Easy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
For a family-favorite meal, skip the canned sauce and make easy homemade Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes! With a simple ingredient list, this recipe makes plenty of sandwich servings and yummy leftovers.
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What is a Sloppy Joe?
Sloppy Joes are traditionally recognized as a sandwich made with ground or chopped meat in a tomato sauce mixture.
Different interpretations of the sandwich vary from Cuba to Canada. The most recognized recipe is a hearty mixture of ground beef, a tomato base, and a slightly sweet sauce with a variety of seasonings or added chopped vegetables. And, of course, you have to include the traditional hamburger bun!
A Sloppy Joe timeline…
If you’re intrigued by food history, enjoy a bit behind this sandwich staple!
Sloppy Joes became a household meal during the 1930s and 40s – around the same time that families were used to stretching ingredients with dwindling budgets. Later, companies began to produce canned sauces for this sandwich on the menu for many American families.
However, there is some debate about where the actual sandwich came to be.
Some say the recipe originated from the kitchen of a Cuban bar owner nicknamed “Sloppy Joe” for his, um, less-than-meticulous dining environment. Supposedly, Ernest Hemingway frequented this Havana establishment and then convinced a Key West bar owner to adopt the name for the Florida restaurant.
The sandwich was introduced to the island locale and from there, the popularity spread!
Another popular sloppy-Joe-sandwich-theory attributes the recipe to a cook, “Joe,” in Sioux City, Iowa, who became known for his use of this version of beef in his Midwestern sandwiches.
Sioux City or Havana – this timeless recipe remains a hit!
Ingredients Needed
Since this recipe requires minimal ingredients, it’s super easy to add to your weeknight routine. Or, gather everything and prep it in the slow cooker for a busy weekend.
- Ground beef – The key ingredient in this sandwich – it’s hearty and satisfying! Use lean ground beef or feel free to substitute ground turkey if you prefer.
- Veggies – Include a few basics such as chopped green bell pepper, onion, and 2 fresh garlic cloves for flavor, variance, and texture in the meat sauce. You could always leave the veggies out, but I have found that this a great way to sneak in a little extra nutrition without complaint from my kids! If you want to try even more additions, try adding lentils, finely chopped or riced cauliflower, or finely chopped carrots ( be sure to choose vegetables with a lower water content).
- Sauces – Here is where the traditional sloppy Joe gets even easier to make in the slow cooker! Instead of rounding up a variety of sweeteners and other additives, simplify the process by using your favorite BBQ sauce! Then, add classic ketchup (or another variation like spicy or reduced-sugar ketchup) and regular tomato sauce.
- Herb and garlic seasoning – Just one seasoning blend completes the flavorful meat sauce. You can use either my homemade garlic and herb seasoning recipe or any store-bought variety.
How To Make Sloppy Joes In The Slow Cooker
- Brown ground beef in a skillet or multi-cooker. Unless your meat is extremely lean (think 90% leanness or higher), you will need to drain a bit of the grease.
- Finely chop the pepper, onion, and garlic cloves and add to the beef. I recommend using a mini-chopper or similar food processor to get a fine, even dice on your veggies for a cohesive texture.
- Sauté the meat and veggies for an additional 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the mix along with the ground beef and veggies into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
What To Serve With Sloppy Joes
This recipe is so versatile and works for many different meal settings. Whether a cold-weather weeknight dinner with salad and slow-cooker mashed potatoes or a backyard plate with classic summer sides such as coleslaw, potato chips, and pickles – you can’t go wrong!
If you want to stick to the classic plating, the bun will be your most essential element. Serve sloppy Joes on a traditional hamburger bun from the grocery store, brioche buns, or mini slider buns. Look for gluten-free buns for an easy dietary swap!
Toast the buns in the oven for a little extra crunch if you like! Some people also like adding shredded lettuce, pickles or slaw, or cheese (shredded or sliced).
Try new variations of sloppy Joes by serving the sauce with a hot dog bun, over mashed or whole Sweet Potatoes, or with French fries on the side.
Storing and Reheating
Save your leftovers for lots of easy meals to reheat!
Let the meat sauce cool completely, then store it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve the sandwiches, warm up the sauce on the stove and serve with fresh hamburger buns.
This recipe also works as a freezer meal!
- First, brown the ground beef and let it cool completely.
- Add the beef and all other ingredients to a freezer bag.
- Store the bag in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Defrost the mixture in the fridge (if needed), then add it to the slow cooker and follow the cooking directions as written.
Easy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- Skillet
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon herb and garlic seasoning homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in skillet or multi-cooker and drain excess grease as needed
- Finely chop pepper, onion, and garlic cloves and add to beef
- Sauté meat and veggies for an additional 3-4 minutes or until softened
- Add ground beef, veggies, and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours
Notes
- Let the meat sauce cool, then store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat sauce on the stove and serve with fresh hamburger buns.
- Serve sloppy Joe sauce on your preferred bun or over baked or mashed potatoes. Add any additional toppings such as cheese, pickles, or shredded lettuce.
- To reduce sweetness or sugar content, look for ketchup and BBQ sauce without added sugar.
- Any all-purpose seasoning will work in place of an herb and garlic blend.
Nutrition
Sloppy Joe FAQs
- What is sloppy Joe sauce made of? Sloppy Joe sauce is a combination of ground meat, a tomato base, spices, and some sweetener. It will resemble the consistency of pasta meat sauce.
- Do I have to cook the ground beef before it goes in the slow cooker? Yes, for this recipe the ground beef should be cooked before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Do you drain the meat for Sloppy Joes? This can vary depending on the leanness of the ground beef, but most excess grease should be drained from the meat.
- What thickens Sloppy Joes? If your sauce is not thick enough to ladle on a sandwich bun, whisk a small amount of cornstarch or flour into the meat sauce until you reach the desired consistency.
- What’s the difference between a Sloppy Joe and a Sloppy Jane? You might find a few different answers on what actually classifies a sloppy Jane based on region (again), but generally, a “Jane” will use ground turkey or chicken, or modify a sloppy Joe recipe to a reduced-calorie version.
