I get requests to make this for every neighborhood get together. Thanks to my mother in law for this recipe made with ketchup and salsa! Super easy and delicious!
Other than sauteing an onion and a good amount of garlic in butter with the meat and adding a little liquid smoke, this is hands down the best sloppy joe filling I've ever had. I topped this with shredded sharp cheddar and toasted the buns a bit to make them hold up a little better. This is my new sloppy joe recipe. Even my husband who loves that nasty canned junk loved this. AWESOME. NOTE: If you don't like all that ketchup, think about cutting the ketchup in half and using either chili sauce or BBQ sauce.
Read MoreThe first bite was delicious. Next time, I'll cut the vinegar in half! Wowza!
Read More Other than sauteing an onion and a good amount of garlic in butter with the meat and adding a little liquid smoke, this is hands down the best sloppy joe filling I've ever had. I topped this with shredded sharp cheddar and toasted the buns a bit to make them hold up a little better. This is my new sloppy joe recipe. Even my husband who loves that nasty canned junk loved this. AWESOME. NOTE: If you don't like all that ketchup, think about cutting the ketchup in half and using either chili sauce or BBQ sauce.
Oh, wow! Back in college, when I thought that Sloppy Joes grew in cans, the dish didn’t seem fit for human consumption. Now, I’m thinking that canned versions simply can’t compete with the real thing, plus … well, why waste money at the market when this dish is quick, easy & inexpensive? I recently made it for the 5th time and loved seeing my husband & guests return for more. When salsa hasn’t been onhand, Pico De Gallo (for which there are several excellent recipes at this site) has worked great, and on one occasion I used Rotel tomatoes (the type with lime juice & cilantro)—also excellent. I guess there’s no way to ruin this recipe, for which I’m *very* grateful to LV & her mom-in-law. (Thanks, as well, to photographer Avon Lady, whose shot portrays the dish 100% accurately—thick, non-greasy & delightful on big fluffy buns which, like another reviewer, I serve lightly toasted.)
Made these tonight on the advice of several on the RE and they didn't disappoint. I made a double batch and froze half for another time. I didn't measure the ketchup or salsa and think I might have used a bit less than the recipe states, but I definitely got all the flavor. I also used white wine vinegar instead of plain vinegar. I added some red pepper flakes to mine for a bit of added top heat. I wasn't looking for a Southwest flavor in these and fortunately, the salsa just adds the tomato and onion flavor. Thank you for a great recipe!
made as written, very good.but next time I will use less catsup, and will add 1/2 tsp chili powder and some garlic powder
Really quick and delicious. This was perfect for a hot evening since it's one pan and cooks quickly. I don't really like dijon mustard but I wanted to be true to the recipe so I added it. You can't detect it specifically and it probably did add to the overall taste so I am glad I put it in. I did add onion powder and garlic powder but it probably didn't need it so don't sweat it if you don't have any. Make it as written and enjoy! UPDATE: I now have custody of my 6 and 7 year old granddaughters. I was afraid these might be too spicy or tangy for them. I don't find them too spicy or tangy but I fixed them without the hot pepper and held my breath and my girls LOVED them! Fix them, serve them, enjoy them. This recipe is a winner.
I really like the addition of chunky salsa in this recipe, instead of regular tomato sauce. I used thick and chunky hot salsa, it was great. I served it on homemade rolls, and with crisp potato wedges on the side. The entire family loved this one, even our picky 2 year old. Thanks!!
I truly enjoyed this recipe. I was afraid the salsa might make it taste too "southwest" but it was just right... and I didn't have to add onions as I do on the recipe I usually use. It's tangy and sweet as sloppy joes are supposed to be. This one is a keeper.
Wow. Seriously. This is THE only sloppy joe recipe I have ever liked. EVER. My picky husband even said they were REALLY REALLY good. Amazing! I did add some onion and hamburger seasoning to adjust for our tastes a bit, but it was only a bit!
Make a double batch and freeze it for another time....try this, so good! This tasted so different from the canned stuff, nice rich flavors.
I used 2 lbs ground beef, kept salsa as is, halved the rest of the sauce ingredients and added 1 tbsp minced garlic, family loved it! no more cans for us :)
For those who said it was too "ketchup-y"... did you let it simmer for the full 20-30 minutes? At first it does taste like ketchup, but after simmering for a while the flavors blend really well. My kids loved this!
This stuff is fantastic! I'll never get the canned mix again. The salsa is a great addition and really lets you control the spiciness. We love spicy, so hot salsa and a little extra hot sauce made this delicious for us.
Excellent...the best sloppy joe recipe I have tried here yet. I did add some diced grreen pepper and onion. I also used spicy brown mustard cause my dijon went bad! Added a little liquid smoke and shredded cheddar on top as suggested by tat2whttrsh. Served on toasted rolls with homemade slaw and corn on the cob. Hubby loved these joes! Nice and saucy but not too saucy. Perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Will make again...and soooo easy! Thanks!
These were the absolute best sloppy joes we have ever had! Most are too sweet for my husband's liking, but these were perfect. What a great idea to add salsa! I didn't add hot sauce since my salsa was of medium heat. I used large hamburger buns, browned under broiler, and topped with shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Thanks so much for great recipe!
The first bite was delicious. Next time, I'll cut the vinegar in half! Wowza!
These sloppy joes were good, but EXTREMELY RICH TASTING!! That is why I'm giving this recipe only 4 stars. The amount of ketchup added was a bit much, and it overpowdered the taste of the sloppy joes, and I only added 1-1/4 cups of the ketchup. Also, a word of warning, if you don't like your sloppy joes too 'hot' & spicy, I'd reduce the amount of the hot sauce, as I thought the 1 teaspoon gave the sloppy joes alot of heat. The next time I decide to make these sloppy joes, I'm going to just use 1 cup of the ketchup, 1-1/4 cups of a mild salsa, and add 1/2 a teaspoon of the hot sauce. Also, I wanted to mention, I did simmer the sloppy joes for 25 minutes, to help reduce the liquid, and I did add some diced onion when cooking the meat. I can't imagine having bbq's or sloppy joes with out any onion.
These are so good!! Next time I will use a little less ketchup, maybe just one cup. The recipe is very good as written tho! Will make again!!
Oh, this is so much better than anything you can dump out of a can. It has just the right balance of flavors without being too tomato-y or too vinegary or too sweet. I couldn't resist adding a spoonful of Memphis Magic Dust (look it up) but it didn't really need it. Thanks, it's a keeper.
This is one of the better Sloppy Joe's recipes on AR. Nice appearance, texture and proportions. I can see I'm in the minority with my 3 *rating but the brown sugar made it overly sweet. There is quite a lot of sugar in Ketchup to begin with. I will try again, adjusting the sugar amount. Thanks for posting LV, it was a nice week day dinner idea.
These were very good. the only change i would make is not as much vinegar or no vinegar. it was very strong. I added chopped onions when i put in the ketchup, salsa, etc.
I love this recipe! I wanted to make homemade sloppy joes and this was the first recipe I came to. I am glad I did. It is easy and taste great! I added green peppers and onions to my meet as it was cooking but followed the recipe otherwise. I will never buy canned sloppy joe mix again!
I left out almost all of the ketchup, because it was looking too wet. I guess I put in maybe 1/4 c. only of the ketchup. It was pretty good, but if I'd put in the entire cup and a half, I don't think this recipe would have gotten 4 stars out of me. The fault probably lies with my salsa, it's a very juicy kind, so I'll just have to keep that in mind in the future!
My husband followed the recipe exact. This was really good my first sandwich. The second one tasted a bit too sweet for my liking. Not a bad recipe though. My kids really liked it. Was glad it could be made with things we had on hand. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely delicious made just as written. I have adapted this same recipe using stew meat in the crock pot and then shredded the beef for sandwiches for my husband's lunch, thanks for sharing! Will never go back to packaged Joes again!
This is perfect as written. I did not add the hot sauce since I have a 2 yr old. I do think I grabbed hot salsa in the end though. I have finally found a sloppy joe recipe I love. Will definately make this again!! Everyone loved it. Oh, I did add onions and fresh garlic to the hamburger as it was browning.
Carlos is eating this right now and is sooo happy, he said this is Terrific!! Very easy and I was so jazzed, I had all of the indreds.and emptied out the cupboard. I added chopped red onion to the top. Thank You LV. I will be using this one from now on.
Sooo tasty. A tiny bit on the sweet side for me so I might use less ketchup next time. I added French's fried onions on top and it was a big hit. YUM!
I just made this tonight (12/9/10) and it is absolutely amazing! I had to change the cup and a half of ketchup to 1 cup and then I did a 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce because I ran out of ketchup. Other than that I prepared it exactly as specified. It's a little sweet, has a very nice tang, and is the best joe's I've ever had! Next time I will try it exactly as it says and I'm sure I won't be disappointed! =D
This is the first time I've made sloppy joes!! Very impressed, and my kids even liked it. I didn't use quite as much salsa, and no hot sauce. Less brown sugar since I used less salsa and honey mustard instead of dijon; not the same I know, but it was what I had. VERY GOOD!
I've made this several times in the residential treatment facility I work in. Everybody really enjoys it and I usually double it. The first time I made it I thought the ketchup taste was to strong. When I made it again I decreased the ketchup and also the Dijon mustard. We were out of Worcestershire so I used some steak sauce. We really enjoyed it the second time. I'm sure I'll be using this recipe again!
This sloppy joe sauce tasted great! I did modify a bit, only because I had to use what was in my pantry...we were a bit short on ketchup - used maybe 3/4C, substituted in balsamic for the white vinegar, and left out the hot sauce. The sauce had a nice tangy flavor. Thanks for sharing! My family enjoyed this a lot.
Excellent!! I made this as written, except I added a little butter and garlic to the hamburger while it was browning, and just a splash of liquid smoke. It was very, very good. My husband loved this and thinks it would be the perfect football food. The best sloppy joes ever!
I made these for a late lunch yesterday and they are fab!!! My two picky eaters loved them. My son said he does not like Sloppy joes but when he ate it he said he was so surprised because they were amazing... That is his word "Amazing"
Overall, this was a good recipe as written. However, the only thing I didn't like was there was too much dijon mustard, so next time I will half the mustard.
I'm surprised by all the 5 star reviews... I used 1/2 the amount of ketchup and vinegar and still found this way too acidic to eat.
These sloppy joes are awesome!! I will not buy the packet from the store anymore. I did add some extra hot sauce though! Thanks for the great recipe.
YUMMY! I will never use canned stuff again! (and I actually liked the Manwich!!!!) This was so awesome and so easy, my only problem was I didn't double the recipe so my family ate and everybody wanted seconds and I had none!!!! Amazing! This is a new GO-TO recipe for me! Thanks so much for sharing!
This recipe is fabulous! I haven't met a person who didn't like it. Also, great for finicky kids...lol So easy to make, a real crowd pleaser! Perfect for pot luck dinners!
I followed the recipe exactly. I have tried a lot of sloppy joes recipes and this is by far the best. It is also very easy to make and I always have all the ingredients on hand.
I've been using this recipe as the starting point for (vegetarian) homemade sloppy joe's for years now. Making this recipe vegetarian is easy, cuts out most of the fat, and no one has ever been able to tell it's vegetarian until I tell them. Also, not having to brown the ground beef cuts out a step; I make this recipe in about 20 minutes including prep. Changes I make: sauté 1/2 of a chopped onion (any kind will do) using non-stick spray, add 1 chopped bell pepper (any color will do), replace 1 pound ground beef with 1 package of meatless meat, skip the Worcestershire sauce (to keep it vegetarian), and use whatever type of vinegar I feel like using that day (usually cider or white balsamic). Everything else stays roughly the same. Roughly because I don't actually measure anything when making this. I eyeball the amounts listed, mix it all up, taste it, add more of whatever needs to be added. It's great on onion buns, Kaiser rolls, or whole wheat buns as well.
I made this for a gathering, and am making it again today for another! Everybody loves these. I don't prefer the taste of too much ketchup so I just add a little less, but I think the addition of salsa is what makes this recipe so outstanding.
Yum! Make this the next time you don't know what to do with that pound of hamburger staring at you in the fridge!
What a fun and delicious Friday night supper! Super easy to prepare and extremely tasty. The only thing I will change the next time I prepare this is to omit the hot sauce...it was just a bit too spicy for the kiddos. I also like the idea of using ground turkey or chicken and perhaps adding some chopped onion to the browning meat. This recipe is a definate make again!!
Made these sloppy joe's several times - always a favorite in my family. They are spicy and delicious - plus, super easy to make.
Tried this recipe and all I could taste was the ketchup. I wanted to try again, adding an onion and garlic and using more salsa as opposed to ketchup, but hubby said "no way". Thanks for sharing.
Oh WOW! Spicy hot tangy sweet rich tomatoey YUM. These are sooooo good. I used ranchero salsa and louisiana hot sauce. I added 1 more spoon of sugar to balance the heat. I did add a tsp of minced garlic to the meat as it cooked and about half tsp of chicken bouillion granules and 1/3 c water. I had to simmer this though for an hour to get it thickened. Edible but a bit on the hot side the way I made them maybe louisiana hot cayennepepper sauce isn't the type meant here? Either way, they are delicious!!!
This is def the best sloppy joe recipe I've tried from AR! The flavor was very different w/the addition of the salsa, however, still just a tad too "ketchupy" & sweet for me. I wish you could give 1/2 stars, this deserves a 4.5!
As far as Sloppy Joes goes, this was fantastic! I did use less ketchup and added a little chili sauce, and I also didn't have any hot sauce so I added a few dashes of red pepper flakes. Sweet, tangy, and a bit spicy-best Sloppy Joes I've ever had!
This recipes is insanely good. This is a departure from the regular sweet Sloppy Joe mix. I think the most important ingredient is the salsa, so make sure you buy an extra chunky salsa with a flavor you love. Mine had roasted corn and black beans inside and it made our sandwiches delicious. Thank you so much for such a great recipe.
Good sloppy joes! Made these for my fiance and I tonight. Nothing beats good 'ol sloppy sandwiches for SuperBowl game watching!!! My fiance was on the fence about these, but mind you, he doesn't care for "sloppy" stuff (who knew?). I would have thought sloppy joes are the "ideal" man food, but I guess that's not the case for EVERY man lol.... Having said this, although I like LV's version, I prefer mine a little better.... My version calls for a lb. of ground beef, 1 1/3 c. chunky salsa, a can of condensed tomato soup and a T of brown sugar - that's all. It's pretty basic, and that's what I like about it. Both taste similar, but these are a tad tangier (which I don't like). I really don't see the point in adding vinegar, mustard or hot sauce since they barely added anything to the end product (again, these taste a lot like my basic recipe). Oh, and be sure to use chunky salsa, not the soupy cheap stuff. It really makes a difference (and will make your joes a lot sloppier if you don't). Serving these on toasted kaiser rolls (brush cut rolls with a mixture of melted butter / garlic powder and broil for a minute or two), took these to the next level, IMHO. With the addition of a side of seasoned waffle fries, I had dinner on the table in no time flat (and more time to watch the game!!!). Thanks for sharing! :-)
This was incredibly vinegary! I may try it again without any of the white vinegar.
Let's just say that after making this I will no longer buy any sloppy joe mix out of a can! I took tat's suggestions of adding some garlic and a couple of dashes of liquid smoke. I also toasted my kaiser rolls. So so good. like I said - no more canned joes for my crew! I love how I'll be able to mess with this in the future by varying the kind of salsa I use. This time I used a super chunky medium, which was great. Next time my husband and I agreed to try a black bean and corn type for something a little different. Can't wait - this was delish!
I was looking so forward to Sloppy Joes only to realize we didn't have our club house "Sloppy Joe" package in the pantry. : ( Then I found this recipe... Wow~! How lucky am I. Ingredients everyone will have kicking around the house. Absolutely delicious~! A must try!@@!!@
I loved these! I bought a Medium salsa that was actually rather hot so I should have left the hot sauce out. It was too hot for the kids. I left out the brown sugar because hubby is a diabetic. I only used 1 cup of ketchup. Good stuff!
These were good- the salsa gave them a nice tang and made them a little different. Hubby loved them and thought they were the best I've made yet- I personally think I prefer the sloppy joes II from this site. However, I will likely make again. Thanks for sharing!
My daughter told me these were even better than her school's and this was after she went on and on about how great school made sloppy joes. These were GREAT!
I’ve used this recipe for years, sometimes with minor adjustments, but keeping things relatively the same, and it’s an absolute favourite! A winner comfort food, easy to make, but always enjoyed by company as well!
Oh this stuff kicks! I haven't made sloppy joes in YEARS as I can't stand the packaged/canned stuff - but these rocked. I did saute a bit of onion first and left out the brown sugar - other than that, followed recipe. At firt I thought it would still be too sweet, but the addition of the hot sauce took care of that. Thanks so much!
This was delicious! Easy and great tasting! Mind blowing on how quick this was. I did follow advice and sautéed onions prior to beef, and added a bit less ketchup (1cup). The secret is the chunky salsa, we used mild. Thank you for sharing recipe.
These were good but my family all agreed not great. They tasted somewhat like Manwich. I followed the recipe exactly.
this recipe is amazing. if you like more chunky use pico or add a kick with hot salsa it turns out amazing either way
WOW! I will never buy the can again! This is amazing! Made exactly as stated. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!! Thanks you for this recipe!!
Whenever I make a new recipe the family rates them as keepers or tosses. 4 out of 5 of them said good choice keep it. I did make a few small changes I added minced garlic and onion. Used ground turkey and omitted the hot sauce I'm not fond of spicy food. I also only used 1 cup of ketcup. It was a little watery but I just kept cooking till it thickened and I enjoyed it. Most of all it was EASY.
Made this tonight, it's a keeper for sure! I didn't have the Worcestershire sauce, and I think it was great without it. I did use my homemade salsa though, so I don't know how that may have affected the outcome. But thank you for sharing this! Awesome!
It was good only thing I changed was the ketchup it was too much and cut the mustard down to a spoon and a half.. And I use Kings Hawaiian hamburger buns lightly toasted it was good.
Made this for a crowd and everyone loved it! I'll never buy the can stuff or the season package again! I didn't add the hot sauce and it still had a tang to it, probably from the hot salsa I used. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!!! I did use half ketchup and half BBQ sauce like other reviewers suggested as well as adding garlic!
Very good stuff. I made these over the weekend and put them in the freezer to eat and it worked just great. I used a homemade salsa and toasted my buns so they wouldn't get so soggy. Looking forward to eating the leftovers at work tomorrow.
This just took the place of another home made Sloppy Joe recipe I've had for many years. Very good. I added onions and green peppers and used less ketchup (I doubled the recipe and didn't have enough) but it worked out great.
My husband loved this. It's a little tangy and has a full rich taste. I subbed barbecue sauce for half the ketchup and added a diced onion to the hamburger.
The only helpful hint I could provide is use 2 lbs. of meat instead of one. There is too much sauce for the amount of meat suggested.
My family and I adored this. No more canned sauce for us! I did have to use about twice the amount of ground beef as the recipe seems to make quite a bit of sauce. I quickly discovered that I didn't have the white vinegar, dijon mustard or brown sugar so I used rice vinegar, spicy brown mustard, and plain white sugar. I did mix all of the ingredients for the sauce together beforehand, let them marry while I was browning the beef, then added it as directed. I sprinkled salt and chili powder onto the meat as it cooked, and added minced garlic and a few spices to balance the flavors to my family's taste. Love on a bun!
I made this last night and followed the recipe. I was dubious of the salsa but it was a very nice addition offering interest to the otherwise ordinary Sloppy Joe. It had a nice rich flavorful taste.
Another AR user recommended these as her favorite beef recipe on the site. Boy, do they live up to that sentiment! So delicious! These will go into regular rotation on our menu.
This was delicious!!! I only used 1 cup of ketchup and a little extra brown sugar. Also, I didn't have any hot sauce but it was great anyway.
Way to salty between the ketchup, salsa, worcester sauce, and more. My family did not like the strong flavor of the sauce. Would prefer to add my own seasonings to tomato sauce. Will not be making it again
LOVED the addition of the salsa!! Omitted the hot sauce bc I have kids. EVERYONE loved this ??????. Highly recommend.
Way to much ketchup. If you ever decide to make this I would highly encourage you to only used about half the ketchup the recipe calls for.
made as directed. will make again but will most likely make a change to remove a bit of the sweetness. Perhaps changing ketchup to paste.
Tasted too much ketchup and I only used a cup instead of 1-1/2 c. like the recipe says. Had I used all of it, I think it would have been like eating ketchup on a bun. Ended up throwing most of it away since my kids and I couldn’t stomach a full serving.
