~ Our families have declared this Homemade Sloppy Joe recipe the absolute best ever … so much better (and healthier!) than Manwich. Super-simple, and you can even make it ahead for busy nights! ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead •
I love comfort food. Especially when it’s cold outside.
And friends, it’s cold in Ohio. Our kids have been to school a whopping 5.5 days so far in 2015. All the snow and extreme cold temps make it awfully tough for the buses to get our precious little ones to school safely, so we’ve had a few snow days.
I’m totally not complaining. I {heart} snow days. I still get super excited! Maybe even more than my kids … and they get pretty darn giddy! Ahhh … snow days are the best ever!
The chance to sleep in! Monopoly tournaments! Movies while snuggling on the couch! Sledding! (Ok, so the sledding is more for the kids … but I make the hot cocoa!)
And on those really cold days, I don’t know about you, but I’m craving comfort food! Mmmm … comfort food! It’s just the best ever! (So, if you’re following along, that would be best-ever comfort food on a best-ever snow day … that’s pretty darn best-est!)
Sometimes, though, good ‘ol comfort food takes a really long time to make. But on snow days, I don’t have that kind of time. (Remember … Monopoly, movies, the making of all the hot cocoa?)
I really want to whip up a delicious, hearty meal, but I need it to be quick, too. Something that will keep us toasty and cozy. And, of course, totally kid-approved!
Mmmmmm … I know! A wonderfully warm, yummy hot sandwich. Yes! That is what we shall have! Sloppy joes!
And when ya make your own, you know what’s in ’em. There’s no, shall we say … questionable ingredients.
Oh … and if you think you might get entangled in a never-ending Monopoly-a-thon, you can even make these in advance! They reheat perfectly!
Let the happy dance commence!
So fast! So easy! So healthy!
My littlest, who always used to ask for “No sauce, please” on her sloppy-joes-from-a-can, now asks for seconds of these! Choosing homemade over the brand name? For a kid? If that’s not a parental win, I don’t know what is!
Shelley’s son even dubbed these “the best sloppy joes ever” (yup, best ever – it’s today’s theme, ya know)! And really – I have to agree with him.
These sloppy joes are the perfect meal on a cold, snowy day. Or a busy weeknight. Or for a Saturday lunch before you head out to the slopes. Or for any day. At any time. They’re really just … the best ever!
So go ahead and pop in another movie and grab those kids for a few more snuggles. This super-easy-best-ever sloppy joes recipe will be ready in a flash!
More Sloppy Joe Joy
Wanna riff on this classic recipe? Shake things up and get a little creative? Try these unique sloppy joe recipes, too!
Best Ever Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
This deliciously easy sloppy joe recipe is so much better than Manwich! A total family favorite! So simple, and you can even make it ahead for busy nights!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead •
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup frozen, diced onions (see note)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste with Italian herbs
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
- 1/2 cup frozen, diced green peppers (see note)
- 2-3 tablespoons water (see note)
- whole wheat buns
Instructions
- Preheat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add beef, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook until beef is browned and cooked through, stirring to crumble, about 8-10 minutes. Drain if needed (although, if using very lean beef, you probably won’t need to).
- Add tomato paste, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce. Cook for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Stir in green peppers, cooking just until peppers are hot and crisp-tender.
- Add water, until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve immediately on whole wheat buns, passing additional hot sauce as desired.
Notes
Frozen onions and peppers, and water: If you have fresh onions and green peppers on hand, these will work perfectly, as well. However, you'll need to add more water at the end of cooking, likely about 1/4 - 1/3 cup, if you use fresh vegetables. As frozen veggies thaw, they release more water than the fresh veggies do, which is why, with fresh vegetables, you'll need to add a little more water.
Make-ahead options: This reheats beautifully. If you're crunched for time in the evening, you can easily make this the night before or earlier in the day, and then simply reheat just prior to serving. It also freezes well if you want to make batches further in advance.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 servings Serving Size: 1 sandwichAmount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gFiber: 3g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
This looks amazing! Do you think it would still taste good if instead of ground beef I used ground chicken or turkey?
Hi Danielle! I do think that these sloppy joes would still be yummy! They might not quite have the same flavor profile without the beef (chicken and turkey tend to be a bit more mellow), but I really do think you’ll enjoy this recipe either way.
One note, though – I assume you’re subbing chicken or turkey so the recipe is lean and healthy. If that’s the case, be very careful in reading the nutrition labels. A lot of people just automatically assume that ground beef will be more fatty than other ground meats. Surprisingly, ground turkey in particular is often NOT leaner, lower in fat or lower in calories than extra-lean ground beef. We always use ground beef that is 90%, 93% or even 96% lean (depending on which store we happen to be shopping at and what their selection is). Ground turkey can also be very lean, but often (again, surprisingly!) is not. It just depends on what meat has been included in the mix. So, honestly, if you’re strictly looking at nutrition labels, then very, very lean ground beef may be healthier than the mixture of ground turkey that your store offers. Just be sure to check the labels so you know what you’re getting.
Hope that helps! 😀 ~Shelley
This sounds so good, the perfect weeknight meal!
Sloppy Joes are amazing comfort food! And your pictures look fantastic!