Description
A classic Sloppy Joes recipe featuring lean ground beef cooked with sautéed onions and bell peppers, seasoned with chili powder, paprika, and mustard, then simmered in a savory tomato and ketchup sauce. Perfectly served warm in soft hamburger buns for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion
- 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
- 1 tsp chili powder (regular or Ancho)
- 1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp natural hickory smoke flavor
- Water or broth, for thinning as needed
- 4 hamburger buns, homemade or bakery fresh
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped yellow onion and red bell pepper, sauté until nearly tender, about 6 minutes. Push vegetables to one side of the pan.
- Cook the beef. Crumble in the ground beef on the empty side of the pan. Let it sear and brown on the bottom for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and begin breaking up the beef while mixing it with the peppers and onions. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until the beef is nearly cooked through.
- Season the beef mixture. Drain excess fat from the pan. Add minced garlic, chili powder, paprika, ground mustard, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook the beef through, tossing occasionally, for about 1 minute.
- Add the sauce ingredients. Stir in the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and natural hickory smoke flavor. Reduce the heat and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Thin the mixture with splashes of water, beef broth, or chicken broth as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Serve. Spoon the warm sloppy joe mixture into hamburger buns and serve immediately.
Notes
- Ground turkey can be used as a substitute for ground beef; avoid using super lean varieties to maintain moisture.
- Use corn syrup-free ketchup such as Simply Heinz or Trader Joe's for a cleaner taste.
- Serve with sides like grilled corn, coleslaw, potato chips, pickle spears, or potato salad to complete the meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
