Sloppy Joe Recipe

The sweet and savory flavor you get from this Sloppy Joe Recipe is enough reason never to use canned sauces again.

I think it’s funny how some foods and movies go together, taking us back in time to either the first time we ate something or the first time we saw it. For me, this sloppy joe recipe will always remind me of the scene in the 1995 movie It Takes Two with the Olsen twins. If you’ve never seen it, all I can say is look it up online and watch. While some people may say that Billy Madison reminds them of sloppy joes, all I can say is “…big, gooey, messy burger!”

Yes, every time I eat a sloppy joe, I picture all those kids with red-stained faces stuffing those beefy, saucy, squished sandwiches into their mouths, not to mention the mac and cheese food fight in another scene. Not only am I hungry right now, but I want to watch that movie again. I also think I just learned a valuable lesson—never write a recipe before you’ve had breakfast. I wasn’t hungry before, but this did me in. It will take everything in me not to go and raid the refrigerator.

I love researching the history of recipes; however, with this one, it gets complicated. The origin of sloppy joes is pretty hazy, as some attribute it to a bar owner, “Sloppy Joe,” in 1917 Havana, Cuba. He served a sandwich made with ground beef in stewed tomatoes. Others point to Joe, a cook in 1930s Sioux City, Iowa, who added tomato sauce to “loose meat” sandwiches. Finally, some people attribute it to Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West, Florida, which opened in 1935. Wherever it came from, the term “sloppy joe” became popular in the U.S. in the 1940s.

Now that we’ve had a bit of nostalgia, let’s talk about the most important thing of all—taste! That’s why we’re forgoing the canned goods aisle and making this recipe from scratch. No can of sloppy joe sauce can do this dish justice, like using fresh garlic, onions, and bell peppers can. The combination of tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar (or coconut sugar in my case), yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce (comes in gluten-free versions), garlic powder, and onion powder takes the sweet, yet savory taste over the top. You will never go back to using a can of that other stuff again.

Turn your sloppy joe into something new

Now, don’t get me wrong here, I’m all about enjoying this sloppy joe recipe in its original form, as a messy sandwich. But you don’t have to abandon your imagination and settle for the tried and true. Let’s think outside the box a bit and talk about the utter delight that is the “sloppy joe pizza!” Yes, you heard me right. All you need to get started is a good pizza crust, and I happen to have a few recipes for you. Try this Sourdough Pizza Crust, No-Yeast Pizza Dough, Gluten-Free Pizza Dough, or regular Pizza Dough Recipe. Once the dough is ready, top it with a layer of your sloppy joe mixture and cover the whole thing in freshly shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake as directed and enjoy.

Another one of my favorite ways to enjoy sloppy joes is stuffed into potatoes. For anyone around back in the 1980s, remember when baked potato restaurants were a staple in shopping mall food courts? I do. Heck, I even managed one for a while. There was nothing that you could not stuff into a steaming hot spud. So go ahead, make some Quick Baked Potatoes, Baked Potatoes In Foil, or even Baked Sweet Potatoes, and get stuffing.

How do I store leftovers?

Allow any leftover filling from this sloppy joe recipe to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Once the leftovers have chilled in the fridge, you can place them in freezer-safe containers or zippered bags and freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove.

Serving suggestions

This sloppy joe recipe goes well with hot or cold side dishes, so I’ll provide a few of my favorites. Let’s begin with the cold sides, such as Burrata Salad, Sweet Potato Salad, and Creamy Fruit Salad. Those are all unique and delicious with these sandwiches. For hot sides, consider Deep-Fried Green Beans, Fried Cabbage And Potatoes, Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese, and this delicious Baked Beans Recipe.