Sloppy Joes Recipe

Andrea Gomez/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

The secret to a great Sloppy Joe sandwich is slowly simmering the beef and sauce down into a rich, tender paste. You should always serve Sloppy Joes with a fork, but you should never need to use it.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 green bell pepper (diced)
  • 2 cups water (divided)
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Optional: cayenne to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Place the ground beef and onions into a cold, large skillet and put over medium heat.

  2. Cook stirring until the beef begins to brown. As it cooks, break the meat into very small pieces with a spatula. The smaller the better.

  3. Add the garlic and green pepper; cook stirring for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of water.

  4. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula to dissolve any browned bits.

  5. Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and last cup of water.

  6. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been evaporated, and the meat mixture is thick, rich and tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

  7. Serve hot on soft rolls.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
350 Calories
13g Fat
23g Carbs
34g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 350
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 101mg 34%
Sodium 971mg 42%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 34g
Calcium 82mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)