Ingredients
Meat Mixture
- 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
- 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
- ¼ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño, halved and seeded
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (or extra-virgin olive oil)
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
To Serve
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for about 8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until browned and fully cooked through.
- Prep the Vegetables: While the beef cooks, combine the quartered bell pepper, roughly chopped onion, halved and seeded jalapeño, and smashed garlic cloves in a food processor. Pulse 10 to 12 times until finely minced.
- Cook the Veggies with Beef: Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of butter along with the minced pepper-onion mixture to the browned beef. Stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and some liquid evaporates.
- Add Sauce Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in ketchup, water, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, yellow mustard, granulated garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for approximately 5 more minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Toast the Buns: Preheat the broiler to high. Spread the insides of the hamburger buns with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Place them buttered side up on a baking sheet and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown and toasted.
- Assemble and Serve: Spoon the hot sloppy joe mixture generously onto the toasted buns. Serve immediately while warm.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner variation.
- Adjust the jalapeño quantity or omit it for less heat.
- For a gluten-free option, serve on gluten-free buns or lettuce wraps.
- Leftover sloppy joe mixture keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheats beautifully on the stovetop or microwave.
- Add shredded cheese on top of the beef mixture before serving for extra richness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
