Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Recipe

5 from 6 votes

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Creamy, savory, and messy are all the good things that make this sweet and spicy sloppy joe recipe, with white cheddar, what they should be. Serve with a cold Coleslaw or Cucumber Salad.

 Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe with white cheddar all on a white plate

Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Recipe | With White Cheddar

Give this Sweet and Spicy Sloppy Joe recipe a whirl tonight. Very minimal ingredients go into these bad boys and the longer they cook the better they get. When I first married my husband, he was ADAMANT that he hated sloppy joes so I rarely made them. Buuuuut, a few weeks ago, I got the brilliant idea to make this version and whaddaya know. One bite and he loves sloppy joes.

Main Ingredients Needed

Here is everything you’ll need to make these tasty sweet and spicy sloppy joes!

  • Lean Ground Beef – I used 93/7. Feel free to make this healthier by using ground turkey instead.
  • Onion + Garlic – two basic but flavorful ingredients that make a great base for any meal.
  • Ketchup, Mustard + Worcestershire Sauce – these three condiments create a lovely blend of flavors.
  • Brown Sugar – this is where the sweet comes in.
  • Red Pepper Flakes – this is where the spicy comes in, add more if you like it hot hot hot.
  • Salt + Pepper – season to taste.
  • Hamburger Buns – we like to toast our buns for a crunchy soft bite.
  • White Cheddar Cheese – this adds creaminess and a softer flavor to the sandwich.

How to Make Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joes

This Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Recipe is based on my sweet and sour meatball sauce recipe, with a few modifications. And, because cheese is its own food group at my house, I grated a little white cheddar over the top of the whole thing and let it melt. For full recipe details check out the recipe card below.

1. Brown the Meat

Start browning meat, breaking apart as you go. Add in onion and garlic and cook to soften.

2. Make the Sauce

Stir in all ingredients to create the sauce and bring it to a bubble. Reduce heat immediately to low, cover, and cook. {The longer the better}

3. Toast Buns

Toast open sides of hamburger buns spread generously with softened butter and rub with the cut side of a garlic clove if desired. This is totally optional.

4. Serve with White Cheddar Cheese

Spoon filling onto the bottoms of each bun and sprinkle with grated white cheddar cheese. Top with other bun and enjoy!

 Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Recipe with White Cheddar

Storing Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joes

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days!

This Sweet and Spicy Sloppy Joe recipe is great for meal prepping for the rest of the week.

Freezing Instructions

The beauty of this recipe is that you could even store the leftovers in the freezer for up to 4 months!

Cool completely, then transfer sloppy joe mixture into an airtight container. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

More Sloppy Joe Recipes to Try!

Sweet, spicy, creamy, savory and very very messy. All good things that makes sloppy joes what they should be.

Here’s the printable. Try this easy one-pot dinner out tonight 🙂 Have a great day, friends!

Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Recipe with White Cheddar
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5 from 6 votes

Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Recipe

Creamy, savory, and messy are all the good things that make this sweet and spicy sloppy joe recipe, with white cheddar, what they should be.
servings 4 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef 93/7
  • 1 cup onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes add more or less, depending on taste
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 soft hamburger buns
  • white cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

  • Place a large skillet over medium heat and start browning meat, breaking apart as you go. Add in onion and garlic and cook to soften about 5 minutes. Stir in all ingredients to create the sauce and bring it to bubble. Reduce heat immediately to low, cover, and cook 45 minutes-1 hour. {The longer the better}
  • Toast open sides of hamburger buns spread generously with softened butter and rub with the cut side of a garlic clove if desired. This is totally optional.
  • Spoon filling onto the bottoms of each bun and sprinkle with grated white cheddar cheese. Top with other bun and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 913mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 5mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sloppy joe recipe, sloppy joes, spicy sloppy joe recipe
5 from 6 votes

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Recipe Rating




12 Responses
  1. Wendy

    5 stars
    Loved these..only changes I made was 1/2 cup each onion & yellow sweet pepper, instead of water used some beef stock I had left over, and hot sauce instead of hot pepper flakes (didn’t have any flakes). The grated cheese on top is the clincher for me. I love cheese on my Sloppy Joes!! 💖

  2. Tracy Maguire

    5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely delicious and so easy! Everyone in my family of five just loved it (and we all know how difficult that is to accomplish)!! I will be making this again tonight!

  3. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog

    This recipe looks super amazing and yummy. This might sound totally stupid, but I never even THOUGHT of sloppy joes as anything other than nasty canned meat….but this, this recipe sounds totally amazing and made with fresh ingredients. Must. Try!

  4. Sarah@WholeAndHeavenlyOven

    These sloppy joes look like a perfect weeknight dinner! My family generally doesn’t like sloppy joes either, like your husband, but I have a feeling they would LOVE these ones! Anything topped with cheddar has gotta be good, right? lol. pinned!

  5. Karli

    I loved your FB Easter picture yesterday! Such a cute family! …This recipe looks amazing! Same story with my husband, he (thinks) he doesn’t like sloppy joes. I’ve proved him wrong 🙂

  6. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness

    I don’t know how you did it…but you made a sloppy how look pretty! I’m not generally a huge ground beef fun (but my hubby is) and I am a HYOOGE white cheddar fan..so this will be happening! Pinned!

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