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homemade sloppy joe sandwiches on a round wooden tray

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Amanda
These quick and easy homemade sloppy joes are made from scratch and done in just 15 minutes. Ground beef is cooked with onions and garlic and finished off with a homemade sloppy joe sauce for a delicious, comforting meal.
5 from 13 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 527 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon pickle juice
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 6 hamburger buns

Instructions
 

  • In a small mixing bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
  • Preheat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat on the stove top with the olive oil.
  • Once the oil and pan are heated, add in the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
  • Add ground beef to the onions and garlic and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the sloppy joe sauce to the ground beef mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and heated through.
  • Serve sloppy joe mix warm on hamburger buns.

Notes

  • Make sure to stir the sauce thoroughly so no clumps of sugar or spices remain.
  • Cook the beef all the way through so it's no longer pink and registers 160˚ on a kitchen thermometer.
 

Substitutions and Variations

  • Ground turkey or chicken can be used a substitute for the ground beef.
  • Use kaiser rolls, slider buns, hawaiian rolls or lettuce leafs are other alternatives to using hamburger buns.
  • Try adding sliced cheese, crispy fried onions, bread and butter pickles, crispy bacon slices, sliced red onions or pickled jalapeños.
  • Serve the sloppy joe mix patty melt style on garlic toast or texas toast topped with cheese.
 

Make Ahead Instructions

Sloppy joe mix can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, cooled completely and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The mix can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months and thawed in the refrigerator.
Sloppy joe mix can be reheated in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium low heat or in the microwave.
 

Storage Suggestions

Leftover meat mixture will keep for 3-5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator when kept separate from the buns. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwichCalories: 527kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 24gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 969mgPotassium: 555mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 211IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 4mg
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