Sloppy Joes Tangy Sweet Savory (Printable)

Ground beef simmered in tangy tomato sauce with onions, peppers, and spices, served on soft toasted buns for a satisfying meal.

# Components:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 ratio preferred

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce & Seasonings

05 - 1 cup tomato sauce
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
07 - 2 tbsp ketchup
08 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
10 - 1 tsp yellow mustard
11 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 tsp chili powder

→ To Serve

15 - 4 soft hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
16 - Dill pickle slices

# Steps:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5–6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Sauté until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
03 - Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens nicely and flavors meld together.
05 - Taste the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or other seasonings as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
06 - Spoon the beef mixture generously onto the bottom half of each toasted bun. Add pickle slices if desired, then cover with the top bun. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between tangy, sweet, and savory that keeps you going back for seconds
  • It comes together in 30 minutes but tastes like it simmered all day
  • Kids and adults both crowd around the table when these hit the table
02 -
  • The sauce needs at least 10 minutes of simmering time to come together, but do not let it go much longer or it will dry out
  • Draining too much fat from the beef leaves the mixture dry and less flavorful
  • Letting the mixture rest for a minute off the heat before serving helps the sauce cling to the meat better
03 -
  • Finely chop the vegetables so they practically disappear into the sauce, which helps with picky eaters
  • Toast the buns under the broiler for a minute so they stand up to the juicy filling
  • Keep a stack of extra napkins on the table because there is no elegant way to eat a sloppy joe
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