Sloppy Joe Sauce

American people pair the Sloppy Joe sauce with ground meat and serve it with bread to enjoy their most comfort food, which is called the Sloppy Joe Sandwich. Nowadays, it crosses the country line. This delicious sauce has gained worldwide popularity.

Sloppy Joe sauce is versatile enough to create different categories of dishes with a single sauce. The sauce is a blast of flavors, if we talk about the taste. Sloppy Joe sauce is a combination of sweet, tangy, salty, and savory flavors.

So, do you need the homemade Sloppy Joe sauce recipe? If yes, you are in the right place. We are here to tell you the easy Sloppy Joe Sauce recipe. Do follow our recipe and prepare the classic Sloppy Joe sauce at home. We recommend reading the article till the end to know alternative meat options.

What is Sloppy Joe Sauce Made of?

Ingredients for Sloppy Joe sauce are common. The core ingredients of traditional ground beef sauce include;

1. Cooking Oil – 1 tablespoon (Olive oil is recommended)
2. Chopped Onion – ¼ cup
3. Chopped Bell Pepper – ¼ cup
4. Ground Beef – 1 lb.
5. Ketchup – ¾ cup
6. Worcestershire sauce – 1 teaspoon
7. Yellow Mustard – 1 teaspoon
8. Tomato Paste – 1 small can
9. Garlic Powder – 1 teaspoon
10. Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon
11. Brown Sugar – 2 teaspoons
12. Salt – 1 teaspoon
13. Black Pepper Powder – 1 teaspoon

How to Make Sloppy Joe Sauce from Scratch

Making the Sloppy Joe sauce is not a difficult task. Let us provide the best Sloppy Joe sauce recipe here.

Step 1: Prepare Raw Ingredients

Preparing the raw ingredients before starting the cooking process will help you to make the sauce effortlessly.

• First, collect all the required raw ingredients.
• Now, start peeling the onion.
• Wash the onion and bell pepper.
• Then, chop the onion and bell pepper nicely.
• Measure all the required ingredients and put them in specific bowls. 

Step 2: Prepare the Ground Beef

All the raw ingredients are ready. The main procedure will begin from this step.

• Take a medium saucepan and heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil over medium heat.
• Add chopped onion and bell pepper into the hot oil.
• Sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft. It may take 2 to 3 minutes.
• Now, add the ground beef to the sautéed onion and bell pepper.
• You need to cook the beef for at least 10 minutes, until it releases grease.
• When the beef becomes brown, you can be sure that the ground beef is cooked. 

Step 3: Make the Base of the Sauce

After preparing the beef, it’s time to make the base of the sweet and tangy sauce.

• Before adding the sauces, drain the extra grease from the cooked ground beef.
• As this is a tomato-based sauce, you will need tomato paste. You can use canned tomato paste, or you can make tomato paste from fresh tomatoes. Whatever the process, tomato paste is mandatory, and add it to the ground beef.
• Additionally, you have to add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, garlic powder, and brown sugar into the saucepan. This ketchup-and-Worcestershire mix gives a vibe of BBQ-style Sloppy Joe sauce.
• Stir the base to combine all properly.

Tip: You can add 1 teaspoon of white or apple cider vinegar if you want to make the sauce tangier

Step 4: Simmering

• Now, start simmering the mixture for 15 – 20 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and smooth.
• Don’t forget to stir the sauce occasionally throughout the simmering process.

Step 5: Season the Sauce

The sauce is almost ready. Adding seasoning ingredients makes it mouthwatering.

• Add an adequate amount of salt and black pepper powder.
• To make a spicy Sloppy Joe sauce recipe, you can add some chili powder. However, if you want to prepare a kid-friendly dinner, avoiding chili powder is appropriate.
• Again, give a nice mixture for a minute.

Finally, the best Sloppy Joe sauce is ready. You can pair it with bread, buns, or nuns to serve a delicious meal.

Best Meat Alternatives for Sloppy Joe Sauce

The classic Sloppy Joe sauce is made with ground beef. Yet, you can use other meat to prepare the sauce. There are plenty of alternatives to beef. Let us mention the 5 most common options.

1. Ground Turkey or chicken

Ground turkey or chicken could be a good option for healthy Sloppy Joe with the exact texture of the classic Sloppy Joe sauce. Turkey or chicken is low in fat and high in protein. 

2. Mushrooms

Mushrooms also offer a meaty texture. You can use chopped mushroom to prepare the Sloppy Joe sauce. Mushrooms provide a great flavor and look, too. 

3. Tofu

Tofu is a very healthy and nutritious food. It could be a great alternative to meat in preparing healthy Sloppy Joe sauce. 

4. Lentils

Lentils are a perfect plant-based alternative. Sloppy Joe sauce using lentils will be affordable, hearty, tasty, and satisfying. 

5. Black Beans

Black beans contain more protein than lentils. If you want a protein-packed Sloppy Joe sauce made with a plant-based alternative to beef, you can select black beans.

Conclusion

Learning the delicious and versatile Sloppy Joe Sauce is enough to cook everyone’s favorite meal. You can easily prepare your go-to meal for your family using this amazing sauce.

The tanginess of tomato, sweetness of brown sugar, and savory flavor of onion & garlic, with a kick of chili powder, provide a subtle and satisfying taste.

Do follow our recipe and try to make the tasty sauce at home. You can also try beef alternatives suggested by our experts and keep exploring with us. 

FAQs

How to Thicken Sloppy Joe sauce?

You can thicken the sauce in various ways. Let us give you the 3 most special options to thicken the Sloppy Joe sauce.

• Simmer the sauce for a long time to evaporate excess water.
• You can make cornstarch slurry using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Then, add this slurry to the sauce. Then, simmer and stir for a few minutes.
• Ground flaxseed is also a great way to thicken the sauce. You need to use a small amount of ground flaxseed to thicken the sauce immediately.

Can You Make Sloppy Joe Sauce Without Ketchup?

Yes, you definitely can make Sloppy Joe sauce without ketchup. You can use other sauces if you are out of ketchup. Let us tell you a few alternatives to ketchup.

• Tomato sauce
• BBQ sauce
• Homemade tomato sauce with vinegar
• Mixture of tomato sauce, hot sauce, mustard sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

How to Store and Freeze Homemade Sloppy Joe Sauce?

• You can store the Sloppy Joe sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. You have to keep the sauce in an airtight container and then refrigerate it to store the sauce.

• On the other hand, you can freeze homemade Sloppy Joe sauce to store the sauce for up to 3 months. To freeze the sauce, you need to cool the sauce. Then, portion the sauce according to your serving size and freeze the sauce below -18°C. Then, you can easily reheat and use the sauce according to your requirement.