Wyatt's Sloppy Joes (The Messier, The Better)
Sweet, tangy, and ready in 25 minutes — homemade Sloppy Joes from scratch with a sauce that beats any can. A family-approved weeknight dinner that gets everyone to the table.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef 80/20
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 small green bell pepper, finely diced optional
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup water or beef broth
- 6 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, break up with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned (6-7 minutes). Drain off about half the fat.
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Push beef to the side. Add diced onion and bell pepper, cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic, stir 30 seconds. Mix everything together.
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Add ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until meat is coated. Pour in water or broth.
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Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
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Toast buns lightly face-down in a dry skillet or under the broiler. Spoon meat generously onto buns and serve with napkins.
Recipe Notes
The sauce improves overnight — make double and use the extra over baked potatoes. Freezes beautifully in flat zip-lock bags. Try cold coleslaw on top for a game-changing crunch.