Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Sweet, tangy, and juicy slow cooker sloppy Joes made with ground beef and sausage, simmered in a rich tomato and barbecue sauce, finished with melted cheddar cheese. Perfect for game days or easy weeknight dinners!
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef 85 to 93% lean recommended
- 1 pounds pork sausage
- 0.5 cup onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeded and diced small, red bell pepper may be substituted
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 0.5 cup ketchup
- 0.5 cup barbecue sauce
- 0.25 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard Dijon may be substituted
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 2 tablespoons canned pickled jalapeño peppers optional for spiciness
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided or as desired
- 16 pieces hamburger buns such as Texas toast, hot dog buns, or Hawaiian rolls for serving
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Brown ground beef and pork sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Crumble and stir often; drain excess grease if desired.
- Add chopped onions and diced bell pepper; sauté for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Transfer meat and vegetable mixture to a large 7 to 8-quart slow cooker. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and optional jalapeños. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
- Stir in about 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until melted, reserving some cheese for topping if desired.
- Serve sloppy Joe meat mixture on hamburger buns or preferred bread of choice, topped with remaining shredded cheese if desired.
- Refrigerate leftover sloppy Joe meat in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze up to 4 months. Reheat gently before serving.
Notes
This classic sloppy Joe recipe is perfect for a crowd and can be easily doubled or halved. For a spicier kick, add more pickled jalapeños. Leftovers freeze well and reheat beautifully!