Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes

These Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes are pure comfort food straight from my childhood, back when my mom would often make these sandwiches for a delicious quick supper. Back then, we often used a jar of premade sauce to make these sandwiches, but I’ve since started making them from scratch. And while this Sloppy Joes recipe is made from scratch, you only need some staple items and seasonings for it. Just a few basic ingredients and you can have these delicious sandwiches on the table without much effort. {And if you need buns for your sloppy joes, check out my recipe for quick and easy hamburger buns.}

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I made Sloppy Joes for dinner recently, and it got me wondering where this old-fashioned sandwich came from. A little research has informed me that it likely originated in the early 20th century – maybe the 1920s or 1930s (but the jarred stuff has been around since the 1960s). It’s possibly a version of the midwestern loose meat sandwich or otherwise originated at Sloppy Joe’s bar in Key West, or the other Sloppy Joe’s bar in Havana, Cuba. Who knew?!

Anyway, this sandwich with its mysterious origins has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. And kids and adults alike tend to love it. I’ve made my homemade version with a tangy tomato sauce that has a hint of sweetness, plus a few spices. It’s super simple to make and feeds those comfort food cravings.

And don’t feel you have to use ground beef here. I’ve used ground turkey successfully, and you can make a darn good vegetarian version by substituting a combination of cooked lentils and chopped mushrooms for ground beef. You can even lighten up the calories by using a lettuce wrap instead of a bun.

Tips for making homemade Sloppy Joes:

• Dice the vegetables small. I think the taste and texture are better without big chunks of vegetables in the meat.
• Brown the meat and vegetables until they have a nice golden brown color. This gives the sandwich an even better flavor. 
• Use a sturdy pan with a lid to simmer the meat in the sauce. If I have the time, I like to simmer it for a full 45 minutes to let the flavors marry and the meat get tender. 
• Use a sturdy pan with a lid to simmer your sloppy joes. I use my Dutch oven or a nonstick ceramic pan with a glass lid like this one. 

If you try this recipe for Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes, I hope you love it. And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram so you don’t miss a post. 

Homemade Sloppy Joes

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★★★★★

4.8 from 12 reviews

• Author: Melissa Lynn
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

These Homemade Sloppy Joes are made from scratch with simple ingredients. Featuring a tangy tomato sauce with a hint of sweetness, plus a few spices, it’s easy to make and feeds those comfort food cravings.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• Pinch ground cloves
• Salt and pepper
• Rolls or Hamburger buns

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Instructions

1. Add oil to a large skillet, and heat over medium-high heat. Add ground beef to the pan and cook while breaking up the meat with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper.
2. When meat is almost cooked through and beginning to brown, add in onion and bell pepper. Cook until beef is nicely browned and vegetables are beginning to soften. Drain off any grease.
3. Add tomatoes, ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, cinnamon, celery seed, and ground cloves to the meat and vegetables. Stir to combine.
4. Cover with lid, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Turn heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally and add extra water if needed.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot on buns, or try lettuce wraps for a lighter version.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes