Classic Homemade Sloppy Joes
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These are an old-fashioned family classic that is part comfort food, part cafeteria staple, and 100% delicious! YES! These Homemade Sloppy Joes are the EASY dinner you’ve been waiting for!!
I’m always looking for a new way to use lean ground beef or even ground turkey. We always seem to have it and it’s so convenient to pull a package out and let it thaw while I rack my brain for something new to make. Homemade sloppy joes aren’t anything NEW in the world but the first time I made they were NEW to my family, and our whole family loved this simple recipe!!
I love to make ground beef based recipes like this Hamburger Potato Soup or this Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf or this Smoked Burger Recipe as well!
I’m always looking for the best beef recipes, like this Shaved Beef recipe or this recipe for Beef and Dumplings, and tucking them away for another day.
A QUICK meal for Busy Weeknights
Maybe you want to use your instant pot for dinner. Try my EASY Instant Pot Sloppy Joes! If you double the recipe you have enough to feed a huge crowd!
And when the family rolls in ready to eat you can count on everyone being happy about dinner, the hungry man-cubs, the hangry teens, the cook, and probably even the dog, if she’s lucky.
Homemade Sloppy Joes means you don’t need a can of sloppy joe sauce or any canned sauce to make this easy recipe happen. In fact, all the simple ingredients you need are probably already in the pantry and the fridge! And they can easily be sourced from your local grocery store! The last time I was at the store the shelves were half empty and there were many items that were simply not there.
WHAT You need
- ground beef
- butter or light olive oil
- garlic powder
- chili powder
- chopped onions
- chopped celery
- red or green bell pepper
- ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- quick oats
- water
- salt and black pepper to taste
- *optional* smoke flavor
- large skillet
- spatula
WHAT IF they’re RUNNY?
What if your sloppy joe mixture seems really runny? That can happen, I mean in a way they’re supposed to be runny.
But if you’ve found that yours are particularly runny keep cooking them off for a while. They’ll just get thicker and thicker as cook off the moisture. This is why I like to use a large skillet it gives you enough room to stir the sloppy joes and let it dry up a bit.
If you feel they’re not getting thicker add another 1-2 TBSP of quick oats to help thicken them up. Add one Tablespoon and see how it goes. If that’s not enough try another one. Cook well after each addition so you don’t have weird lumps of oats in your filling.
Loose meat sandwiches are always messy so serve sloppy joes with plenty of napkins. Oh and forks, and knives.
Optional Ingredients
If you like your sloppy joes tangier add a splash of apple cider vinegar. If you like them smoky a drop of smoke flavor will do the trick. If you prefer them to be spicy add a dash of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, OR even sriracha sauce into the mix. Taste and adjust the seasonings to suit you and your family. Make this recipe your own recipe with these or even your own variations!
To store leftovers
Store the meat mixture in an airtight container. And be sure to store it separately from the hamburger buns.
Classic Sloppy Joes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP butter or light olive oil optional only needed if your beef is very lean
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 red or green pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 TBSP quick cooking rolled oats you can use whole regular rolled oats just lay them on the cutting board and chop them with a big knife first
- 8 hamburger buns toasted if you prefer
- salt and pepper to taste after they’re done cooking
Instructions
- melt the butter, if you're using it, in a dutch oven over medium high heat, begin to brown the ground beef, cooking and breaking it up
- after 5 minutes add the onions, celery and peppers, cook about 2 more minutes
- then add the rest of the ingredients through the rolled oats
- bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes, don't let it burn reduce heat to keep it simmering
- after 10 minutes remove the lid and continue simmering until the sauce is reduced and thickened about 5 minutes, stir as needed
- taste for salt and pepper, add if necessary
- serve on hamburger buns
I don't make them often (now that we are empty nesters) but there is nothing like a GOOD sloppy joe for a quick dinner. GREAT photo!!
That's so true, there is nothing like a good sloppy joe for dinner–so easy and tasty! Thanks : )
this sounds super yummy, I have been known to add corn to mine in order to help stretch the meat
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yes! that’s a good one or even beans-we love that variation.
Bringing me back to my childhood right here!! Pinned!
We love Sloppy Joes, Laura! I have got to make some soon. This recipe has left me with a hankering for some in the worst way! P~
I’ve never thought to use oats as a filler for my sloppy joes. Will have to try this.
Ground beef is so great for its versatility and these sloppy joes sound fab!