The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (2024)

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by Kellie June 20, 2016

A family favorite, this is the BEST Sloppy Joe Recipe ever! Secretly packed with healthy ingredients, your veggie haters will have no clue that you’re pulling a fast one.

The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (1)

School’s out, officially, everywhere (I think) now. The buses are long gone and the kids are hanging out in the cul-de-sac playing kickball, basketball, and, surprisingly, not on their phones. It’s kind of nice to see. We set up the waterslide, again, in the yard since Father’s Day was a bit of a scorcher around here. It didn’t help that we “brunched” al fresco at the only table NOT in the shade, so I was alreadywilted by the time my bloody mary arrived. Plus, there was a car show in the village so my husband wanted to walk around a bit to check things out. Did I mention I was wilting. But it was Father’s Day and I wanted him to be able to do whatever he wanted without having to hear me cackle about it. *wilting* I needed any kind of relief to cool off…even if it was a 10 foot inflatable spewing water all over the place. Works for me.

The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (2)

After my body temperature returned to normal, I started my usual prep for the week….the planning what I’m going to make for all of you and share here on the blog….and our own weekly meal plan….and trying to figure out when the heck I’m going to be able to get back to the shore….and what gifts I’m going to buy all the grads that I know. (Suggestions on that last one are welcome!) And, of course, dinner for Monday night. I admit, I’ve been holding out a little bit on you….I’ve been keeping a secret and it’s how I get my kids to eat things like mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and onions. They’re not real big fans so I try to sneak them into things like meatloaf and burgers. And this….the Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe. I’m not even lying…it’s the best…and they’ll never know what hit ’em.

The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (3)

This thing is loaded….I mean, LOADED with vegetables. And what they think is ground beef…is, actually, a blend of ground beef and heavily minced mushrooms. A ton of them. It’s like almost half mushrooms. And the thing about mushrooms is…they don’t have much flavor when they’re tossed around in a sauce with ground beef. You don’t even know they’re there. My kids had no idea and the older one may know NOW because sometimes she’ll read my postbut most of the time….not. So, hey…Katie…if you read this…..HA!!!

The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (4)

The Very Best Sloppy Joe recipe is super easy to make and is ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s great to make ahead since the flavors have more time to develop and it freezes beautifully too! It’s wonderful piled on a soft fluffy hamburger roll. Serve with a little tortellini salad and you’re in business!

The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (5)

Table of Contents

Get the Recipe:The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Hidden veggies are my secret ingredient to the BEST Sloppy Joe Recipe ever.

4 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups diced sweet onion
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup matchstick cut carrots
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, I LOVE Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes!
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 14 ounces finely minced mushrooms

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium/high heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened. Add the bell peppers and carrots to the pan. Continue cooking until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook until the mixture turns a deep burgundy in color, approximately 4-5 minutes.

  • Add the dijon, sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir the mixture to combine thoroughly.

  • Stir in the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn off the heat.

  • Carefully, transfer the mixture to a blender and cover with the lid. Hold the lid with a towel (to prevent burning yourself, pressure will build up from the hot ingredients) and puree until smooth. Set aside.

  • Return the skillet to the heat and brown the ground beef over medium/high until no longer pink, approximately 10-15 minutes.

  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a bowl and drain off the fat.

  • Return the skillet to the heat and add the mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms over medium/high until softened and most of the moisture has evaporated.

  • Return the beef to the skillet and toss to combine.

  • Pour the sauce over the beef mixture and stir.

  • Bring the mixture to a boil, the lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

  • Serve on hamburger buns.

Notes

If you're more of a chunky veggie sloppy joe fan, puree only 1/2 of the vegetable mixture and create the sauce that way. You may need a bit of canned tomato sauce to make it more saucy but it's just as tasty!

Serving: 1g, Calories: 154kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 357mg, Potassium: 661mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 3355IU, Vitamin C: 56mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 2.6mg

Author: Kellie

Course: Dinner, lunch

Cuisine: American

posted in: Beef, Dinners, Gluten-Free, Healthy Recipes, Meat, Recipes, Sandwiches 17 comments

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    17 Comments on “The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe”

  1. Lauren Kelly Nutrition Reply

    I grew up on sloppy joe’s! My kids would go crazy for these!

  2. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet Reply

    Man, I haven’t had sloppy joe’s in AGES and that’s got to change because these look and sound fabulous!

  3. The Food Hunter Reply

    I haven’t had this since I was a little girl…brings back memories.

  4. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes Reply

    This looks amazing and I love that you snuck all those veggies in!

  5. christine Reply

    This is perfect for hiding those veggies. I love recipes like this. My husband swears he doesn’t like mushrooms but I hide them in so many recipes! Can’t wait to try this one!

  6. Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen Reply

    My kids obble up sloppy joes, I’ll definitely be giving this recipe a try!

  7. Karyn Reply

    I love mushrooms, but I’m the only one in the household. I need to try chopping them up really small and sneaking them into sauces. This sloppy joe recipe sounds amazing!

    • Kellie Reply

      Really, really small…like almost mashed. 🙂 They just vanish into the sauce and nobody will ever know.

  8. Renee - Kudos Kitchen Reply

    Sloppy Joe’s have always been a favorite family meal around here. Your recipe looks very tasty. I also notice that you have a new site design and logo. Very nice!

    • Kellie Reply

      Thanks, Renee! I did get a new site design last fall! Glad you love it!

  9. Jessica @ Savory Experiments Reply

    I haven’t made sloppy joe’s in years! My husband will be so excited when I tell him this is what I am making for dinner, lol.

    • Kellie Reply

      My family LOVES this recipe….they have no idea what I’ve done to it. Bwaahhaaahaa!

  10. Nutmeg Nanny Reply

    Sloppy Joes are a seriously favorite of mine! I love that you made this from scratch vs. out of a can. LOVE!

    • Kellie Reply

      Thanks! I love that I’m tricking my kids into eating loads of veggies!

  11. Sam Reply

    Y’all, if you’re reviewing a recipe, it would be great if you actually made the meal. All this, “It looks so tasty!” is not helpful.

    Anyway…

    I actually made this recipe and, while it WAS very tasty, it CANNOT be prepared in under 30 minutes. The amount of prep time alone was about 30 minutes just to chop all the vegetables. Plan for at least an hour if you don’t have help with prep. The author mentioned in another comment to mince the mushrooms to the point of being almost like mashed potatoes (especially if you have picky eaters). Next time I might try actually using a potato masher on the raw mushrooms to speed up the process. So much mushroom chopping…Just a thought. Another thought, I felt the final product was a little under-sauced. I had to add some extra tomato paste and Ketsup along with more Worsterchire and Dijon at the end to feel like the meat and veg were fully coated (and hidden from the picky eaters!). The flavor of the sauce is phenomenal though. Very true to Manwich style sloppy Joe’s sauce. I love how light I felt after eating this as well! A better name for these would be Guiltless Joe’s! Will definitely be making this again.

    • Kellie Reply

      Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your helpful tips. I’m a silly fast chopper because I do it all the time. Sometimes the food processor can help speed things up or if your kids are old enough put them to work. Anyway, I’m so glad you loved it and I agree that maybe it could use some extra sauce. I love your little additions. Thanks so much for your helpful comments!!!

The Very Best Sloppy Joe Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make sloppy joes better? ›

Try serving your sloppy joes with their own toppings such as slaw, melty cheese, grilled pineapple, or Hatch green chile. Even just adding a pickle gives extra flavor and crunch, transforming it from a bland sandwich into something great, like the recipe below!

What's the recipe for Sloppy Joe's? ›

Add olive oil to a large skillet or dutch oven and place over medium heat. Add onion and green pepper and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Next, add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat as it cooks. Once the meat has browned, add ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, tobasco sauce, black pepper and waater, and stir.

What is the best topping for sloppy joes? ›

Sloppy Joe Recipe easy tips
  • Serve your sloppy joes with coleslaw, green veggies, pasta salads, cottage cheese jello salad, chips, or homemade french fries.
  • We tend to eat our sloppy joes plain, but you can also top them with provolone, swiss, or cheddar cheese.
Mar 30, 2022

What is the Sloppy Joe sauce made of? ›

What is the sloppy joe sauce made of? It's made with ketchup, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, chili powder, garlic, dry mustard, and a little Tobasco (if you want). That sauce coats the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to make the filling.

Should you drain meat before adding sloppy joe sauce? ›

Do you drain the meat for sloppy joes? We suggest draining the browned beef, because excess grease serves as a barrier to sloppy joe seasonings. You'll want the beef to absorb these wonderful flavors as it cooks.

How do you thicken up sloppy joe sauce? ›

  1. Flour can be used similar to corn starch.
  2. Other thickeners used are bread crumbs, potato flakes and oats. ...
  3. Go gradually with these. ...
  4. Use oats to thicken sloppy-joes as to absorb the excess but it will be thicker the next day.
  5. Barley can be used but is more expensive.
Oct 29, 2021

What will thicken sloppy joes? ›

How to Thicken Sloppy Joes. If you follow this homemade Sloppy Joe recipe, you should have the perfect consistency, but if it comes out too watery, try adding a small slurry of cornstarch with water. That should thicken it right up!

What's the difference between Sloppy Joes and Sloppy Jane? ›

Unlike traditional can Sloppy Joes, which are often loaded with unhealthy additives and preservatives, Sloppy Janes are made with lean meat, low-fat ingredients, and a variety of fresh vegetables. They are easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients.

What is the fancy name for Sloppy Joes? ›

Manwich, slush burger, yum yums, dynamite, spoonburgers, tavern sandwich; a Sloppy Joe can be called by many other names. The most well-known however is Manwich.

What is a New Jersey style Sloppy Joe? ›

There are minor variations depending on the deli, but it is always a double-decker thin sliced rye bread sandwich made with one or more types of sliced deli meat, such as turkey, ham, pastrami, corned beef, roast beef, or sliced beef tongue, along with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing.

What is sloppy joe meat called? ›

Sloppy joe meat being prepared with Manwich sauce. Early and mid-20th century American cookbooks offer plenty of sloppy joe-type recipes, though they go by different names: Toasted Deviled Hamburgers, Chopped Meat Sandwiches, Spanish Hamburgers, Hamburg a la Creole, Beef Mironton, and Minced Beef Spanish Style.

How do you make Manwich Sloppy Joes taste better? ›

5 Easy Ways to Doctor up Manwich Sloppy Joes to Improve Taste
  1. Produce.
  2. • 1/4 tsp Garlic powder.
  3. • 1/2 Green bell pepper.
  4. • 1 Large or 2 small jalapeno peppers.
  5. • 1 Onion, medium white or yellow.
  6. • 1 Pickled jalapenos.

Can you use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste for sloppy joes? ›

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

What are the ingredients in Del Monte Sloppy Joe sauce? ›

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Green and Red Bell Peppers, Salt, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Worcestershire Sauce Concentrate (Distilled Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Garlic Powder, Spices, Tamarind, Natural Flavor), Spices, Dehydrated Onions, Garlic Powder, ...

What's the difference between a Sloppy Joe and a sloppy Jane? ›

A Sloppy Jane is a Sloppy Joe made with ground turkey instead of ground beef.

What if I forgot the tomato paste in the Sloppy Joes? ›

Just use your can of tomatoes, a clove or two of minced garlic, a diced onion and some basil or oregano. Saute the onion, add the garlic and cook just until you start to smell the aroma, then add the tomatoes and spices.

What is Sloppy Joe supposed to taste like? ›

Once you've gathered the ingredients, it's basically like making Bolognese. And the flavour is somewhat reminiscent of it too, except Sloppy Joes taste a bit more like BBQ Sauce. The one big difference is that the sauce is cooked right down so it's really thick and not saucy at all.

What can I use instead of tomato paste for Sloppy Joes? ›

You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

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