Homemade Sloppy Joes
These Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes are the ultimate quick comfort food dinner! Saucy, flavorful ground beef with peppers and onions in a tangy-sweet sauce, ready from scratch in just 20 minutes. Ditch the can for this incredibly easy and delicious version. For another fantastic ground beef mashup, try our Big Mac Sliders.
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 371kcal
Equipment
- Large Skillet A must for cooking the meat and sauce all in one pan.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef (85%-90% lean)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 mins until softening. Add bell pepper and cook 2 more mins. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef to the skillet. Break it apart with a spatula and cook for about 5 minutes, until no longer pink.
- Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, salt, and pepper until the meat is fully coated.
- Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened nicely.
- Spoon the saucy meat mixture onto toasted hamburger buns. Serve immediately.
Notes
Pro Tips: For the deepest flavor, sauté the onions and peppers until very soft before adding the garlic. Use lean ground beef (85%-90%) to avoid a greasy filling without sacrificing tenderness. The simmering time is key for the sauce to thicken and the flavors to marry—don't rush it! Toast your buns to prevent sogginess and add great texture. For a richer sauce, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of tomato paste with the garlic.