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A hearty batch of slow cooker sloppy joes simmering in a crockpot.

Classic Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

A classic sloppy joe recipe made easy in the slow cooker, featuring lean ground beef in a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet tomato sauce.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 sandwiches
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Skillet
  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

Sloppy Joe Mixture

  • 1.5 lbs Lean Ground Beef 85/15 or 90/10
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion finely diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper finely diced
  • 6 oz Tomato Paste 1 small can
  • 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes 1 large can
  • ½ cup Ketchup
  • ¼ cup Brown Sugar light or dark, adjust to taste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Yellow Mustard or Dijon
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ½ tsp Salt or to taste
  • ¼ tsp Black Pepper or to taste

For Serving

  • 8-10 Hamburger Buns

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, then drain any excess fat.
  • Transfer the browned meat to your slow cooker and add the diced onion, green bell pepper, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
  • Stir all ingredients thoroughly until the meat is well coated in the sauce.

Cooking

  • Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
  • Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or brown sugar if needed.

Serving

  • Spoon the sloppy joe mixture generously onto toasted hamburger buns.

Notes

For a richer flavor, you can sauté the diced onion and bell pepper with the ground beef until softened before adding to the slow cooker. If you prefer a tangier sloppy joe, add a splash of apple cider vinegar at the end. Serve alongside a simple coleslaw or potato salad for a complete meal.