Get ready for a messy and delicious treat with this Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes recipe! This classic American sandwich features seasoned ground beef mixed with a sweet and tangy tomato-based sauce, piled high on a soft and fluffy hamburger bun. With every bite, the juicy beef mixture blends with the sauce, creating a mouthwatering explosion of flavors. It's savory, slightly sweet, and just the right amount of messy.
The classic recipe calls for meat, vegetables, and a tomato-based sauce. If you want to make your mixture a little spice, you can add in a small diced jalapeño pepper, as well.
It's important to brown the ground beef in a skillet until it is no longer pink before adding the meat to the slow cooker. This ensures that the meat is safely cooked all the way through. Don't forget to drain the excess fat from the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker.
The secret to the perfect sloppy joe is the sauce. It's savory, tangy, and slightly sweet all at once.
Once you've made the sauce you can add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Start with the ground meat at the bottom, top it with the chopped vegetables, and finally add the sauce and stir everything together until all the ingredients are coated with sauce.
After about 4-6 on the low setting or 2-3 hours on the high setting, the sloppy joe mixture is complete! All you need to do is spoon it evenly over four split hamburger buns, choose your favorite sides, and serve!
There's nothing like a sloppy joe for a fun and silly night at the dinner table.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes FAQS:
You will need the following ingredients: ground beef, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, hamburger buns
You will need the following supplies: a slow cooker, skillet, cutting board, knife mixing bowl, whisk
Grab an airtight container and scoop in the beef, place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just reheat in the microwave and serve with hamburger buns.
These Sloppy Joes are best served hot (and sloppy).
Yes, you can substitute the ground beef for your choice of plant-based meat substitute.
If you want to bring a little heat, adding a diced jalapeño peppers work great.
Notes:
- This Sloppy Joe recipe is great because you can prep everything and then place it in a slow cooker while at work and dinner as ready when you get home. It stays warm and juicy and delicious.
- These can be served with chips or French fries. If you are looking to make it a healthier dinner, mixed seasoned veggies or mashed potatoes are a great options as a side.
- Ground beef is great in this recipe, but ground turkey, chicken or even Impossible meat is delicious too.
- We used a red bell pepper in this recipe but any color works. If you want to bring a little heat, adding jalapeño peppers work great.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 hamburger buns, split
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain the excess fat and transfer the beef to a slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker, and stir to coat everything evenly.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, use a spoon or spatula to break up any large chunks of beef.
- Toast the hamburger buns and spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto each bun. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
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