Sloppy Joe Recipe- Fun Food for Summer! (2024)

Summer time is nearly here! This means that it’s time to start thinking about all the summer fun and the summer foods that you will be eating and enjoying very soon. Today we’ll be sharing two great recipes with you – Sloppy Joe’s and Dirt Cups. Both recipes are not only full of flavor but are also easy to make, something every cook likes to hear.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

I’m not exactly sure how Sloppy Joe’s came to be, but there is a lot of speculation. Sloppy Joe’s were thought to have originated in the 1930’s or 1940’s using recipes from the beginning of the century as inspiration. These recipes focused on using ground beef, as this was a time that people found that they needed to stretch their food dollar as far as possible, and accordingly recipes using ground beef as a staple were explored.

If you have never eaten a Sloppy Joe sandwich before, once you see and/or take a bite you will understand how the sandwich got its name, which isn’t named after a specific person but used as a general reference instead; ‘Sloppy’ for its messy features and ‘Joe’, which is used to describe a regular, everyday person.

How To Make Sloppy Joes

Ingredients For The Best Sloppy Joe Recipe Ever!

Olive Oil, 1 tbsp
Diced Onion, 1/2 cup
Dice Red Pepper, 1/2 cup (optional but extra delicious)
Lean Ground Beef, 1 1/2 lbs
Ketchup, 1/2 cup
Barbecue Sauce, 4 tbsp
Worcestershire Sauce, 2 tsp
Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup
Garlic Powder, 1 tsp
Hamburger Buns, 6

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions and red pepper over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Stir frequently.
2. Clear veggies to the sides of the pan and add in the ground beef, breaking it up and spreading it out over the empty part of the pan. Allow to seer for a few minutes on each side.
3. Then, keep stirring the meat until it loses its red color. Cook ground beef until almost done.
3. Add the ketchup, bbq sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder and stir well
4. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, 10-15 minutes. Stir frequently.
5. Spoon mixture over toasted buns and serve. Enjoy!

Printable Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe

What To Serve With Sloppy Joes

Are you wondering, “What goes with sloppy Joes?” Well, Sloppy Joe’s are much like a burger, only messier and sweeter. This means they go great with fries. I personally like to serve them with seasoned fries. You could use salt and a sprinkle of paprika or go with Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning. My daughter says I put that on everything and I pretty much do! I like a mixture of regular potato fries and sweet potato fries.

Sloppy Joes would also go great with some homemade slaw or a nice green salad if you are trying to stay on the healthier side.

I also like to serve Sloppy Joes with a fun dessert- dirt cups! Kids love this easy and imaginative dessert!

This Dirt Cup recipe is super fun to make and really delicious to eat.

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for a delicious summer meal that is easy and fun for kids to enjoy. Serve the sloppy joe recipe with seasoned fries and dirt cups for the win!

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