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30-Minute Homemade Sloppy Joes 🍔
Once you make sloppy joes from scratch, the can stops making sense. The sauce is savory and a little sweet and a little tangy, and it comes together in one pan in about 30 minutes from stuff you can actually pronounce. It is the messy, nostalgic dinner my kids cheer for and I quietly love just as much. Pile it on a soft toasted bun and put the napkins on the table before you start.
Equipment
- 1 Larg Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 whole White/yellow onion, grated
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup beef broth
Instructions
- In a large skillet on medium heat, melt butter
- Add ground beef, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onions, and garlic.
- Cook until no longer pink (about 5 minutes).
- Drain grease with a paper towl.
- Add tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, tomato sauce, ketchup and beef broth.
- Bring to a bubble
- Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes or until it thickens to your liking. Taste for salt.
- Serve on a toasted bun.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Tips for Making This Recipe
Grate the onion instead of dicing it so it melts right into the sauce. Even picky eaters won’t pick it out, and it adds great flavor.
Let the sauce simmer a few extra minutes to thicken; you want it saucy and scoopable, not soupy, so it stays on the bun.
Taste and balance at the end. A little more brown sugar for sweetness or a splash more vinegar for tang makes it taste like yours.
Toast the buns so they hold up to all that saucy filling and don’t go soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make sloppy joes ahead of time?
What can I serve with sloppy joes?
How do I keep sloppy joes from being too runny?
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Shop What I Used
A few recipe-appropriate kitchen tools that make this one easier:
- A large skillet or saute pan
- A box grater for the onion
- Soft brioche or potato buns for serving
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