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 simple Sloppy Joe recipe 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:
Jenny Hamilton
YOU NEED to 2x or 3x the sauce…not enough sauce for a sloppy Joe BUT I agree amazing and easy recipe!!!!
Lydia Beiler
Yes, if you like as messier, saucy sloppy joe, then you’ll definitely want to increase the sauce in this recipe! Glad you enjoyed it, Jenny!
Diane
I thought she was exaggerating but this is in fact the best sloppy joe recipe ever. Leftovers make a killer shepards pie too. My picky kid perks up when I say I’m making this! Tell the world to make this.
Lydia Beiler
Love hearing that your family enjoys this childhood favorite of mine! And I like the idea of using leftovers for Shepherd’s Pie. That sounds absolutely delicious!
Rebecca
I made this tonight and it was so good! It isn’t the typical “saucy” type of sloppy joe that you would get with a canned sauce, which is probably one of the reasons I liked it so much! We ate it over hawaiian rolls and it was delicious! Will definitely make it again. Oh, and it was so easy to make, I had all of the ingredients on hand! Score!
Lydia Beiler
You are right, this isn’t a super saucy sloppy joe, which is what I like about it too! Happy to hear that you enjoyed it so much.