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| by Christina Hitchco*ck
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These Wimpies, or sloppy joes, are a classic American recipe perfect for your next summer barbecue. Made of ground beef, spices, and chopped vegetables, they don’t take long to make, and are sure to be a hit with your family.
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Why this Sloppy Joe Recipe is a Keeper
- 20 Minute Meal: These easy sloppy joes only take 20 minutes to make. Perfect for a busy life.
- Easy Ingredients: All of the ingredients for these tender sandwiches can be found in your kitchen or local grocery store.
- Family Friendly: Homemade sloppy joes are a popular choice at cookouts and barbecues. They’re super simple, and are fun to eat.
If you’re browsing for more of the best sloppy joe recipes, try these:Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese, Sloppy Joe Puffs, and Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes.
Why Are they Called Wimpies?
While these ground beef sandwiches have lots of different names, they may be called “wimpies” in Pennsylvania. This may be because of the “wimpy” buns, which fall apart easily, or they may be named after the character Wimpy from the classic cartoon Popeye, who was known for eating hamburgers.
Ingredient Notes for Ground Beef Sandwiches
- Ground Beef: Ground beef makes up the sloppy joe patties. An 80-20% beef is recommended.
- Ketchup: You can use hot sauce in addition to ketchup when coating the wimpies to make the sloppy joe’s sauce.
- Green Peppers: The original recipe calls for a chopped green bell pepper. However, you can use any color of bell pepper you want.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for this Wimpies Recipe
There are lots of different ways to make wimpies. Perhaps you want to make yours closer to your mom’s recipe or grandma’s. Here are some tips for changing them up to your liking:
- Use Ground Turkey: Instead of ground beef, you can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken instead. You can also use a can of Manwich.
- Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce can be used in place of ketchup in this hearty comfort food.
- Crock Pot: Instead of on the stove, you can also cook the meat in a crock pot, slow cooker, or instant pot. Alternatively, you can bake this recipe into a casserole, or fry the ground meat in an air fryer.
- Brown Sugar: Instead of granulated sugar, you can use brown sugar in this recipe for a sweeter taste.
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When browning your ground beef and vegetables, make sure to get a good sear. This adds richness to the base of your sauce. Meat Pro Tip
How to Make Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes
These are the basic steps for makingsloppy joes from scratch.Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions and nutrition information.
1. Cook the Beef
First, brown ground beef with onions and peppers in a large skillet on medium heat. Then, drain well and return the meat to the skillet.
2. Assemble Sloppy Joes and Add Seasoning
Add the vinegar, ketchup, celery seed, dry mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes to let the juices evaporate some, stirring often, then serve on your favorite sandwich roll or hamburger buns.
Best Sloppy Joe Recipe FAQs
How Do I Store Sloppy Joes?
Store the meat mixture in an airtight container in the fridge.
What is the Best Way to Reheat this Recipe?
Reheat the beef mixture in the microwave or on the stovetop, then add to a bun.
What Goes With Sloppy Joes?
If you’re looking for toppings, try onions, pickles, mushrooms, celery, barbecue sauce, or jalapenos.
Expert Tips for Making Easy Sloppy Joes
- Hot Sauce: Try putting a little hot sauce, chili powder, or jalapeno peppers into the wimpies for a spicy twist.
- Double: Double the recipe by increasing the ingredients in the directions proportionally.
- Flavor: For more yummy flavor, you can add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, or thicken the sauce mixture with chili sauce.
- Vegetables: If you have a hard time getting your kids to eat their veggies, try sneaking in some finely chopped vegetables to your sloppy joes. They will never know!
- Rice: If you are gluten-free, serve over tender rice or mashed potatoes.
- Soup: Heat some soup in a saucepan to serve along with the sloppy joes.
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
If you liked this recipe, try these ones, and be sure to follow us on social media for more delicious recipes!
- Macaroni Salad
- Cornbread Muffins
- Ranch Crackers
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4.84 from 50 votes
Wimpies (Easy Sloppy Joes)
Yield: 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total: 20 minutes minutes
These Wimpies, or sloppy joes, are a classic American recipe perfect for your next summer barbecue. Made of ground beef, spices, and chopped vegetables, they don’t take long to make, and are sure to be a hit with your family.
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Onion, chopped
- ¾ cup Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Celery Seed
- 2 teaspoon Dry Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Brown beef with onions and peppers in a large skillet.
Drain well and return to skillet.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve on your favorite sandwich roll.
Expert Tips
- Hot Sauce: Try putting a little hot sauce and some jalapeno peppers into the wimpies for a spicy twist.
- Vegetables: If you have a hard time getting your kids to eat their veggies, try sneaking in some finely chopped vegetables to your sloppy joes. They will never know!
- Rice: If you are gluten free, serve over rice, rice cauliflower or even mashed potatoes to make a hearty meal.
Estimated Nutritional Information
Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 324mg | Potassium: 360mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 18.6mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1.9mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Author: Christina Hitchco*ck
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
