Crockpot Sloppy Joes make a family-favorite recipe even easier thanks to the slow cooker. Now, these saucy, sweet, tangy sandwiches are ready when you are!
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The crockpot makes these sloppy joes perfect for hectic days!
I love my Crockpot Greek Sloppy Joes, but I wanted to make a more traditional version for our upcoming game day entertaining plans. You know, a classic Sloppy Joes Recipe, but in the slow cooker instead of the stovetop.
Enter: these crockpot sloppy joes!
They’ve got that irresistible sweet-and-tangy flavor, the fantastic sauciness (for a less messy version, there’s always Sloppy Joe Casserole), but now you can get them started in the morning and they’re done in time for dinner. Hooray!
Let’s talk about what makes this recipe a win:
Perfect for Meal Prep. The leftovers store and reheat well, and for families that like to switch things up, you can serve the sloppy joe filling over fries, baked potatoes, or even make it into nachos!
Mostly Hands-Off Cooking. You’ll need to brown the beef and soften the veggies first (trust me, it’s worth it), but after that, the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting.
Classic Flavor, With a Well Plated Twist. A mix of ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, and vinegar creates that traditional sweet-and-tangy base, but I add some extra veggies to bulk it up and sneak in some nutrition.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
Ground Beef. I use 90/10, which is lean enough to avoid having to drain off excess grease, but still flavorful and tender.
Veggies. Carrots, onion, and red bell pepper add flavor and nutrition. I always make my sloppy joes with extra veggies! Picky eaters won’t even notice.
Garlic. A lot of recipes use garlic powder, but I like the sharper flavor of fresh in these crockpot sloppy joes.
Chili Powder. Adds gentle heat without making these sloppy joes spicy.
Tomato Paste. To help bring out more tomato flavor than you’d get with ketchup alone.
Dijon mustard. Sharpens the sauce and balances sweetness.
Ketchup. I’ve tested sloppy joe recipes with and without ketchup and you know what? The ketchup just works. It delivers that classic sloppy Joe flavor better than tomato sauce.
Worcestershire Sauce. Adds umami and depth.
Brown Sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Red Wine Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice also work.
Beef Broth. Use low-sodium beef broth to keep the salt level in check.
For Serving. Kaiser rolls, plus toppings like cheddar cheese and pickles, if desired.
How to Make Crockpot Sloppy Joes
Cook the Beef. Brown the ground beef in a skillet, season lightly, and transfer to the slow cooker.
Soften the Veggies (photo 2). Sauté the carrots, onion, and bell pepper until softened; add garlic and chili powder.
Assemble (photo 3). Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker, then stir in remaining sauce ingredients.
Cook (photo 4). Slow cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Serve your crockpot sloppy joes on rolls with your desired toppings and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
Use Ground Turkey. Swap the ground beef for lean ground turkey.
Make Them Meatless. Use your favorite plant-based ground meat or crumbled tempeh for a more natural option.
Make Them Spicy. Add cayenne pepper or stir in diced jalapeño with the veggies.
What to Serve with Crockpot Sloppy Joes
Fries.Air Fryer Potato Wedges for those who like a substantive fry, or these Homemade Fries for a more classic (but still not fried!) version. Or Zucchini Fries for something even healthier!
Chips. I love these Air Fryer Potato Chips, but for busy weeknights, I just grab a handful of chips from a store-bought bag.
Salad. Kids love sloppy joes with a side of Fruit Salad! This Healthy Potato Salad is an awesome pairing too.
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Crockpot Sloppy Joes
These easy crockpot sloppy joes are made with lean ground beef, that classic sweet-and-tangy sauce, plus extra veggies for even more flavor!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 2 hourshours10 minutesminutes
Total Time 2 hourshours20 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Calories 261kcal
Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated
Ingredients
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
1poundlean ground beef90/10
1teaspoonkosher saltdivided
2mediumcarrots¼-inch diced (about 1 cup)
1smallyellow onionfinely chopped (about 1 cup)
1smallred bell pepper¼-inch diced (about 1½ cups)
2clovesgarlicminced (about 2 teaspoons)
2teaspoonschili powder
2tablespoonstomato paste
1tablespoonDijon mustard
¼cupketchup
2tablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
1tablespoonbrown sugar
1teaspoonred wine vinegar
¾cuplow-sodium beef broth
4Kaiser rollsor rolls of choice
Optional for serving: Sliced cheddar cheese, pickles
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, undisturbed, until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Break the beef into small crumbles and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 3 more minutes. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer to a 4-to 6-quart slow cooker.
To the now-empty skillet, add the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring periodically, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Add the tomato paste, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, broth, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours or high heat for 2 hours, until the vegetables have softened.
Serve on Kaiser rolls with toppings of choice.
Notes
For the vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice also work.
TO STORE: Transfer the leftover filling to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: Warm in a skillet set over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze flat in a freezer bag with the air pressed out or in an airtight container. The filling will keep up to 3 months in the freezer; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
