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Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe

January 6, 2022 by Julie - The Recipe Life Leave a Comment

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Browned ground beef and savory onions mix perfectly with your favorite ketchup and brown sugar for a delicious and quick meal anytime. Sweet and tangy this easy sloppy joes recipe comes together with just four ingredients!

Sloppy joes on a bun with cheese and the skillet in the background.

After trying countless sloppy joe recipes over the years, this is still our favorite! This recipe transforms ordinary ground beef into a sweet and savory sandwich in just a few steps so I can have a stress-free meal on the table in minutes!

Sloppy Joe Recipe with Ketchup

Sloppy joes has always had a place in our suppertime meal rotations so I got smart and figured out a simple recipe to please the whole family!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
    • With a family of 7 we always double this recipe and use 2 pounds of ground beef. Sloppy joes reheat well in a microwave so we love the leftovers for the next day’s lunch!
  • 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
    • I have used off brand ketchup and name brand ketchup like Heinz with no noticable difference. Use what you love and have.
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
    • More or less depending on how sweet you prefer your sloppy joes.
  • salt and pepper to taste
    • To season the meat as it browns.
The four ingredients to make this easy sloppy joes recipe: Ground beef, chopped yellow onion, ketchup, and brown sugar.

Directions

First, in a skillet of over medium heat, brown your ground beef with the chopped onions breaking apart the beef into little pieces with a spatula as the beef is cooking through. Add a sprinkling of salt and pepper to taste. Once there is no longer any pink beef remaining, drain off the grease and return the beef and onions back to the skillet.

Brown ground beef with onions in a skillet.

Then add in the ketchup and brown sugar and mix well. Reheat the mixture to a slight boil stirring occasionally and simmer for 3-5 minutes. You can add more or less brown sugar depending on how sweet you want your sloppy joes. We add just enough brown sugar to overpower the ketchup taste. This is right around 3 or 4 tablespoons.

The browned ground beef and onion with ketchup and brown sugar makes this easy sloppy joes recipe.

Done! Serve while warm. Enjoy sloppy joes as an open-faced sandwich on bread with cheese, on buns, or even just with chips and use it as a dip. Then pair them with these Loaded Baked Potato Slices or Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan. Yum! So good! This easy sloppy joes recipe is will get everyone excited for dinner again.

Easy sloppy joes on a slice of cheese and bun bottom.

What if my sloppy joes is too thick?

Try adding more ketchup and brown sugar to taste. Or add around 1/4 cup of water and thoroughly mix it through while reheating your sloppy joes.

What kind of ground beef do I use for sloppy joes?

Lean meat around 85%-90% lean ground beef is best.

Other Meal Ideas

Try out this Beef Stroganoff recipe. Tender egg noodles, beef, onions, and carrots cooked and covered in a creamy white sauce is this one-pot meal that comes together quickly!

How about some chicken? A tender and juicy marinated garlic chicken breast topped with shredded parmesan cheese and parsley baked to perfection is this Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken recipe. Perfect as a main dish or over a salad!

This Pizza Spaghetti Bake recipe brings spaghetti and pizza together for the perfect marriage of carbs, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Warm and delicious, it’s a meal that will soon become a family favorite!

With only three ingredients and 15 minutes from start to finish, this Beefed Up Ramen looks amazing!

Sloppy joes on a bun with cheese and the skillet in the background.

Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe

Browned ground beef and savory onions mix perfectly with your favorite ketchup and brown sugar for a delicious and quick meal anytime. Sweet and tangy this easy sloppy joes recipe comes together with just four ingredients!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
  • ¼ cup yellow onion chopped
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet of over medium heat, brown your ground beef with the chopped onions breaking apart the beef into little pieces with a spatula as the beef is cooking through. Add a sprinkling of salt and pepper to taste. Once there is no longer any pink beef remaining, drain off the grease and return the beef and onions back to the skillet.
  • Then add in the ketchup and brown sugar and mix well. Reheat the mixture to a slight boil stirring occasionally and simmer for 3-5 minutes. You can add more or less brown sugar depending on how sweet you want your sloppy joes. We add just enough brown sugar to overpower the ketchup taste. This is right around 3 or 4 tablespoons.
  • Done! Serve while warm. Enjoy sloppy joes as an open-faced sandwich on bread with cheese, on buns, or even just with chips and use it as a dip. Also, pair them with Loaded Baked Potato Slices or Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan. Yum! So good! This easy sloppy joes recipe is will get everyone excited for dinner again.
Keyword Sloppy Joes

Filed Under: Beef, Food & Recipes, Main Dish Tagged With: beef, easy meal, main dish

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