These homemade Easy Sloppy Joes are the perfect quick family dinner. They’re made with basic ingredients and come together in just 30 minutes! One of our favorites!
I wasn’t very old when I decided that my grandmother and mom always made the best Sloppy Joes.
As a child, I was a picky eater and didn’t like a lot of foods, but homemade Sloppy Joes were one of my favorites.
But due to my pickiness, I dreaded when we’d be invited to someone else’s place to eat because I was worried they’d serve something that I didn’t like. And obviously, I hated trying to choke down food and needing to fight my gag reflex as I tried to be polite and eat what was served.
If our hosts happened to be having Sloppy Joes though, I could always breathe a sigh of relief because I knew I could easily eat that! But I remember frequently being somewhat disappointed because, in my opinion, most people’s Sloppy Joes tasted a bit bland and slightly sweet- nothing like the from scratch version that my mom and grandmother made!
The Sloppy Joe recipe that my mom and grandmother use is an old fashioned one that is juicy, full of flavor and has a little tang, thanks to the addition of apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is actually what makes this recipe old fashioned and is the ingredient that is missing from a lot of newer recipes.
I’ve eaten a lot of different Sloppy Joe recipes over the years, but I still think this old fashioned easy Sloppy Joe sandwich that is totally from scratch is the best!
And now that I’m a mom, I appreciate this Sloppy Joe recipe in a whole new way. Because like every other mom, I’m always looking for quick and easy dinner ideas to feed my tribe. We rarely eat out, so recipes that are fast and easy are sanity savers for me!
I also prefer if those easy dinner ideas are made with simple, basic ingredients too since I try to stay away from a lot of pre-packaged foods.
And this homemade easy Sloppy Joe recipe delivers all of those things: super easy to make, ready in 30 minutes, and made with just a few simple, basic ingredients. Plus it’s a recipe that is a winner with the whole family too, from the youngest to the oldest!
How does this homemade Sloppy Joe recipe compare to Manwich?
Some of you might wonder how this recipe compares to Manwich. I honestly can’t even answer that because I’ve never actually had Manwich before. But I can tell you that if you like Manwich that I think you’ll enjoy this recipe every bit as much, maybe more. Plus it’s healthier and almost as easy too!
What should I serve with Sloppy Joes?
I love serving Sloppy Joes with a simple lettuce salad or raw or cooked veggies. They also pair well with potato chips, pasta or potato salad or a fruit salad such as my 5 Minute Mandarin Orange Jello Salad.
Can you freeze leftover Sloppy Joes?
Yes! Sloppy Joe meat freezes really well. So go ahead and make a double batch and freeze it to have on hand for a super quick meal later on.
How to Make Super Easy Sloppy Joes from Scratch
Super Easy Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 6 hamburger rolls
Instructions
- Fry hamburger and onion together until browned; drain if needed.
- Add remaining ingredients (excluding hamburger rolls of course!) and stir until combined.
- Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Serve on hamburger rolls. (We love spreading some mayonnaise on the rolls too for extra deliciousness.)
Notes
Other recipes you’ll enjoy:
Shari
First time I’ve tried making sloppy Joes from scratch. This recipe was so easy and so very good. Even my finicky daughter loved your sloppy Joe’s. Will be keeping this recipe around.
Lydia Beiler
So happy to hear that you all enjoyed it, Shari! Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Kathleen Harris
I made these for supper last night for my husband and I. These taste EXACTLY like the Sloppy Joes that my Grandma used to make for us kids. This kid is now 64 years old and Grandma left us 36 years ago. When she passed there were lots of dishes for which there were no recipes!! I have tried to duplicate her recipe for years, coming close, but just..not..quite…there. This recipe is it though!! I believe that you are correct Lydia, it is the cider vinegar that makes it. Thank you for sharing your family recipe with us. BTW, I did manage to snag two of the sandwiches for me…hubby scarfed the other four down in a blink!
Lydia Beiler
This just made me smile so much, Kathleen! I know the frustration of not being able to quite replicate the taste of a dish that you remember and loved. And I’m so glad that this recipe finally allowed you to again enjoy the Sloppy Joes that your Grandma made for you when you were a kid!
Diane
This is excellent!! Second time making it- this is so flavorful and so good! Thanks for sharing!!
Lydia Beiler
I’m so delighted to hear that you like it, Diane!
Laura
I made this last night. It’s delicious!! Thanks!
Lydia Beiler
Glad that you enjoyed it, Laura! It’s one of those easy recipes that I really don’t make often enough! Also, thanks for taking the time to let me know and to rate the recipe. 🙂
Debra
Had these for lunch today. My family no longer wants to eat when made with Manwich!!!
ThriftyFrugalMom
So glad that you all enjoyed them, Debra! And I’m honored that they won out over Manwich. 🙂
Kendra
Could I make these with already cooked ground beef? Just sauté the onions, make the sauce, and throw in the cooked ground beef on simmer?
Lydia Beiler
I tried this once and the meat turned out much drier and wasn’t nearly as good. I think, however, you could do it and either add a bit of oil/butter to the meat to help mimic the fat content that cooks away during reheating or you could just make a bit of extra sauce. I don’t want to promise it will be amazing but I think it could work. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turned out for you!
Kendra
So I tried it with already cooked browned beef – it turned out great! I fried up the onions with some butter, made the sauce, and threw the ground beef in to simmer and warm up. Wasn’t dry at all and tasted delicious!
Lydia Beiler
That is really helpful to know! Thanks so much for stopping back to give an update. I often have already cooked ground beef in the freezer to help speed up meal prep, so I’m excited to try it.
Melinda
I’ll be giving this a try!! I’ve seen other sloppy joe recipes that either had tons of ingredients or just didn’t sound good!
ThriftyFrugalMom
I’d love to know what you think once you make it! 🙂