57 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Skip the Manwich and use this delicious homemade sloppy joe recipe to make the best sloppy joes ever. It’s easy to make and something the whole family is sure to enjoy!
Easy sandwich recipes are a must for getting dinner on the table. Next, try my Slow Cooker French Dips or Easy Pulled Pork.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Try Homemade Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are an iconic meal, especially when you’re looking for something quick, easy, and with minimal ingredients. But don’t let this homemade crock pot version fool you. It calls for a handful of ingredients, but most of which you’ll already have on hand. We love this homemade version instead of using Manwich.
Also, by making your own homemade batch, you can ensure there are no extra preservatives that aren’t that good for you. This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, and frozen for later use, all of which can help cut down the grocery bill a bit. Save this sloppy joe recipe and let’s get cooking! We also love to make slow cooker BBQ chicken sliders or slow cooker meatball sliders.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground beef – I use 7% fat (lean ground beef) though you can use any percentage.
- Bell Pepper – One green or red bell pepper.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion works best for this recipe.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Balances out flavors and adds a beefy flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – Adds an acidic touch.
- Brown Sugar – I only use a touch, I don’t like my sloppy joes too sweet.
- Tomato Sauce – Be sure to buy sauce, not paste.
- Ketchup and Mustard – Classic for homemade sloppy joe recipes.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Set a large skillet on the stovetop and set to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the ground beef, onion and bell pepper.
Step Two – Brown and crumble the beef. Drain your meat if your ground beef is overly fatty.
Step Three – Add the cooked beef, onion and bell pepper to the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Stir.
Step Four – Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or HIGH for 2 hours. Keep an eye on the meat mixture and stir if it looks as it’s starting to burn around the edges. Serve crockpot sloppy joes immediately and enjoy!
Tips for the best Sloppy Joes:
- Toast your buns! Use the bagel button on your toaster to toast just one side of your bun. Or put your buns under the broiler in the oven.
- Add toppings such as cheese, pickles, or raw chopped onion. Some people like to eat sloppy joes topped with barbecue sauce too.
- Give your meal a great side dish. We often do oven fries, but we also love fruit or carrot sticks instead. Don’t forget to serve with crinkle fries or slow cooker mac and cheese.
Recipe FAQs
To make crumbly beef for Sloppy Joes, it’s best to brown and crumble the meat on the stove-top before adding to the slow cooker. Also, browning the beef gives a beefy caramelized flavor to the dish.
You can use ground turkey or chicken for Sloppy Joes but beware the flavor will not be the same, the beef and tomato flavor in Sloppy Joes goes hand in hand.
If you want to make this meal meatless use one pound of meatless crumbles instead of ground beef. No need to brown the meatless crumbles, for the crumbles are already cooked. Just add to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients.
Need to feed more people? You can double this recipe with no problems. The cooking time remains the same.
Place any remaining sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers taste great on top of baked potatoes, French fries, or served on sandwich bread or hamburger buns.
More sandwich recipes for your slow cooker:
- Slow Cooker Reuben Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Philly Chicken Cheesesteaks
- Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Ham Sandwiches
Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, I use 7% fat though any will work
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green or red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup ketchup
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce, (NOT PASTE)
- 2 Tbsp. mustard
- 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Instructions
- Set a large skillet on the stovetop and set to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the ground beef, onion and bell pepper. Brown and crumble the beef. Drain your meat if your ground beef is overly fatty.
- Add the beef, onion and bell pepper to the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients.
- Stir. Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 3. Keep an eye on the meat mixture and stir if it looks as it's starting to burn around the edges.
- Toast buns and pile the Sloppy Joe meat on top. Top with cheese and pickles if desired.
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Toast your buns! Use the bagel button on your toaster which will toast just one side of your bun. Or put your buns under the broiler in the oven.
- Add toppings such as cheese, pickles or raw chopped onion.
- Give your meal a great side dish, we often do oven fries but also love fruit or carrots sticks instead.
- If you want to make this meal meatless use one pound of meatless crumbles instead of ground beef.
- No need to brown the meatless crumbles, for the crumbles are already cooked. Just add to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients.
- Need to feed more people? You can double this recipe with no problems.
- The cooking time remains the same.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I am short on time today, could I make this in a pan instead?
Yes, that will work on time, let it simmer for 10-15 minutes and it will be great.
Thank you so much for your prompt response! My husband and I love this recipe but I didn’t have time to brown the meat before work, thank you for the advice!
Can you freeze this?
Yes, this type of recipe will freeze well.
If we are making to freeze could we cook all in the pan, let cool, and then freeze – instead of using crock pot? Once thawed would placing in crock pot work?
Thanks!
we don’t eat ketchup in our house. I never have it on hand and will not buy it for one recipe…..can I just up the tomato sauce and add a bit of brown sugar do you think? or possibly tomato sauce and paste and a bit of brown sugar. ideas?
I think that should work very well.
can you use a sloppy jo envelop mix!!
My husband grew up in a sloppy joe household, I did not! He said this is really good! I may make his with less sauce next time, but that’s just my husband. Made vegan for me with pulverized soy curls and “beef broth” to rehydrate, made husband’s with turkey. I’ll definitely be making again
I’ve made this a couple of times and taste is exactly what my husband loves. I usually double the recipe so that we have leftovers but it does come out a little soupier than we like so first time I added a little cornstarch, last night I turned it up to high, took top off and let it boil a bit. Next time I will reduce the tomato sauce! It’s super delicious though!!!
This came out amazing. I did add chopped garlic and doubled the recipe. However when I doubled it I still only used one onion and8oz of tomato sauce. I followed everything else and it was perfect. Thank you so much.
This is another FAST and easy recipe that tastes delicious! I add brown mustard for an extra tang! Thank you again Sarah!
How many servings are in this recipe?
About 4.
Way too much tomato sauce, basically a red meat spaghetti sauce