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Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

Name: Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup minced carrots (can sub chopped bell pepper); 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium onion); 1/2 cup finely chopped celery; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/4 pounds ground beef; 1/2 cup ketchup; 2 cups tomato sauce (or 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, puréed); 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar; Pinch ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; Pinch cayenne pepper; 2 turns of freshly ground black pepper; 4 hamburger buns

August 07, 2026

Looking for a dinner that's equal parts nostalgic and practical? This hearty Sloppy Joe recipe from Simply Recipes is easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for showcasing Bootheel 7 Ranch Ground Beef. It's exactly the kind of meal busy families can count on after school or practice.

Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes

Rated 5 stars by 1 users

Servings

4 servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Calories

679

Looking for a dinner that's equal parts nostalgic and practical? This hearty Sloppy Joe recipe from Simply Recipes is easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for showcasing Bootheel 7 Ranch Ground Beef. It's exactly the kind of meal busy familie...

Author:

Team B7R

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced carrots (can sub chopped bell pepper)
1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup ketchup
2 cups tomato sauce (or 1 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, puréed)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 turns of freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns

Directions

Sauté the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic:
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the minced carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. (If you are using bell pepper instead of carrots, add those at the same time as the onions.)
Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 more minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Remove from heat. Remove vegetables from the pan to a medium sized bowl, set aside.
Brown the ground beef:
Using the same pan (or you can cook the meat at the same time as the vegetables in a separate pan to save time), crumble the ground beef into the pan. If you are using extra lean beef, you may need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Sprinkle the meat with salt.
Do not stir the ground beef, just let it cook until it is well browned on one side. Then flip the pieces over and brown the second side.
If you're cooking in batches, use a slotted spoon to remove the ground beef from the pan (can add to the set-aside vegetables) and repeat with the rest of the ground beef.
When the meat is done cooking, strain off all but 1 tablespoon of any fat left in the pan.
Make the sloppy Joe mix:
Return the cooked ground beef and vegetables to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break up any chunks of ground beef into smaller bits.
Add the ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar to the pan. Stir to mix well. Add ground cloves, thyme, and cayenne pepper.
Lower the heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Serve the sloppy joes:
Serve immediately, or refrigerate to make ahead and reheat to serve. Serve with toasted hamburger buns.

Recipe Note

These cook in one pot, with ground beef, onions, garlic, carrots, and celery, in sweet-and-sour tomato sauce. Served messy on purpose, over hamburger buns.

Tips for Making the Best Sloppy Joes

Prep veggies in a food processor: Make prep a breeze by coarsely chopping the onion, celery, and carrots and then pulsing them a few times in the food processor (carrots first; you can do the onions and celery together).
Work in batches: This way you don't crowd the pan when browning the beef.
Don't stir the beef: Once you add the beef, don't stir the meat much until it has browned well on one side.
Add water if needed: If the sloppy joe meat looks like it is getting dry while you simmer it, just add some water to get the consistency you want.

Can You Freeze Leftovers?

You can freeze these for up to 3 months. Just transfer the cooked and cooled mix to a zip-top freezer bag, lay it flat in the freezer (saves space), and freeze.

When it's time to reheat, put it in a saucepan with a little water, heat it through, and serve with freshly toasted hamburger buns.