Sandwiches & Burgers American

Rachel’s Famous Sloppy Joes

Ground beef simmers with peppers, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar and vinegar until thick enough to pile onto buns. The recipe is called Sloppy Joe because 'Neatly Contained Joseph' never really had a chance.

Rachel’s Famous Sloppy Joes

What It Is

This is a classic-style Sloppy Joe filling made from ground beef and a sweet-tangy tomato sauce, served on hamburger buns.

Origin

Sloppy Joes are American loose-meat sandwiches with several competing origin stories. One popular story links the name to a Sioux City, Iowa cook named Joe in the 1930s, but the exact origin is not definitively settled.

Fun Fact

The mixture works because the sauce is simmered until reduced. If it is still running off the bun like spring runoff, it needs more time.

Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Temp
Stovetop medium heat
Total
35 min
Servings
6 sandwichs
(double it if teenagers are involved)
Difficulty
easy
Dairy-Free Nut-Free High-Protein
Diet
Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, High-Protein
Away Mission
60 min walk
(or beam directly past it, if the transporter's working today)
#american #family-meal #freezer-friendly #ground-beef #sandwich #sloppy-joe

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 hamburger buns
  • Thinly sliced red onion, optional

Steps

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add bell pepper and onion and cook until tender.
  3. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook about 1 minute.
  4. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
  5. Add Worcestershire, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and simmer about 15 minutes, until thickened.
  7. Serve on hamburger buns with sliced red onion if desired.

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Notes

The source’s Sioux City origin story is preserved as one common legend, not presented as undisputed fact.

Nutrition Facts
Per 1 sandwich
Calories 280
Burning this off: a brisk argument with a Costco parking lot.
% Daily Value*
Fat 12.0 g 16%
Saturated + Trans 4 g 20%
Cholesterol 70 mg
Sodium 2670 mg 116%**
Carbohydrate 22.0 g
Fibre 3.0 g 11%
Sugars 12.0 g 12%
Protein 23.0 g
Potassium 680 mg 14%
Calcium 70 mg 5%
Iron 3.1 mg 17%
*5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot. Sodium levels calculated in a country with universal healthcare — and it's free, so don't worry about it too much.
**This dish means well. Some numbers above are having a bit of a moment. Delicious? Absolutely. A daily habit? Let's not. Eat it, enjoy it, then maybe take the stairs.

Substitutions

Use ground turkey, pork or plant-based ground. Reduce brown sugar for a less sweet version. Add chili flakes or hot sauce for heat.

Storage

Refrigerate the filling separately from buns for up to 3–4 days.

Freezing

Freeze cooled filling in airtight portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly.