Beef Sloppy Joe
American classic — saucy ground beef on a soft bun, eaten messily with napkins ready. School cafeteria nostalgia made better at home. The trick is the right tangy-sweet sauce balance.
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
13 min
Servings
6
Calories
500 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Beef600 g
- Bun1 ½
- Tomato Sauce1 ½ cup
- Salt1 ½ tsp
- Black Pepper¾ tsp
- Cooking Oil1 ½
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Beef600 g
- Bun1.5
- Tomato Sauce1.5 cup
- Salt1.5 tsp
- Black Pepper0.75 tsp
- Cooking Oil1.5
- Garlic4.5 cloves
Instructions
- 1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Brown 1 lb ground beef with 1 chopped onion until beef is no longer pink and onion is soft. Drain excess fat.
- 2
Add 1 chopped bell pepper and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook 3 minutes.
- 3
Make the sauce: add ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 cup beef broth.
- 4
Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened to your preference. Should be loose enough to spoon but not soup-like.
- 5
Taste and adjust: more brown sugar for sweeter, more vinegar for tangier, more chili powder for spicier.
- 6
Toast 4 hamburger buns. Spoon a generous portion of sloppy Joe mixture onto the bottom buns. Top with optional cheese slice. Close. Serve with chips, pickles, and napkins.
Watch how to make Beef Sloppy Joe
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Drain excess fat. Otherwise greasy sloppy Joes.
- 2.Tomato paste deepens flavor. Don't skip.
- 3.Simmer to thicken. Watery sloppy Joes are sad.
- 4.Toast the buns. Untoasted go soggy fast.
🔬 Why It Works
Sloppy Joes succeed when the sauce is properly balanced (sweet from brown sugar, tangy from vinegar/Worcestershire/Dijon, savory from beef and Worcestershire) and properly thickened. The simmering reduces excess liquid; the sauce coats the beef rather than pooling. Toasted buns hold up to the wet filling.
Frequently Asked Questions
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