5.0 from 111 votes
The Best Sloppy Joe Recipe
You won't believe how unbelievably fast, easy, and tasty this sloppy joe recipe is! My recipe is 100% from-scratch (no ketchup!) for the best sloppy joes you've ever had. Makes a great weeknight dinner! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 271 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion about ½ a medium onion
- ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1 lb ground beef I like to use 90%
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard or 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup tomato paste 4 oz
- 3-4 Tablespoons light brown sugar firmly packed
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (may substitute coconut aminos)
- ½ cup chicken broth beef broth, or water
- burger buns for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion and pepper and cook until softened.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, crumbling as you cook. Drain off excess grease if needed.
- Add spices (smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder (or mustard), salt and pepper) and stir into the beef.
- Add tomato paste, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and worcestershire and stir until well-combined.
- Drizzle in broth or water.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve warm on buns.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- You may substitute ground chicken or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- This may seem like a lot of sugar, but keep in mind most sloppy joe recipes add ketchup, which contains quite a bit of sugar, in addition to also typically adding more sugar on top of that. I typically use all 4 tablespoons called for, but you can start with just 3 Tablespoons and then taste-test after step 6 and add the last tablespoon if desired.
- Beef broth will yield the richest flavor, chicken stock works well, and water is my least favorite (least flavor) but will absolutely work and yield tasty results if you have neither beef or chicken broth.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
271kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
14g
(5%)
Protein
15g
(30%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
54mg
(18%)
Sodium
724mg
(30%)
Potassium
530mg
(15%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
10g
(20%)
Vitamin A
890IU
(18%)
Vitamin C
22mg
(24%)
Calcium
38mg
(4%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 271
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 271kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 724mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 530mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 890IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 22mg | 24% |
| Calcium | 38mg | 4% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.