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Skip the canned sloppy joes and make this easy and hearty BBQ Sloppy Joes Recipe. Not only will you save money but it tastes better than anything at the grocery store!

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Everyone loves BBQ Sloppy Joes Recipe.

Sloppy joes are a family favorite at our house, and this BBQ sloppy joes recipe is no different. Let me state though – We are not a fan of canned sloppy joes, we love homemade sloppy joes.

You miss out on so much flavor and it is actually cheaper to just make it yourself.  I love this BBQ sloppy joes recipe because they are easy to make and they are very frugal.

This recipe cost me just $4 to make for my family of 6. Now this is an older post that I’m updating. I refigured the cost and for my family of 10 now I can make it for about $8.

Due to the size of my family, I just simply doubled the recipe. I have some serious eaters in our family now. But still…. $8 for 10 people. That is super awesome!

You are going to save money and get a better dinner too. This is definitely a win for Mom!

Ok let’s talk about how to make this quick and easy dinner idea. It is seriously a game changer!

Equipment you need:

  • cast iron – I love using cast iron because the food cooks so evenly. Plus, cast iron holds up really well.
  • Ground beef Separator – This is optional but helps to get the ground beef to that perfect consistency. We love ours and use it frequently.
  • Cheese grater – Grab one of these larger ones and see how easy it is. We prefer to do this instead of buying the bags of shredded. Not only does it melt better but it tastes better too.

Ingredients:

  • Ground beef or ground turkey (you could mix them too!)
  • Onion finely chopped – I like to use a food processor. Try freezing chopped onions to make dinner time even quicker.
  • Red pepper finely chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • BBQ Sauce – Any kind will do but we love this easy homemade barbecue sauce recipe.
  • Ketchup
  • Water (or vinegar)
  • Hamburger buns and cheese or onions to serve with

How to make homemade sloppy joes with bbq sauce:

1. First, brown the ground beef until no longer pink. This is when the Ground beef Separator comes in so handy.

2. Second, add the onions and seasonings to the ground beef.

3. Next, add the BBQ sauce, ketchup and water. Stir together the sloppy joe mixture.

4. Finally, let simmer for 5-10 minutes so the flavors can combine. Enjoy! Serve on hamburger buns with cheese.

The results.

My pickiest child gobbled her sandwich up in no time and said it was the best dinner ever! I say that means this is going on our regular menu now!

What to serve with barbecue sloppy joes?

These are just a few ideas that we love. Check out What to Serve with Sloppy Joes for more easy side dishes for sloppy joes.

More tips: 

  • BBQ Sauce – You can add in any BBQ sauce you have in your pantry for a different flavor – Honey BBQ, Mesquite Smoke, and the list goes on. You can try it with different sauces for the same great sandwich with a different twist.
  • Veggies – If you don’t like onions and red peppers, you should still try to put them in. I use a small food chopper and they are so small no one even knows they are in there. However, you still get all that delicious flavor.
  • Other meat – Use ground turkey to save even more money. My family never notices when I use this because the sauce is so amazing.
  • Slow Cooker – Try making this in the crock pot and come home to dinner ready to enjoy.  This is perfect when you need to feed a crowd for a party or if you just want a day off from cooking.  You just need to brown the meat and then toss everything else in. The crock pot will do the rest.
  • Freeze the leftovers – This recipe is freezer friendly. Make a double batch next time you cook dinner. Then freeze the left overs. All you have to do (on a busy night) is heat it up and serve on buns. From freezer to table, you can have these on the dinner in 10 minutes without even thinking about it.
  • Make it a Freezer meal – Another way to utilize the freezer is to brown the beef and let them cool. Then toss the meet and all the ingredients into a freezer bag and freeze. Then you can toss it into a crock pot (from frozen) and let it cook all day for a super easy Crock pot freezer meal.

Make this easy recipe tonight!

Print the best bbq sloppy joes recipe below:

BBQ Sloppy Joes Recipe

4.96 from 45 votes
Homemade sloppy joes recipe is quick to make, and this bbq sloppy joes recipe is delicious! How to make sloppy joes that taste like a BBQ sandwich.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine American
Course Lunch, Main Course
Calories 584

Ingredients

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Instructions

  • In a Medium skillet brown the ground beef and drain off the excess grease.
  • Then add in in the onions, red pepper, and seasonings.
  • When soft mix in the barbecue sauce, ketchup, water and salt and pepper.
  • Cook on low uncovered for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
  • Serve on the hamburger buns topped with the shredded cheese.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

These are great made with your favorite type of barbecue sauce to get the flavor that you know you will love! 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 584kcal, Carbohydrates 45g, Protein 29g, Fat 31g, Saturated Fat 13g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 100mg, Sodium 1184mg, Potassium 558mg, Fiber 2g, Sugar 22g, Vitamin A 659IU, Vitamin C 15mg, Calcium 252mg, Iron 4mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

4.96 from 45 votes (38 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Susan K Marotteck says:

    5 stars
    I just made this for a get together and everyone loved it.

  2. Carrie Barnard says:

    I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for leaving a review.

  3. Michelle Herrera says:

    5 stars
    So easy to make and super delicious! I didn’t have a red pepper but I did have a green pepper so I used that and mmmm oh so good! Will definitely keep recipe handy! Thank you so much!

  4. Carrie Barnard says:

    Thanks for commenting! We love this recipe too.

  5. Paige says:

    5 stars
    This was very good !

  6. Brandy says:

    5 stars
    So good

  7. Brandy says:

    5 stars
    So good.

  8. Amy Alicia England-Smith says:

    4 stars
    Great twist on regular ol’ sloppy joes. The kids gobbled it up!

  9. Destiny Boggess says:

    My favorite new way to make sloppy joes.

  10. Petunia53 says:

    5 stars
    I am intrigued by using vinegar instead of water. Have you or has anyone else used white vinegar (or any other type of vinegar) instead of water? How did you like it? Thank you!

  11. Katrina @ Enchanted Savings says:

    Thanks! I will definitely have to try this.