Beef Sloppy Joes on Bun (Printable Version)

Savory beef filling with tangy tomato sauce on toasted buns

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 recommended)

→ Vegetables

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

→ Sauce

05 - 1 cup tomato sauce
06 - 1/4 cup ketchup
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
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 chili powder
13 - 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ To Serve

15 - 4 hamburger buns, split
16 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for toasting buns)

# How-To:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add the chopped yellow onion, green bell pepper, and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Pour in the tomato sauce, ketchup, and tomato paste. Add the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
05 - While the filling simmers, lightly butter the cut sides of the hamburger buns if desired. Toast them in a skillet or under the broiler until golden brown and crispy.
06 - Spoon generous portions of the hot beef mixture onto the bottom halves of the toasted buns. Place the top buns over the filling and serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The sweet and tangy sauce hits every flavor craving in one bite
  • Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • Customizable heat level lets you make it exactly your family likes it
02 -
  • The sauce thickens considerably as it cools so err on the side of slightly looser when checking consistency
  • Draining too much fat leaves the mixture dry so always keep a little in the pan
  • Letting the meat mixture rest for a few minutes off heat makes it easier to scoop and less likely to slide off the bun
03 -
  • Mince your vegetables smaller than you think necessary so they incorporate seamlessly into the sauce
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning after simmering as the flavors concentrate during cooking

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