Sloppy joe is the meal of childhood, along with spaghetti, tacos, and meatloaf. (I’m sensing a pattern…it must be the delicious beef!) And thankfully we can all be children at heart and enjoy sloppy joes throughout adulthood.
As a weeknight chef, sloppy joes couldn’t be easier. At minimum, it requires browning some beef (or turkey), tossing in ketchup, and spooning it onto buns. Simple, tasty, and filling.
But I prefer to spice things up, literally and figuratively. The pan warms with olive oil before I toss in diced onion and garlic. In my husband’s opinion, that’s the best smell – especially when the aroma hits him walking in the door from work!
While that’s simmering, I grate carrots or zucchini (because every parent wants to sneak in vegetables!). Next I brown the beef with the onions and garlic. Finally, I add in the secret veggies and the sauce.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the idea of a homemade sauce; this one is straightforward and delightable to everyone’s taste buds. It’s a combination of ketchup, barbeque sauce, worcestershire, and (optional) red pepper flakes. Give that a whirl and thoroughly combine with the meat mixture for perfect sloppy joes.
Wondering what to serve as a side dish? Potatoes and green beans are perfect! Try green beans simmered in Dale’s sauce or these provencal potatoes.
Curious to make your own biscuits to replace store-bought buns? You can’t go wrong with my go-to quick biscuits or these fluffy whole wheat biscuits.
Weeknight Sloppy Joes
A classic dinner that’s quick to prepare using ground beef, a homemade sauce, and hidden veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef, or turkey
- 1 carrot or zucchini, seeded, grated
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup barbeque sauce
- 2 Tbsp worcestershire
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Allow to simmer until onions are translucent, around 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef to skillet and break up as it cooks.
- While beef is cooking, grate carrot (or zucchini).
- Mix together the ketchup, barbeque sauce, worcestershire, and red pepper flakes for the sauce.
- Once meat is done, add vegetable and the sauce to the skillet. Mix together and allow to simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
