This Heinz chili sauce sloppy joes recipe is sure to take you back to your childhood. Perfect for kids and adults alike, it's an easy weeknight dinner that's ready in a total time of less than 30 minutes!
A quick mix of Heinz chili sauce and other pantry ingredients flavors the ground beef for a not-too-sweet mixture that pairs perfectly with sour dill pickle slices. I bet this old fashioned sloppy joes recipe will become your family's favorite sloppy joes like they are in our house!
I didn't grow up eating sloppy joe's at home--instead I would get them for school lunch or Wednesday night supper at church. I've always been a hamburger lover so it's no surprise that I would love a messy sloppy joe.
It's essentially chopped up hamburger with ketchup and mustard mixed in, and I've found that the chili sauce adds an extra zing to the mix of ground beef and sauce. Whip up this easy recipe and see how yummy it is for yourself!
If you need some ideas on what to serve with this sloppy joe sandwich, I recommend my skillet macaroni and cheese. It's made with three cheeses and is kid friendly too. Another perfect recipe to serve with these are my tostones (twice-fried plantains).
They're a lot like French fries in flavor and texture. For a dessert the kids will gobble up, try my vanilla and sprinkles whoopie pies or mini s'mores pies. Now, let's get to these oh-so-easy sloppy joes!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this easy homemade sloppy joe recipe:
- butter
- lean ground beef (I used ground round)
- Vidalia or other sweet onion
- green bell pepper
- garlic
- Heinz chili sauce
- yellow mustard
- brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- hamburger buns
- dill pickle slices
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, stir together the chili sauce, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar in a bowl.
- Next, cook the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in melted butter in a skillet until tender.
- Then, add the ground beef and cook until the meat crumbles and is no longer pink.
- Finally, stir in the sauce and cook until thickened. Spoon the ground beef mixture evenly onto hamburger buns and top with pickle slices.
Hint: If you use a fattier ground beef mix like ground chuck, drain any excess fat after browning so the meat mixture isn't too greasy.
Substitutions
Need some ingredient substitution suggestions? I've got you covered:
- Ground beef - I find that ground round offers just the right amount leanness. You can also use ground chuck, but you'll likely need to drain off the excess fat after browning the meat. You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, or meatless crumbles for the sloppy joe mixture.
- Vidalia onion - I'm a Georgia girl so I use these sweet onions as often as possible. Use another sweet onion like a Walla Walla or Maui onion in place of the Vidalia onion if you'd like.
- Bell pepper - Use a red bell pepper, orange pepper, or yellow instead of the green pepper.
- Heinz chili sauce - I love the tanginess of the chili sauce but you can use ketchup instead.
- Hamburger buns - Feel free to substitute a brioche bun, pretzel buns, French rolls, or your other favorite hamburger bun.
Variations
Looking for other ways to change up this recipe? Here are some ideas:
- Spicy - If your family likes recipes on the hotter side, add a little crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the chili sauce mixture.
- BBQ Sloppy Joe's - Use your favorite bbq sauce instead of the chili sauce.
- Cheesy - Add a slice of Cheddar cheese just after you spoon the hot meat mixture onto the buns.
- Pizza Joes - Use tomato sauce instead of the chili sauce mixture and top servings with slices of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- small bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
Storage
Store any leftover sloppy joe meat mixture separate from the buns in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
These delicious sloppy joes freeze nicely! Store the meat mixture in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Tasty Tip
This is a great meal prepping recipe. Make when you do your weekly food prep and store the meat in an airtight container for 3 days.
To reheat, place in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the mixture is too dry.
Frequently asked questions
Jarred sloppy joe sauce is a pre-made mixture containing ketchup, mustard, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, a little brown sugar, and other seasonings. Chili sauce is a tomato-based sauce with the addition of onions and other seasonings.
Heinz chili sauce can be added to pasta sauce, meatloaf, and other recipes for a little extra zip. I grew up eating my mom's famous cocktail meatballs in a sauce of grape jelly and chili sauce.
The two are very similar, but the chili sauce isn't as sweet and has onions instead of onion powder as well as some different seasonings.
If opened, yes the chili sauce should be refrigerated. Otherwise it can be kept in your pantry.
Sloppy joe meat is similar to chili, but it's thicker and sweeter. Chili has more of a loose, stewy consistency.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these Heinz Chili Sauce Sloppy Joes:
🍽Get the recipe
Sloppy Joes with Heinz Chili Sauce
Equipment
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- small bowl
- whisk
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Heinz chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup chopped Vidalia onion (or other sweet onion)
- ⅓ cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground round
- 4 hamburger buns
- Dill pickle chips
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Combine the chili sauce, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until the beef crumbles and is no longer pink, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the sauce and simmer until the mixture is thickened. Spoon the meat mixture onto hamburger buns and top with pickles.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Be sure to cook the ground beef to an internal temperature of 160°F when tested with a meat thermometer.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Amy says
Sooo soo good!! Wouldn’t change a thing to this recipe!
AshleyFreeman says
Yay! Thanks so much Amy!
Jerry Gangestad says
had this 4 nights in a row. love it!
AshleyFreeman says
Best review ever. Thanks Jerry!
Amy says
Absolutely delicious! Never made sloppy joes before but wanted to try. Yum!
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks for trying the recipe Amy!
Swathi says
Best sloppy joes I ever tried it. My family loved it. That chili sauce is delicious.
AshleyFreeman says
Wow! What an amazing review. Thank you!!
Nisha says
The recipe is perfect and easy to make and I have also forwarded it to my friends who love Sloppy Joes .It sure does bring memories of childhood days.
AshleyFreeman says
You're right--nostalgia at its best!
Tara says
These sloppy joes are delicious! I love the twist that the chili sauce gives to the flavor. It's less sweet, which is a huge plus in our house. This recipe has a home in our meal rotation now.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much for your note Tara! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed them!
Nicole Kendrick says
I really love your version of Sloppy Joes. It's not too sweet, and we all loved it. I'm making it again.
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much Nicole!