Sloppy Joes
A saucy, sweet‑and‑smoky minced beef sandwich that’s perfect for a quick weeknight supper or casual gathering.
Sloppy Joes are the gloriously messy sandwich America made famous — saucy minced beef simply piled onto a toasted bun. They’re quick, unfussy and perfect for feeding a hungry family or a laid‑back gathering.
This version balances smoky paprika with a touch of brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce for depth. Make it on a busy weeknight and expect everyone to lick their fingers.
Ingredients
- 500 g minced beef
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves — crushed
- 1 red pepper — finely diced
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 30 ml tomato purée
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes — one 400 g tin
- 100 ml tomato ketchup
- 150 ml beef stock — low‑salt if preferred
- 30 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 5 ml Dijon mustard
- 15 g light brown sugar
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 4 burger buns — sturdy buns such as brioche or seeded
- 20 g butter — for toasting the buns
- 15 g fresh parsley — finely chopped, to serve
Equipment
- can opener
- grill or toaster
Instructions
Finely chop the brown onion, crush the garlic cloves and finely dice the red pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium hob. Add the brown onion and red pepper and fry, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to colour — about 5 minutes.
Add the crushed garlic and smoked paprika, stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Turn the heat up to medium‑high, add the minced beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until well browned with no pink remaining, about 6–8 minutes. Season with a little sea salt and black pepper as it browns.
If there’s excess fat in the pan, carefully spoon most of it off and discard. Return the pan to the hob.
Stir in the tomato purée, tomato ketchup, tinned chopped tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and light brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered until thick and glossy, about 12–15 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper. Keep the mixture warm over a low heat while you prepare the buns.
Butter the cut faces of the burger buns and toast them under a hot grill or in a hot frying pan until golden, about 2–3 minutes.
Spoon a generous portion of the sloppy joe mixture onto the base of each bun, sprinkle with fresh parsley, top with the lid and serve immediately.
Tips
- For a leaner dish use 5–7% fat minced beef, but reduce added oil slightly to avoid dryness.
- If the sauce thickens too much when standing, stir in 1–2 tbsp beef stock to loosen it just before serving.
- Make ahead: cook the sauce, cool, then refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Reheat gently and add a splash of stock if it’s too thick.
- Freeze cooked filling in a labelled tub for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat thoroughly before serving.
- Toast buns just before serving to keep them crisp — a soggy bun ruins the sandwich.
Substitutions
minced beef → minced turkey or chicken, same quantity
Stays closeburger buns → sourdough or wholemeal rolls, same quantity
Stays closeWorcestershire sauce → 2 tsp soy sauce plus 1 tsp extra tomato ketchup
Noticeably differenttinned chopped tomatoes → passata 400 ml (a smoother sauce), same quantity by volume
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 536
- Calories
- 36 g
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 950 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — swap the minced beef for 500 g plant‑based mince and use a vegetarian Worcestershire or replace it with soy sauce. The texture and flavour will be similar but slightly different.
How do I stop the buns getting soggy?
Toast and butter the buns just before assembling and don’t let the filling sit on them too long. Serve immediately.
Can I freeze the finished sandwich?
Freezing assembled sandwiches will make the buns soggy. Freeze the cooked filling only; thaw overnight and reheat before using fresh buns.
How do I make it less sweet?
Reduce the light brown sugar to 5–10 g and use a reduced‑sugar ketchup, then taste and adjust.
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