Ditch the cans of sauce mix and seasoning packets! Make these delicious gluten-free Sloppy Joe's from scratch instead! These Sloppy Joe's without ketchup make it easy to adjust the amount or type of sugar, creating a healthier version of this family-friendly sandwich!
I'm not sure who ever decided Sloppy Joe's should come from a can or involve squirts of ketchup and mustard because none of that is necessary at all! Honestly, making Sloppy Joe sandwiches from scratch end up tasting much better than any Sloppy Joe made using those shortcuts without much more effort at all! This recipe is quick to make but it can also be made ahead and reheated, making these delicious barbecue sandwiches perfect for weeknight dinners and also parties and potlucks.
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Popular Brands of Sloppy Joe Mix
Those cans of sloppy Joe mix from Manwich and Heinz may be gluten-free. They do not contain gluten ingredients but there is no gluten-free claim on the label. So while they may be safe to eat, they are still filled with enough other junk, like corn syrup, gums, and natural flavors, that it is better to just avoid them all together and make this recipe instead.
Key Ingredients
The ingredient list arguably looks a little long but when you get down to it, it's mostly spices and other items from your pantry! These ingredients are also why you don't need a can of Sloppy Joe mix, Sloppy Joe seasoning packet, or ketchup. Starting with tomato sauce and adding in your own seasonings means you get to control the taste, flavor, and the amount of sugar!
- Ground Beef: Ground chuck has the best flavor but any ground beef works. If you want to be fancy, use a combination of ground beef and ground pork, that flavor combo is phenomenal! You can also make this recipe with ground turkey or chicken.
- Healthy Veggies: Bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, red onion, and garlic add lots of flavor and nutrients.
- Tomato Sauce: Plain tomato sauce is the base for the sauciness of this recipe, instead of ketchup or barbecue sauce.
- Sugar: You can adjust the amount of sugar or type of sugar to your taste or leave it out all together if you prefer. The recipe works great with brown sugar or coconut sugar. Just making Sloppy Joe's without ketchup already greatly reduces the amount of sugar in the recipe.
A Few Easy Steps
Sloppy Joe's must be one of the easiest meals to make, even from scratch!
Step 1: Brown the ground beef.
Step 2: Sauté the aromatic vegetables.
Step 3: Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Step 4: Let it simmer for at least 20-30 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the better the flavor gets!
Pro-tip! Adjust the sloppy-ness to your liking by adding in or evaporating off some moisture.
- If the mixture looks too thick, add in a splash of water.
- If it's too thin, leave the lid off and let it simmer. It will thicken as water evaporates.
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
- Instant Pot: The Instant Pot is not recommended for this recipe. The sauce is too thick for pressure cooking and it may scorch to the bottom of the pot. Although, you can use the Instant Pot to reheat the Sloppy Joe's or keep them warm for serving.
- Slow Cooker: Brown the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pan if needed. Then finish cooking the mixture in the slow cooker on low for 4-8 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Keep Warm: Use the keep warm function on either device for a party or while you're away.
Freezing and Storage
Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you can absolutely freeze some too!
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- If the mixture is still frozen somewhat, that's ok. Just pop it in a pan, slow cooker, or the instant pot to finish thawing and reheat.
- You can reheat from frozen if using the instant pot, provided it's frozen in a shape that will fit in the pot. Just put the frozen block in the Instant Pot and set to 'steam' for 5-10 minutes.
What to Serve With It
For homemade gluten-free buns, try this gluten-free Hawaiian roll recipe. For store-bought buns, try Schar Gluten-free Ciabatta Rolls or Canyon Bakehouse hamburger buns.
As far as side dishes, there are many great sides for sloppy joe's:
- The easiest option is chips and dip or oven fries.
- Buttery corn on the cob is always the perfect side.
- For parties, everyone loves hashbrown casserole and a veggie tray with homemade ranch dip!
Recipe
Gluten-free Sloppy Joe's without Ketchup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small red onion
- 1 red bell pepper, , diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, , diced
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 1.5 pounds 80/20 ground beef, , or .75 lbs ground beef & .75 lbs ground pork, or ground turkey or chicken
- 2 Tablespoons red wine
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ Tablespoons brown sugar, , or coconut sugar
- ½ Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- Water as needed to thin sauce
- Gluten-free hamburger buns
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Then sauté the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
- Brown the ground beef in the same pot, breaking up the meat as it browns. Drain excess fat. Add the vegetables back to the pot.
- Add the red wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Then stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and spices. Stir to combine. Add a splash of water if needed to thin the sauce.
- Cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in a splash of water as needed to thin the sauce. If the sauce is too thin, leave the lid off and simmer until the desired thickness.
- Taste to adjust salt, pepper, and seasonings as needed. Serve on toasted, gluten-free hamburger buns.
Notes
- Instant Pot: The Instant Pot is not recommended for this recipe. The sauce is too thick and may scorch to the bottom of the pot.
- Slow Cooker: Brown the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pan if needed. Finish cooking the mixture in the slow cooker on low for 4-8 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Keep Warm: Use the keep warm function on either device for a party or while you're away.
- Leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for several days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- You can reheat from frozen using the Instant Pot, provided it's frozen in a shape that will fit in the pot. Put the frozen block in the Instant Pot and set to 'steam' for 5-10 minutes.
Kathy
Maybe it’s the packaging and not the ketchup at all. ??♀️ Great post and recipe. ?
Katie Olesen
It’s the ketchup. Lol. The smell gets me too. Haha!