This sloppy joe sauce is made with lean ground beef, tomato sauce, chopped onion, and green pepper for a nostalgic recipe that’s quick and flavorful. Sweet, tangy, and perfectly saucy, these classic sloppy joes come together in one large skillet for an easy weeknight dinner.
So easy and so delicious. My whole family agreed, these are the best sloppy joes we have ever had!
- Rachel P.
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Bailey's Thoughts ...
I love a meal that feels a little messy in the best way. Sloppy Joes are unfussy, nostalgic, and exactly the kind of dinner that proves weeknight cooking doesn't need to be fancy to be satisfying.
The beauty of these Sloppy Joes is how much flavor you get from simple pantry ingredients. The beef simmers with tomato sauce and tomato paste until it's thick and rich, honey and vinegar balance each other out to create a tangy sauce, and a quick hit of seasoning pulls it all together. Piled high on soft hamburger buns, the filling is sweet, savory, and just messy enough to feel like comfort food at its best.
A couple tips: toast your hamburger buns if you want them to hold up better under all that saucy filling, but don't stress if you skip it. The Sloppy Joe mixture can be made ahead, stashed in an airtight container in the fridge, or frozen for later. And if the red peppers are going to make your kids push their plates away, just leave them out.
-Bailey
P.S. Sloppy Joes are great, but have you tried my Quick Korean Beef Bowls? Think all the speed, but with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce doing the heavy lifting.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Olive oil: Use to sauté the vegetables and beef. Substitution: Any neutral oil like canola oil or vegetable oil.
Red bell pepper: Adds sweetness and texture to the filling. Substitution: Green bell pepper, diced zucchini or diced carrot.
Ground beef: The base of the recipe. Substitution: Lean ground beef is best, but ground turkey or ground chicken can be used for a lighter option.
McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning: Quick way to season the beef with a balanced blend. Substitution: 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon paprika.
Honey: Adds sweetness and balances the tang of the vinegar. Substitution: 2 tablespoons maple syrup or 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Red wine vinegar: Brings brightness and tang to the sauce. Substitution: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
Tomato sauce: Makes up the bulk of the Sloppy Joe sauce. Substitution: Use 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons crushed tomatoes or puréed canned tomatoes (about 13 ounces). Avoid chunky diced tomatoes, as the texture will not be the same.
Tomato paste: Thickens the sauce and deepens the flavor. No substitute. Tomato paste provides concentrated flavor and thickness that cannot be replicated with other ingredients.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and peppers. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2: Add ground beef, steak seasoning, and honey to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and combine all ingredients.
- Step 3: When the meat has browned, add vinegar, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until Sloppy Joe thickens. Serve on hamburger buns with desired toppings.
Hint: These Sloppy Joes come together quickly. It is helpful to have all ingredients prepped and measured before turning on the stove.
Variations
Veggie boost: Red pepper adds sweetness and texture, but you can swap in zucchini, mushrooms, or even finely chopped carrots if that’s what you have.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free buns or pile the beef mixture onto baked potatoes, or sweet potatoes.
Dairy-free: This recipe is naturally dairy-free, so no swaps needed.
Low-carb: Skip the bun and serve the beef mixture over roasted zucchini, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower rice.
Vegetarian: Swap the ground beef for cooked lentils, crumbled tofu, or a plant-based ground meat.
Kid-friendly: Serve on slider buns for smaller portions, or scoop the beef into taco shells if your kids prefer something handheld and less messy.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Sloppy Joes freeze very well. Let the mixture cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Store flat if using a bag for easier thawing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat: Warm the mixture in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until hot.
FAQ
Leftover Sloppy Joes are great spooned over a baked potato, served as a topping for nachos, or rolled up with coleslaw and cheddar in a wrap. For a simple option, just reheat and pile on a toasted bun.
No, this recipe is mild with a sweet-savory balance. If you like spice, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the sauce.
Watch How To Make Freezable Sloppy Joes
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sloppy Joes:
Recipe
Freezable Sloppy Joes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 sandwiches 1x
Description
Freezable Sloppy Joes are straight from your make-ahead meal dreams. 8-ingredients, 1 skillet and less than 30 minutes to prepare. Make a double batch, serve dinner and freeze the rest for later!
Ingredients
- Olive oil ( 1 tbsp)
- Red bell pepper, diced (1 large)
- Ground beef (1 lb)
- McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (1 tbsp)
- Honey (2 tbsp)
- Red wine vinegar (1 tbsp)
- Tomato sauce (about 13 oz, from a 15 oz can, see note)
- Tomato paste (2 tbsp)
- Hamburger buns (6)
- Pickles, coleslaw, and/or red onions for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil (1 tbsp) and red bell pepper (1 large, diced). Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef (1 lb), steak seasoning (1 tbsp), and honey (2 tbsp). Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and combine all ingredients.
- When the beef is browned, stir in the red wine vinegar (1 tbsp), tomato sauce (about 13 oz from the can, leaving ¼ cup or so behind), and tomato paste (2 tbsp). If you use the whole can, just let the mixture simmer a little longer. The sauce will reduce as it cooks, and the longer it cooks the thicker it becomes.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and reaches the desired consistency.
- Serve on toasted hamburger buns (6). Add optional toppings like pickles, onions, and/or coleslaw.
Notes
Buns: I love these on classic hamburger buns, but brioche buns, pretzel buns, or even toasted sourdough slices all work.
Make ahead: Cook the beef mixture up to 2 days in advance, then reheat gently on the stovetop. Add a splash of water if it feels too thick.
Sauce note: I usually hold back about ¼ cup (2 oz) of tomato sauce to keep things from being too runny. If you use the whole can, just cook it a little longer until it thickens up.
Freezer: The beef mixture freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Veggie boost: Red pepper adds sweetness and texture, but you can swap in zucchini, mushrooms, or even finely chopped carrots if that’s what you have.
Gluten-free: Use gluten-free buns or pile the beef mixture onto baked potatoes, or sweet potatoes.
Dairy-free: This recipe is naturally dairy-free, so no swaps needed.
Low-carb: Skip the bun and serve the beef mixture over roasted zucchini, spaghetti squash, or cauliflower rice.
Vegetarian: Swap the ground beef for cooked lentils, crumbled tofu, or a plant-based ground meat.
Kid-friendly: Serve on slider buns for smaller portions, or scoop the beef into taco shells if your kids prefer something handheld and less messy.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Easy Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 308
- Sugar: 19.5 g
- Sodium: 330.3 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Protein: 14.4 g
- Cholesterol: 53.5 mg
Nissa
One of my favorites!!!
Andrea
This recipe is AMAZING. I skipped the red peppers, because my kids don't do veggies (maybe someday), but followed everything else as written! The whole family loved it, which is good, because there are frozen leftovers packaged and ready to go in the freezer!