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Homemade Sloppy Joes

Homemade Sloppy Joes simmer browned beef with onion and bell pepper in a tangy-sweet tomato sauce until thick, glossy, and silky. Pile it onto toasted hamburger buns for that classic messy, satisfying dinner-style meal.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meat mixture
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp mustard
  • 0.5 cup water
Buns
  • 4 hamburger buns

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened, then drain excess fat if needed.
  2. If any liquid is pooling, keep cooking for 1-2 minutes on medium-high until it mostly cooks off before you add the sauce.
Simmer the sauce
  1. Reduce heat to medium and stir in ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and water until the mixture is evenly combined.
  2. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and glossy like a sloppy-joe sauce.
Assemble
  1. Toast the hamburger buns until lightly crisp at the edges.
  2. Spoon the beef mixture generously onto the toasted buns, then serve warm.

Notes

Simmer uncovered to help the sauce reduce to the right sloppy-but-not-soupy consistency. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat on the stove over medium-low until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze the filling up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating. For a lighter option, use 90% lean ground beef or ground turkey while keeping the sauce ingredients the same.