sized.

Chopped vegetables added to a pot of ground beef.

Add in the chopped onions and bell peppers. Cook for another 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.

Ground beef in a pot with a paper towel soaking up the juices in it.

Soak up any excess liquid by using a paper towel or straining. Too much liquid will water down the flavor of the sauce so be sure to get most of it out.

Add in the garlic and the seasonings. Cook for 1 minute stirring occasionally allowing the spices to really intensify their flavor.

A pan full of ground beef and unmixed ingredients.

After the spices have been in for a minute or so, add in the ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.

Finished sloppy joe filling in a large cooking dish.

Reduce the heat to a medium low heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir often to make sure the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Hint: In all our ground beef recipes that use seasonings or herbs, we always mix them right into the meat while it's cooking - before adding any liquids. This step is called blooming, and it's a game-changer. The heat and fat help bring out the full flavor of the spices super fast and make everything taste even better. It's a simple little trick that only takes a minute but adds a ton of flavor.

Variations and Substitutions

Ground turkey or chicken are both great substitutions for the ground beef.
Any mustard including yellow mustard or stone ground mustard can be used. They just change the overall flavor a little bit.
Regular honey or granulated sugar can be used in place of brown sugar.
Herbs are not traditional in sloppy joe sandwiches, but a little fresh thyme or fresh chives would be tasty.
If you are short on onion, try a tablespoon of onion powder.
If you want a spicy version, try adding red chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or your favorite hot sauce in.

What to serve with

20 Minute Mac & Cheese (One Pot)
Fresh Fruit with Easy Fruit Salad Dressing
Roasted Broccoli
Fresh Veggies with Tzatziki
Tasty Apple Slaw Salad
Over Baked Potatoes or Baked Sweet Potatoes
Crispy Roasted Potatoes

How to make sloppy joes in the slow cooker

Sloppy Joes are perfect for the Crockpot! Once you've browned the meat and mixed in the seasonings, just transfer it all to a slow cooker set on low. Pour in the liquids, give it a good stir, and let it heat through for 2-4 hours.

If it starts to get a little too thick, just add a splash of beef broth. On the flip side, if there's too much condensation building up, pop a towel under the lid to catch the extra moisture. Easy fix, and dinner's pretty much ready to go!

A wooden spoon scooping sloppy joe filling out of a pot.

FAQs

Is Manwich the same as sloppy joes?

Manwich is the name of the store-bought canned sauce that can be used to make sloppy joe sandwiches. Sloppy Joes, on the other hand, is the name of the actual dish.

What is the correct way to eat a sloppy joe?

The best way to eat these sandwiches totally depends on what you're into. Our go-to is piling it onto a toasted bun, but there are so many fun options - serve it open-faced on Texas toast, spoon it over a baked potato, load it onto a hot dog, or even scoop it onto garlic bread. You really can't go wrong!

A sloppy joe sandwich on a white serving dish.

Tips & tricks

Really break up the meat a lot for a good texture.
It's a bit spicy. You can decrease the spice if you use less chili powder.
Add or leave out the brown sugar depending on how sweet you like you're filling.

More sandwich recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches
Chuck Roast French Dip
Italian Beef Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
BELT (Bacon, Lettuce, Fried Egg, Tomato)