3 ingredient slow cooker sloppy joes recipe is a cheap dinner idea that is sweet and savory with a homemade sauce. With ground beef, ketchup, mustard and brown sugar instead of Manwich is way better and can feed a crowd!
You may have made these on the stovetop before but especially if you are hosting a Super Bowl party you may want to triple it and feed over a few hours. This is a great way to keep your saucy ground beef warm for hours, ready to serve on buns throughout the day. Just one easy Crockpot recipe we have on our site. (affiliate links present)
We used our 10 year old 3 ingredient sloppy joes recipe below. Of course you can add a dash of garlic powder and/or diced onions if youโd like, diced bell peppers are another great add-in too.
Once these are done there are tons of ways to serve them. The traditional would be with hamburger buns but smaller sizes with Hawaiian rolls as sloppy joes sliders is even more fun with the same great taste. We have even eaten this spooned over a bed of tater tots I meanโฆ.yes we did!
Notes
When we make this I typically use 2 pounds of lean ground beef. Once cooked will feed 8-10 depending on how hungry my family or guests are. You will basically begin with our Crockpot ground beef steps but with the added sauce so it cooks in the sauce adding a lot of flavor.
Ketchup is the base of this and our similar copycat version of not so sloppy joe sauce. You could use tomato sauce but the flavor isnโt quite as sweet so it will be not quite as ideal but an alternative nontheless.
Yellow mustard, not spicy like dijon is the variety you will want in this case. More or less depending on how much of a tang you want to it. Always keep these 3 ingredients on the counter as you mix so you can add a bit more this or that depending on your tastebuds.
Brown sugar, light and not packed when measured, use or more if you want it sweeter is used. I have yet to test this with a sugar free alternative like Splenda but I have heard that others say it works quite well.
Variations
Additional add ins for the flavor profile you may like would be a pinch of added; Garlic powder or onion powder, finely chopped onions or dried and minced, and of course salt and pepper to taste is a given.
To make it spicy I would recommend adding 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes with the meat. After sitting for a few hours test it out. If you want it spicier then add another 1/8 of a tsp at a time until you get to the right heat level. Want it sweeter, do the same thing with the brown sugar. More pucker? Add more mustard or dill pickle relish. Same thing goes with Instant Pot sloppy joes.
Sloppy Joes with Frozen Ground Beef
If you need instructions on how to cook frozen ground beef you would need to read and follow these steps first and then proceed once browned. We have directions on how to cook frozen ground turkey too for a lower fat option.
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes Recipe
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
- 1 pan
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef, cooked
- 1.5 cup ketchup, or more if you want saucier
- 1/3 cup mustard, yellow, or more if you want tangier
- 4 tbsp brown sugar, or more if you want it sweeter
Instructions
- In a skillet on your stove add a bit of olive oil with your ground beef or turkey with 1/2 c. diced onions (if you want to add those). Cook until meat is no longer pink, then remove and drain grease.
- Pour meat into your slow cooker. Add all other ingredients and use a spoon to fold it all together so meat is well coated with the sauce.
- Put lid on and set to low for 2-4 hours on low so flavors can meld together even further. If serving for longer set to keep warm with the lid on and stir every hour to rotate. Serve on buns.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to serve
You will NEVER ever go back to the can after you try this one. Maybe your granny called them Tavern sandwiches, same thing, but now you can turn them into open faced Texas Toast sloppy joes.
If you want this as a really easy prep of a meal I would just buy a big bag of buns from Costco, and done. More from scratch you could thaw frozen rolls right when you turn this on and they will be ready to bake when it is done, perfect timing. It is kindaโ fun served over some pasta cooked to al dente too though, just a thought. ๐
These can be served a ton of different ways, and no matter who eats these they will be pleased. Live in the Midwest, you might want to try sloppy joe Philly cheesesteak mixture instead, or in another pot. From little kids to grandparents it is always a hit.
Can you double this?
If you had even more guests coming over you could certainly cook as much as would fit into your pot. There are some really large versions out there now so as long as you have a few inches on the top between your food and lid you should be good to go. May take another hour or so to heat all the way thru and I would stir a bit more often but you should be good to go.
If you have leftover taco meat and use it for sloppy Joes then it would be a sloppy Josรจ