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. 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.
- Let it simmer. If I have the time, I like to simmer my sloppy joes for 45 minutes. If you are pressed for time, you can get away with less, but simmering it for the full amount of time allows the flavors to combine and makes the meat tender and tasty.
- Use a sturdy pan with a lid to simmer your sloppy joes. I use an enameled Dutch oven or a nonstick ceramic pan with a glass lid like this one
Ingredients:
{The full list of ingredients is in the printable recipe card below}
Ground Beef – I typically use ground beef to make Sloppy Joe’s sandwiches, but I also love a good turkey Sloppy Joe sandwich. Use whatever type of ground meat you prefer.
Onion – I like sweet yellow onions in this recipe, but any kind will do. You don’t need much—a small onion or half of a large onion is all you need.
Bell Pepper – I always use green bell pepper because I love its flavor in this recipe, but you can use whatever color you prefer.
Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce – You’ll need a tomato product for this recipe. I like to use crushed tomatoes because it gives the sloppy joes a little bit of extra texture, but tomato sauce or tomato puree will work, too.
Ketchup – Use whatever ketchup you prefer and what suits your dietary needs. If you are avoiding or cutting back on sugar, be sure to use a no-sugar type of ketchup. For me, I like to use Simply Heinz.
Brown Sugar – To my taste, a little bit of sweetness is necessary for a good sloppy joe sandwich. It just wouldn’t be the same without it. If you are watching your sugar intake, feel free to use the sugar substitute of your choice.
Apple Cider Vinegar – This balances the sugar for a hint of sweet and sour flavor.
Prepared Mustard – I prefer to use regular yellow mustard but use whatever type of mustard you like.
Spices – I know that chili powder is commonly used in homemade sloppy joes, but I go in a different direction. I use a small amount of cinnamon, celery seed, and ground clove. It may sound unusual, but I like to use the same spices I use in my homemade ketchup. I think it’s delicious, but if these spices aren’t to your liking, try experimenting with a combination you prefer. An all-purpose seasoning works well here, too. And if you prefer, you can leave out the spices altogether and the sandwich will still be delicious.
If you try this recipe for Homemade Sloppy Joes, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to rate the recipe—it helps others discover it too!
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Homemade Sloppy Joes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
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.
Ingredients
- 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 (can substitute tomato puree or sauce)
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- Add tomatoes, ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, cinnamon, celery seed, and ground cloves to the meat and vegetables. Stir to combine.
- 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.
- 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
2 Comments
Esme
August 29, 2024 at 10:41 pmAmazing sloppy Joes to go with your homemade buns.,
Found your post on Full Plate Thursday. My entries this week are numbered #47+48
Hope you will join/share M-Sat at https://esmesalon.com/tag/seniorsalonpitstop/
patsy hairell
October 9, 2019 at 7:51 amWhen I try to access the recipe Baked chicken & dumplings it does not come up.