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August 14, 2020 By Nicky Leave a Comment

Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

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ground beef or turkey smothered in a sweet tomato based sauce anywhere. #weeknightmealidea #groundbeefrecipe #skilletmeal #campingrecipe" data-pin-url="https://littlefamilyadventure.com/easy-homemade-sloppy-joes-recipe/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-pug" alt="sloppy joes graphic with it on a bun and in skillet" class="dpsp-post-pinterest-image-hidden-inner">
make ahead sloppy joes on campstove

Sloppy joes are a staple weeknight meal. Growing up, my mom would open up a can of store-bought sloppy joe sauce, add it to cooked ground beef, and serve it on a hamburger bun. Today, I serve up these delicious homemade sloppy joes.  This is a super easy recipe that cooks up in less than 30 minutes at home. Bonus- Plus it is a great camping meal too!!

sloppy joe on a blue plate with side of broccoli

Sloppy Joes Recipe – Easy Weeknight Meal

Start to finish, these sloppy joes take about 30 minutes to cook making them a great weeknight dinner idea. I use ketchup in this recipe for a closer copycat recipe of the Manwich Sloppy Joes. But you can also use plain tomato sauce for a less sweet version or your favorite barbecue sauce. Honestly, we use a spicy Texas-style barbecue sauce more often than ketchup. If you want to try something different, try it and let me know which you prefer.

hands holding sloippy joe over plate

Great Sides for Sloppy Joes

  • Mom’s Potato Salad with Egg
  • Steamed Broccoli
  • Oven-Baked Potato Wedges
  • Brussel Sprouts Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing
  • Celery, Apple, Walnut Salad

Make-Ahead Meal Idea

If you do batch cooking, this is a great recipe for families. You can make everything ahead of time and freeze smaller portions. It’s that same reasoning that makes it a great make-ahead camping meal too. You can prep and cook everything at home and then just reheat at the campsite.

sloppy joe on plate
rv graphic
homemade sloppy joes on bun

How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes

1. Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, crumbling as it cooks. It will still be pink.

2. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to meat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Ground beef will be cooked through.

3. Add in tomato paste, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, chili powder, salt, and pepper into meat mixture. Stir well. Add ½ cup water to thin out sauce to desired consistency. 

tomato based sauce cooking in skillet on portable stove
Great recipe for camping – GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540 Camping Stove Shown

4. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and allow the sloppy joe sauce to simmer for 10 minutes allowing all the flavors to blend. You may have to add more water as you cook the sloppy joe meat sauce. 

5. Heat hamburger buns and top with sloppy joe sauce with peppers and onions. Feel free to serve with red pepper flakes or your favorite hot sauce.

Continue to Content
Yield: 4

Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

sloppy joe on a blue plate with side of broccoli

These are the best sloppy joes ready in under 30 minutes. Enjoy the classic recipe homemade in a skillet. Made with ground beef or turkey and a sweet tomato-based sauce. Easy enough to batch cook and freeze to enjoy as needed.

Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large onion, about 1 cup chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, about ¾ cup chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 - 6oz can tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • Red pepper flakes, optional
  • Hot sauce, optional

Instructions

  1. Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, crumbling as it cooks. It will still be pink.
  2. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to meat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes
  3. Add in tomato paste, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, chili powder, salt, and pepper into meat mixture. Stir well. Add ½ cup water to thin out sauce to desired consistency.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low heat and allow the sloppy joe sauce to simmer for 10 minutes allowing all the flavors to blend. You may have to add more water as you cook the sloppy joe meat sauce.
  5. Heat hamburger buns and top with sloppy joe sauce with peppers and onions. Feel free to serve with red pepper flakes or your favorite

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Butcher Box At Home Meat Delivery
    Butcher Box At Home Meat Delivery
  • GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540 2-Burner Camping Stove
    GSI Outdoors Selkirk 540 2-Burner Camping Stove
  • Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
    Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 555Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1068mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 5gSugar: 20gProtein: 39g
© Little Family Adventure
Cuisine: American

Share with Us – When you make one of these recipes, tag us at @LilFamAdventure in your post or story and let us know. We love seeing what your cooking and how you are getting adventurous with your family!

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: camping recipes, main entrees

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About Nicky

Nicky Omohundro is a travel and active family lifestyle blogger and social media influencer based out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She shares stories, destinations, and ideas on food, family, health, and outdoor recreation to help families find their own adventures. Her spirit animal is a caffeinated squirrel fueled by coffee, real food, and the desire to seek new adventures.

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