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Upgraded Classic Beef Sloppy Joes Recipe

Do you remember eating sloppy joes as a child?

Top-down shot of a large white bowl filled with ground beef sloppy joe filling, topped with chopped parsley, with hamburger buns and a stack of square white plates on a brown wood table.

I grew up on sloppy joes — the saucy, beefy sandwiches that left smiles and traces of sauce on our faces. Back then, the filling usually came from a can: quick, convenient, and perfect for busy weeknights. As I got older, though, I began to prefer a fresher approach. Homemade sauce and high-quality meat make a world of difference.

Homemade sloppy joe mixture on a hamburger bun, on a square white plate with more in a white bowl with a spoon in the background, on a brown wood surface.

For these sandwiches I like to use grass-fed ground beef because it brings more flavor and better nutrients than the typical processed options. The goal is to taste the beef, not have it overwhelmed by an overly sweet, preservative-heavy sauce.

A large white bowl of beef sloppy joe with a stainless steel serving spoon, beside a small stack of square white plates, with a serving on a hamburger bun in the foreground, on a brown wood table.

The sauce here starts with plain tomato sauce and barbecue sauce, then gains depth from a blend of savory spices. If you prefer, you can swap in fresh chopped tomatoes, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in place of bottled ketchup or store-bought barbecue sauce for a preservative-free homemade version.

Serve the sloppy joe mixture on well-toasted hamburger buns for the classic presentation, or use standard sandwich bread, sprouted bread, or any other bread you prefer. These sandwiches also work beautifully over rice or quinoa for a heartier plate.

If you like heat, add a bit more red pepper flakes to the pan, but do so gradually — taste as you go so you don’t make it too spicy. And yes: napkins are essential. A good sloppy joe should be deliciously messy.

A bowl of homemade sloppy joe sandwich filling topped with chopped parsley, on a brown wood table beside a stack of white plates.

The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes

A bowl of homemade sloppy joe sandwich filling topped with chopped parsley, on a brown wood table beside a stack of white plates.

The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes

5 from 1 review

  • Author: Shanna Mallon
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Description

This classic comfort-food sandwich gets a simple, from-scratch upgrade. Using grass-fed beef enhances the savory depth of the tomato-based sauce, resulting in a rich, well-balanced sloppy joe you can feel good about serving to family and friends. Ready in about 20 minutes, it’s perfect for weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
  • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp plain tomato sauce (or 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes)
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (or 2 Tbsp tomato paste or homemade ketchup, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and 2 Tbsp rice vinegar)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced fresh garlic)
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
  • 4 hamburger buns, halved and toasted

Instructions

  1. Warm the oil and cook the onion. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and fully cooked through. Drain excess fat from the pan so the mixture isn’t greasy.
  3. Combine the sauce. In a small bowl, mix the tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, salt, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), black pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. If you’re using fresh tomatoes and homemade ketchup or tomato paste, simmer those ingredients together until the tomatoes break down, then puree before adding the spices.
  4. Simmer with the beef. Add the sauce to the pan with the cooked beef and stir to combine. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture is warmed through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  5. Serve. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley if you like, and spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto toasted buns. Serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Sandwiches
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Comfort Food, Beef

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Chop the onion and measure ingredients

Peel and finely chop the onion and set it aside. Measure the remaining ingredients and have them ready on the counter so you can add each item as needed.

Small round and square bowls of red sauce, chopped white onions, spices, and a larger stainless steel bowl of raw ground beef, on a brown wood tabletop.

Step 2 – Cook the onion

Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onion over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Sauteed chopped onions in a nonstick frying pan, on a brown wood surface.

Step 3 – Cook the ground beef

Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until no pink remains. Drain excess fat to avoid an oily sandwich.

Ground beef browning in a large nonstick frying pan with chopped onions, on a brown wood surface.

Step 4 – Add the sauce and finish

Stir the prepared sauce into the cooked beef. If you made a fresh tomato-based sauce, simmer the tomatoes first and puree them before adding to the meat. Cook until the sauce is hot and the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened.

A large frying pan of ground beef in a red sauce, on a brown wood table.

Serve on toasted buns with your favorite sides: roasted vegetables, oven fries, or a crisp side salad make great accompaniments.

A Simple Recipe with Many Options

This recipe is very adaptable. If you avoid red meat, substitute ground turkey or chicken, or use crumbled, well-pressed firm tofu for a vegetarian version. Finely minced mushrooms or diced bell pepper cooked with the onions add extra flavor and texture.

For more heat, swap red pepper flakes for your favorite hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne. The sauce is forgiving and responds well to small adjustments, so taste and tweak as you go.

A large spoonful of ground beef with a red sauce is being held up to the camera, with a large stainless steel frying pan containing more of the mixture in the background.

Try variations to suit your household and enjoy a homemade version of this comforting classic.

Photos by Meghan Yager. Originally published March 4, 2011. Last updated October 11, 2020 with additional writing and editing.

Nutritional information is an approximation based on generic foods and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or lab tested.