These Crock Pot Sloppy Joes are only 15 minutes hands on time! These homemade sloppy joes are the perfect dinner recipe to come home to.
With how busy our lives have been with kids’ activities (can I get an AMEN that soccer is almost over?!) and our travel, we have never been in more need of family time.
Recently we took an afternoon and headed to a near by farm to squeeze in that precious family time. It was freezing, but we still got to snuggle with baby pigs (they loved Piper), and pick out pumpkins. Even better, we came home to dinner waiting for us in the slow cooker with these Crock Pot Sloppy Joes.
My kids LOVED this recipe! And I loved how easy it was to make before we ran out the door. Easy family dinners are my jam. I hope your family loves it too!
The best Sloppy Joe’s you’ll ever eat! And your house smells wonderful while they’re cooking. Highly recommend this recipe!
How to Make Sloppy Joes in the Slow Cooker
We start this easy sloppy joe recipe on the stove top by gently breaking up and browning our meat. You don’t have to fully cook the meat, but it is key to break it up quite a bit.
Next you mix the ingredients for the sloppy joe sauce right in the base of the crock pot.
Finally add your browned meat, diced peppers, and diced onions.
Cook on low for four hours or on high for two hours.
Sloppy Joe Sauce
I’m totally in love with this sloppy joe sauce recipe. It is so easy to make, and the flavor of it is just right.
Start with canned tomato sauce. Someone asked the other day the difference between tomato sauce and pasta sauce. Tomato sauce is literally just tomatoes. Pasta sauce has been cooked with seasonings and often onions and garlic.
Next add in some Worcestershire sauce. This gives the sauce a nice tang that deepens the flavor.
We are going to add just a little bit of ketchup. It’s a staple in so many sloppy joe recipes and it adds more tang and a little sweetness too.
Add in some brown sugar. This will add to the sweetness with the addition of a nice molasses flavor.
Finally add in some ground mustard, salt, and pepper.
Sloppy Joes for a Crowd
Another thing I love about this sloppy joe recipe is that it is easy to double or triple.
This recipe makes about 6 sloppy joes. If you are serving a crowd, just double or triple the recipe and add 1 hour each time you add on another 6 sloppy joes worth.
In other words:
- To make 12 sloppy joes, you will need 2 pounds of meat, 5 hours on low or 2 1/2 hours on high.
- To make 18 sloppy joes, you will 3 pounds of meat, 6 hours on low or 3 hours on high.
tip
When you double or triple your meat, don’t forget to do the same to the other ingredients.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
While these are cooking away in your slow cooker, here are some great sides that can be made in the oven to serve with these homemade sloppy joes.
- These Baked Potato Wedges only have three ingredients and are a huge hit!
- I find myself recommending this Roasted Cauliflower recipe all the time because my kiddos love it so much. And squeezing more veggies in always makes me feeling like I’m winning.
- And if you really need some comfort with your Crock Pot Sloppy Joes, make these Cheesy Potatoes!
Like these but want a different spin? Try my Italian Sloppy Joes!
If you make this Crock Pot Sloppy Joe recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!
Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey or ground beef
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 green bell pepepr diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
Instructions
- Spray your crock pot with cooking spray and set aside.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. If using ground turkey, spray it lightly with cooking spray. Once the skillet is warm, add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned. No need to cook it all the way through.
- As the meat is cooking, dice your green bell pepper.
- In the base of the crock pot combine the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, ground mustard, salt, and ground pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Add the meat, onion, and the bell pepper to the crock pot. If using beef, drain the fat first. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. Serve on buns and enjoy!
Notes
Shari Giarraputo says
I’m with you regarding travel soccer. We are looking forward to not running around like a crazy family. I was wondering if I could not put the green pepper in. I would like to know if there is anything else I can replace it with.
Thank you so much
You can just leave it out if you want! Or replace it with a red bell pepper.
Karen Delancey says
Will make this soon, but wondering why the ketchup and onion wasn’t mentioned in the instructions. Typo mistake?
Thank you,
Karen Delancey
[email protected]
Oye. Totally a mistake. Thank you for catching it!
Karen says
You’re welcome! Can’t wait to try this recipe. My grandson loves sloppy Joe’s! Thank you!
Vonda Bitzer says
It was
Andrea Neel says
Another WINNING RECIPE from you. These were seriously the BEST Sloppy Joes I’ve ever had. I used 2 lbs and we had enough leftovers for Halloween night and had another family come join us. I but buttered pickles with mine and served with chips :)
Thanks for adding yet another great one to our family rotation of recipes. :)
I’m really happy you liked them Andrea!
Linda says
Looks like something quick and easy I can put together and share with my son’s family! Thanks for another great recipe!
I hope they love it!
Amanda says
The best Sloppy Joe’s you’ll ever eat! And your house smells wonderful while they’re cooking. Highly recommend this recipe!
I’m so glad you liked this!
Marti Ravencroft says
Everything looks soooooo good. I can’t wait to try these.
I hope you love them!
Mary says
Great Sloppy Joes my family really liked them! I’ll be making these again!
I’m so glad that liked these, Mary!
Debi Kuykendall says
Hi I’m wondering if you or anyone else has tried freezing the leftovers? I can always cut recipe in half as I’m just cooking for 3 now. But making the full recipe and freezing would be great! Heat up the frozen leftovers in crockpot as Sept-Dec are busiest time for my business. Would love input. Thanks, Debi
These would freeze great! I would suggest freezing in individual portions in a sandwich bag and lying them flat in the freezer for easy stacking and storing.