Classic Sloppy Joes Beef

Name: Classic Sloppy Joes Beef
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds ground chuck; 1 medium onion, diced; 4 large hamburger buns; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup ketchup; 1/3 cup water; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Recipe by Sam Rivera · Updated May 2026

Beef

A nostalgic, messy-but-delicious beef sandwich with sweet, tangy sauce and caramelized onions.

⏱ 30 mins

American

Servings 4

Ingredients

1.5 poundsground chuck

1 mediumonion, diced

4 largehamburger buns

1 tablespoonolive oil

1 cupketchup

1/3 cupwater

1 teaspoonkosher salt

1/2 teaspoongarlic powder

1/2 teaspoonpepper

1 tablespoonWorcestershire sauce

2 tablespoonsbrown sugar

Nutrition

689 caloriesCalories

Per serving · Values are estimates

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then toss in the diced onion. Cook for about 3 minutes, just until they start to soften.

Add the ground beef to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon. Let it brown all over, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Once the beef is browned, stir in the ketchup, water, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything together, then let it simmer gently for 15 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.

Spoon the beef mixture onto soft burger buns and dig in while it’s still warm.