Homemade Sloppy Joes In Less Than 30 Minutes

If it’s been a while since you’ve had good old sloppy joes, you need to try this Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe! This recipe is a tasty twist on the classic meal. Perfect meat mixture, a zesty blend of spices and a tomato sauce to die for, all on a soft brioche bun. I promise you’ll ditch the Manwich canned stuff for good once you try this recipe. Serve with a side of potato chips, homemade French fries or coleslaw for a perfect and simple weeknight supper.

Ingredients in Homemade Sloppy Joes

This simple homemade sloppy joe recipe comes together with just a few simple ingredients, usually things you always have on hand. Here’s what you need:

Ground beef – two pounds of ground sirloin or ground turkey or a mixture of both. Brown the meat, then drain well before adding the sauce ingredients. Yellow Onion – chopped Green bell pepper – chopped Tomato soup – one can of condensed tomato soup gives the sauce a rich flavor that’s better than tomato sauce! Ketchup – just a little under one cup ketchup is perfect for this mixture. Yellow mustard – stir in one tablespoon of regular yellow mustard. Nothing fancy. Brown sugar – one tablespoon is all you need to add the perfect balance of sweetness to the tomato mixture. Salt – a quarter teaspoon kosher salt Black pepper Cayenne pepper Hamburger buns – any of your favorite brand will work.

Mother Knows Sloppy Joes Best

For several summers, our parents served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Heber Valley Girls Camp in Northern Utah. They often called us to fill us in on the different recipes they had at their weekly potluck with the other missionaries. This particular recipe for sloppy joes is the one they raved about again and again. Personally I had been fine with my can of Manwich for years. I think the thing that made me most skeptical of my mom’s recipe was the addition of tomato soup. It sounded really weird to put in homemade sloppy joes but once my mom made them for me, I’m happy to report that I was truly amazed at how tasty these were!

Where Did the Name Sloppy Joe Come From?

The origin of sloppy joes is debatable. Three main institutions are credited with the invention: a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West, and another aptly-named restaurant called Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Havana Cuba. It’s actually a pretty interesting story. This article does a great job of tracing the origins from the three places. It seems like the most accepted theory of origin is the “loose meat sandwich” from Iowa. I’m glad the name has changed, though!

Variations on Sloppy Joes

For an extra kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes into the sauce. Add a dash of chili powder, garlic powder or a couple of tablespoons Worcestershire sauce for an even richer flavor. Dice a couple of cloves garlic and add in with the onion and pepper mixture. Want to shake it up a bit? Use this recipe to make Sloppy Joe Cups, and it will take them to a whole new level. Yum!

What Kind of Cheese Tastes Best on a Sloppy Joe?

To be fair, not everyone loves cheese on a sloppy joe, but it is delicious, so give it a try! Provolone is a favorite, but cheddar, American, mozzarella, and Swiss cheese are all delicious on sloppy joes.

How to Store Leftovers

Cover leftover meat mixture and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the microwave or on the stovetop, pop it on a bun, and serve! READ NEXT: 25+ Best Halloween Dinner Ideas