Classic Sloppy Joes
Comfort on a plate: tangy, hint of spice, and just saucy enough.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- pinch salt
- splash balsamic vinegar trust me on this
Instructions
- Brown the beef with the onion and pepper until everything is soft and a little caramelized. That’s your base—don’t rush it.
- Add the garlic and give it about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste first and let it cook for a minute (this is one of those small things that makes a big difference).
- Add the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, chili powder, paprika, pepper, and balsamic vinegar.
- Stir, reduce heat, and let it simmer 10–15 minutes until it thickens and gets that glossy, messy perfection.
- Serve on lightly toasted Kaiser rolls (see tip below)
Notes
- Take a couple minutes to spread some melted butter on the rolls and lightly toast them.
- If you're trying to lighten things up even more, ground turkey works beautifully!
- If you're trying to sneak some extra veggies in, add a 1/4 cup of grated carrot when you cook the beef, onions, and peppers.