The Best Sloppy Joe Sauce

This recipe seriously makes the best sloppy joes! It's tangy, saucy and sweet, with just a little bit of a kick-- it's my favorite sloppy joe recipe and I hope it will become yours, too!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword easy sandwich, ground beef sandwich, Quick dinner

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings sandwiches

Calories 333kcal

Author Heather Cheney

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or turkey see notes
4 ounces canned diced green chiles
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon mustard
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
8 ounces tomato sauce
4 hamburger buns

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hamburger and onion, cooking and crumbling the meat until no longer pink.
Remove meat from pan and place on a plate lined with paper towels or bags to drain off the excess fat.
Once drained, put the meat back into the skillet and add all remaining ingredients. Stir until combined and let simmer 10-15 minutes or until slighlty thickened.
Serve on toasted hamburger buns with a slice of cheese if you'd like.

Notes

Choosing Meat: I've found that 85/15 ground beef (85% meat, 15% fat) and 90/10 ground turkey is perfect to keep the meat tender and avoid greasiness.
Simmer as long as you'd like: Simmering the meat in the sauce allows the meat to cook down and the flavors of the sauce to meld. I typically am making sloppy joes because I need something quick, but always enjoy them more when I let the sauce simmer 30 minutes on low. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little bit of water to loosen it up.
Toast The Buns: Toasted, buttered buns hold the sloppy joe sauce better and add texture and flavor. Brush the buns with melted butter and place them face up under the broiler for just a minute (watch closely!)

Nutrition