Sloppy Joe Sandwiches With Ground Beef and Sausage

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/20/21
sloppy joe with barbecue sauce and some sausage

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 12 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 37 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 6 sandwiches

The combination of ground beef and sausage along with the chopped peppers and seasonings give this sloppy Joe sandwich filling mixture excellent flavor. Use bulk Italian sausage, a chorizo blend, or country style breakfast sausage. 

It's unclear when and where the first sloppy Joe was made, but it is one of many famous American sandwiches. It probably originated in the early 1900s. The first known mention in print was in 1940 in an Ohio restaurant advertisement. This version is made with a few additional ingredients: ground pork, barbecue sauce, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.

Make these tasty sandwiches for a party or family meal. The recipe is easily multiplied for a party or game day gathering.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck or lean ground beef (at least 85 percent lean)

  • 1/2 pound ground pork sausage

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery

  • 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

  • 1 1/2 cups ketchup

  • 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 tablespoon prepared mustard

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons grill seasoning for beef (e.g., burger or steak seasoning blend)

  • 1 dash kosher salt

  • 1 dash freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 soft buns, or slider buns, toasted if desired

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the ground beef and pork sausage with the onion, celery, and bell pepper until the ground meats are no longer pink.

  3. Add ketchup, barbecue sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and seasonings to the browned meat.

  4. Bring to a simmer and turn to low.

  5. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

  6. Spoon the meat mixture over the split toasted buns or slider buns. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

  • Make the sloppy Joe filling with ground beef and ground pork, or use all ground beef. 
  • Easy Sliders: Slice a flat of dinner rolls, such King's Hawaiian, in half horizontally. Spread the hot sloppy Joe mixture on the bottom half and top with shredded and coleslaw, if desired. Brush the tops of the rolls with 1 tablespoon of melted butter mixed with 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Place the top of the rolls on the filling and wrap in heavy-duty foil. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for about 15 minutes to melt the cheese. If you don't add cheese, skip the melted butter topping and just pull the rolls apart to serve the sliders.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
647 Calories
32g Fat
47g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 647
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 32g 42%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 133mg 44%
Sodium 1578mg 69%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 13mg 65%
Calcium 129mg 10%
Iron 6mg 31%
Potassium 928mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)