Making homemade Sloppy Joes doesn’t require a can of sauce! You can easily whip these up with pantry staples for a quick meal your family is sure to love.
Homemade Sloppy Joes are easier than you think–get the recipe for this simple from-scratch lunch or dinner.

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Simple meals are my jam right now. With three small kiddos running around, I don’t have a lot of extra time to be experimenting in the kitchen preparing our meals.
I like having tried and true meals to make for my family, particularly meals that don’t require a lot of effort! Because even if I get the notion to make something fancy, my plans are thwarted very quickly by diaper changes, breaking up fights, and cleaning up messes.
This meal brings about a bit of nostalgia for me. Raise your hand if you loved Sloppy Joes growing up! Yep, I thought so.
I’m sure most of us can remember our moms opening a can of Manwich to whip up a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
But did you know that it’s actually really simple to make homemade Sloppy Joes without the can? True story.
Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe
This recipe is a version I’ve adapted from both a Pioneer Woman recipe and a recipe from the Picky Palate cookbook that I received as a Christmas gift a few years ago (which is a great book, by the way).
Using basic pantry staples, you can make the sauce while you brown some ground beef (or ground turkey, if you prefer). The sauce is slightly spicy and a little tangy, so it’s perfect!
I use this same sauce for my Instant Pot lentil Sloppy Joes, too.
I also love the addition of some veggies, because nobody really notices that they’re in there. Muahahaha.
If you have a kid with supersonic vision who can spot a veggie a mile away, you can always shred the carrots instead of chopping them, making them easier to disguise.
If you love Sloppy Joes, you should also check out my Instant Pot Hawaiian Sloppy Joes recipe for a tropical flair, or my Instant Pot Pizza Sloppy Joes for an Italian version!

How to Make the Best Sloppy Joes at Home
In a saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and peppers in some olive oil until they start to soften.
Add in the ground beef and allow it to brown, breaking it up as it cooks.
While the beef is browning, mix together the sauce ingredients so it will be ready when the beef has finished cooking.
After the beef is browned, drain any excess grease and stir in the sauce. Allow the sauce to warm through, then spoon it over a bun and you’re set!
Be sure to check out my list of side dishes you can serve with Sloppy Joes to round out your meal!
Notes and Adaptations for Homemade Sloppy Joes
- If you need to save a few minutes of time, grab a bag of frozen mirepoix (chopped onions, carrots, and celery) from your grocery store. Then all you’ll need to chop up is the bell pepper.
- You can serve it on hamburger buns, rolls, french bread, or plain ol’ sliced sandwich bread. Whatever you have on hand is fine!
- Leftovers freeze well, so you can always double the recipe and freeze the extra for later if you want to. This was one of the many freezer meals I made during each of my pregnancies, and it was super helpful to have a variety of meals at the ready after the baby arrived.
- We often bake french fries or tater tots to go along with these sandwiches, or you can serve with a salad or pita chips or whatever floats your boat!
Recommended Equipment:
Add these homemade Sloppy Joes to your next weekly meal plan–I think you’ll love them!
More Family-Friendly Recipes You’re Sure to Love:
- Browned Butter Chicken Tetrazzini
- Quick and Easy Baked Homemade Meatballs
- Instant Pot Cheeseburger Macaroni
The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes

Making homemade Sloppy Joes doesn't require a can of sauce! You can whip these up with some pantry staples, making a quick meal your family will love!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 3/4 cup diced onion
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 3/4 cup diced carrots
- 1 bell pepper, diced (whatever color you prefer)
- 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 Tbs minced garlic
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 Tbs yellow mustard
- 1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, use if you want more spice!)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion, celery, carrots, and peppers. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender.
- Add ground beef (or turkey) and garlic to the vegetables in the saucepan, breaking up the meat with a spoon or spatula as it cooks.
- While the meat browns, prepare the sauce by combining ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, chili powder, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to mix well.
- Once the meat is browned, drain grease if necessary.
- Combine sauce with the meat in the saucepan. Reduce heat to low and allow mixture to warm.
- Serve over buns, rolls, french bread, or sandwich bread (or whatever bread you prefer!).
Notes
- If you need to save a few minutes of time, grab a bag of frozen mirepoix (chopped onions, carrots, and celery) from your grocery store. Then all you'll need to chop up is the bell pepper.
- You can serve it on hamburger buns, rolls, french bread, or plain ol' sliced sandwich bread. Whatever you have on hand is fine!
- Leftovers freeze well, so you can always double the recipe and freeze the extra for later if you want to. This was one of the many freezer meals I made during each of my pregnancies, and it was super helpful to have a variety of meals at the ready after the baby arrived.
- We often bake french fries or tater tots to go along with these sandwiches, or you can serve with a salad or pita chips or whatever floats your boat!
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman and The Picky Palate Cookbook by Jenny Flake
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