Sloppy Joe Recipe From the 50's: Bring Back the Good Old Days

As soon as you taste a mouthful of this Sloppy Joe recipe from the 50s, you will be transported back to a time when life was simpler and meals were all about comfort and simple cooking.

Our Sloppy Joe recipe is unquestionably the best! Its saucy and thoroughly satisfying texture features ground beef and fresh vegetables cooked in a rich tomato sauce.

Serve the meaty Sloppy Joe recipe on warm fluffy burger buns and with fries on the side for a filling weekend lunch.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Pro Tips
• Sloppy Joe Recipe From the 50's
• Comments

Ingredients

• Cooking oil spray — 1 tbsp.
• Ground beef — 1 ½ lbs.
• Yellow onion — 1 cup, chopped
• Red bell pepper — ½ cup, chopped
• Celery — ½ cup, chopped
• Worcestershire sauce — 2 tbsp.
• White vinegar — 2 tbsp.
• Brown sugar — 2 tbsp.
• Tomato sauce — 1 cup
• Ketchup — ¾ cup
• Salt — ½ tsp.
• Ground black pepper — ¼ tsp.
• Water — ½ cup

Instructions

1. Spray a large deep pan with oil and heat over medium heat.

2. Add the ground beef to the pan, and cook until slightly browned. Use a wooden spatula to break up the meat.

3. Add the chopped vegetables to the pan and cook on medium-low heat until softened.

4. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the pan and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat.

Substitutions

• Ground beef — Ground beef is the key to a good Sloppy Joe! If you want to replace it for any reason, you can opt for ground turkey or ground chicken.

• Celery — Celery’s rich flavor pairs nicely with the other ingredients. If you don’t like its taste, carrots are an excellent substitution option, as they possess a similar texture and a slightly sweet taste.

• White vinegar — Substituting white vinegar with apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or even fresh lemon juice.

• Tomato sauce — The silky texture of tomato sauce allows the ground beef to cook nicely and achieve a beautiful aroma while developing a juicy texture. You can opt to dilute tomato paste with a bit of water or use canned diced tomatoes, without compromising the taste.

Variations

• Add flavor — Adding spices such as chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, or oregano can enhance the flavor of your Sloppy Joe.

• Low-fat — Ground turkey or ground chicken can be great low-fat alternatives to ground beef. If you don’t want to give up ground beef, choose lean ground beef, which is lower in fats and higher in protein.

• Sugar-free — Even though brown sugar balances the acidity of the other ingredients, you can omit it or use a natural sweetener, such as stevia erythritol, for a sugar-free version. You can also swap the regular ketchup and tomato sauce for sugar-free versions.

• Vegan-friendly — Use red lentils or plant-based meat, and you’ll have a fantastic vegan version of the delicious Sloppy Joe.

Equipment

• Measuring spoons and cups

• Stovetop

• Large deep pan

• Wooden spatula

• Oil spray

Storage

• Cool the dish to room temperature before storing it.

• If transferred in an airtight container, you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for 4 days.

• Use a freezer-safe container to store the Sloppy Joe for up to three months in the freezer.

Pro Tips

• Use good quality ground beef — Use grass-fed ground beef for a delicious and healthy dish. Grass-fed beef contains a lower quantity of fats, especially saturated fats, than grain-fed beef, which will result in a healthier and more flavorful dish.

• Drain the excess fat — After browning the ground beef, eliminate any excess fat by draining it.

• Add toppings — Serve your Sloppy Joe with fresh toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, or chopped cilantro.