Instant Pot Sloppy Joes are saucy, tender, and pack in the flavor. Let the Instant Pot do all the work as it turns simple ingredients into a crowd-pleasing meal. Better yet, this recipe is also freezer-friendly and ready in under 30 minutes!
Get the napkins ready because this is a messy one! Instant Pot Sloppy Joes are one of the easiest weeknight meals out there for you to try. Tender ground beef is drowned in a sweet and savory sauce, creating a kid-friendly dinner that’s fun to eat.
All you need to do is brown the beef, then throw everything else in the Instant Pot and let it do its thing for a few minutes. The high pressure seals all of the flavor into the meat, ensuring each bite is irresistible!
Enjoy this recipe as an easy weeknight dinner or double the batch and freeze it for later.
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📋 Why This Recipe Works
The simple flavors in this recipe are elevated and complemented by the addition of chopped green chiles. You won’t be able to tell if they’ve been cooking all day in a slow cooker thanks to the Instant Pot’s ability to infuse all of the flavors together. Plus, the cooking time is shrunk down to just a few minutes rather than hours.
🔪 How To Make The Recipe
Step 1.)
Set the Instant Pot to “Saute” mode and add the ground beef and onion to the pot. Brown and crumble the beef until cooked through. Cancel “Saute” mode and drain the excess fat.
Step 2.)
Stir the green chiles, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, mustard, vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and water into the beef and onions. Lock on the lid and make sure the venting valve is sealed. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
Step 3.)
Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the venting valve to release the remaining pressure. When the pressure pin drops, remove the lid. Serve the finished sloppy joe mixture on hamburger buns with toppings.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Drain Fat: Thoroughly drain any excess fat from the beef before adding any other ingredients into the Instant Pot. This will keep your sloppy joe sauce grease-free.
- Simmer: If the sauce is too thin after cooking, set the Instant Pot on “Saute” mode and simmer until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
- Toast: Toast the hamburger buns before adding the filling and toppings. This will prevent the bread from becoming too soggy.
- Not a fan of ground beef?: Make this recipe with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option.
👪 Scaling The Recipe
Cooking for two or a crowd? This recipe is easily adaptable. Use the slider on the recipe card to change the quantity and the ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
🍽 Serving and Topping Suggestions
The beauty behind sloppy joes is that they already pack a punch of flavor without needing much else. But, just like a hamburger, it never hurts to load on the toppings. I highly recommend topping each bun with lots of toppings like:
- Pickled red onions
- Fresh coleslaw
- Homemade mayonnaise
- Sliced peperoncini’s
- Dill pickle chips
- Slices of bacon
- Pineapple slaw
- Sliced, melted cheese (American, cheddar or pepper jack)
- Pickle slices
- Avocado
- Sour cream
💭 FAQs
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Just like in the instructions for the Instant Pot, you can begin making sloppy joes in a slow cooker by browning the meat and onions in a skillet on the stovetop.
After the excess grease has been drained, stir the meat and onion mixture into a crockpot along with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours.
Give it another stir when it’s done and serve on hamburger buns with your desired toppings.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
You sure can! All it takes to make sloppy joes on the stovetop is one pan and 20 minutes. Find the instructions over at my recipe for Homemade Sloppy Joes.
What’s the Difference Between Manwich and Sloppy Joes?
Canned Manwich sauce is a marketed version of sloppy joe sauce that you can find in the grocery store.
Many people think using canned Manwich sauce will cut down on the time it takes to make sloppy joes, but it’s already such an easy recipe without any shortcuts!
Sloppy joes are simply ground beef (or turkey) simmered in a sweet and tangy tomato-based sauce and served on hamburger buns.
🥘 Leftovers and Storage
Leftover sloppy joes make for a great lunch the next day or as a freezer-friendly meal later on. Make sure the batch has cooled completely before storing it away so it can stay as fresh as possible.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively, freeze them in a sealed freezer-safe container or bag for 3 months.
You can reheat the leftovers by heating them in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 6 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot on “Saute” mode and add the ground beef and onion to the pot. Brown and crumble the beef until cooked through and cancel “Saute” mode.
- Drain off any excess fat from the meat and stir in the green chiles, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, mustard, vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and water. Stir to combine.
- Lock Instant Pot lid in place and make sure the venting valve is sealed.
- Set Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the venting valve to release the remaining pressure. When the pressure pin drops, remove the lid.
- Serve on hamburger buns with desired toppings.
Chef's Notes:
- Drain Fat: Thoroughly drain any excess fat from the beef before adding any other ingredients into the Instant Pot. This will keep your sloppy joe sauce grease-free.
- Simmer: If the sauce is too thin after cooking, set the Instant Pot on “Saute” mode and simmer until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
- Toast: Toast the hamburger buns before adding the filling and toppings. This will prevent the bread from becoming too soggy.
- Not a fan of ground beef?: Make this recipe with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option.
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