Old Fashioned Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe
Old-Fashioned Homemade Sloppy Joes are a kid-pleasing classic that’ll take you straight back to the school cafeteria—but in the best way possible! This nostalgic favorite isn’t just for the lunch line; it’s a hit with the whole family! Plus, it’s a super easy way to serve up a hearty, delicious meal on busy weeknights without the fuss.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ¼ cup onion
- ¼ cup green bell pepper
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Chop the onion and bell pepper.
- In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onion, and green peppers until browned, about 6–8 minutes. Reduce to medium heat if the beef cooks too quickly.1 lb lean ground beef, ¼ cup onion, ¼ cup green bell pepper
- Once the beef is browned, add the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; reduce to low heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors.¾ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Butter the inside of the buns and toast in a skillet or on a griddle pan over medium heat until golden, about 3–4 minutes per side.6 hamburger buns
- Serve on toasted buns. Add a slice of cheese or a bit of shredded cheese if desired.
Tips for success
No oil is needed with a nonstick skillet, regardless of the meat. If using lean meat in a regular skillet, add a bit of oil.
Time-Saving Tips: Buy pre-chopped onion and bell peppers, they can be found frozen or fresh in the produce section of some grocery stores.
Get the beef, onion and pepper cooking first and them measure out the remaining ingredients into a small bowl so you can just dump them into the skillet when the beef is browned.
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*Nutritional information is automatically calculated and is only an estimate. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients and specific brands you use. If nutrition is important to you, I recommend using a calculator you trust.
Just toggle to the metric version to view the measurements in grams, milliliters, and more!
Why do you include metric measurements?
While the U.S. still mostly uses cups and tablespoons, the rest of the world uses metric. I include both to make my recipes easier for everyone—no conversions needed! The metric amounts are calculated automatically and work great for everyday cooking. Since these recipes aren’t for baking (where exact weights really matter), a few grams one way or the other won’t hurt a thing.Just toggle to the metric version to view the measurements in grams, milliliters, and more!
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwichCalories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 21gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 757mgPotassium: 436mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 344IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 4mg
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