This Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe 3 Ingredients Only! is easy to make and tastes like the old fashioned sloppy joe recipe that your grandma made back in the 80's. This 3 Ingredient Sloppy Joes Recipe is a quick and easy dinner recipe, full of nostalgia that will bring you back to your childhood and create fun new memories for your family too!

Why you should make this Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe: 3 Ingredients Only!
Old fashioned sloppy joes are an American classic, and making them is so easy with this 3 ingredient recipe! There's no need to spend time mixing up a complicated sauce; with just 3 simple ingredients, you can whip up a delicious batch of Sloppy Joes in no time with our easy recipe. Whether it's for a quick weeknight dinner or a family gathering, this Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe 3 Ingredients Only! will have everyone asking for seconds!
Ingredients you will need to make this Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe
For this easy dinner recipe, you will need:
- Ground beef
- Light brown sugar
- Mustard
- Ketchup
This combination of ingredients makes the perfect sloppy joes! Brown sugar and ketchup add a bit of sweetness to the dish, while the mustard gives it a savory kick. The ground beef is the base of the recipe, giving it a hearty flavor that is sure to please. With just these four ingredients, you have everything you need for an amazing meal that your family will love!

Substitutions and Variations for these Not so Sloppy Joes
The trick to Three Ingredient Sloppy Joes is in the sauce...or shall we say, the Heinz KETCHUP?!
- Tomato Sauce - I am a big fan of Heinz, it is the only ketchup that I ever buy, BUT I realize that not everyone likes Heinz, so you can use tomato sauce (canned sauce is fine) and a dash of Worcestershire sauce if you like.
- Spicy Brown Mustard - You should be using regular yellow mustard for this recipe, but it is okay to mix it up and try something different to try a different flavor profile!
- Ground Turkey - You can substitute the beef with ground turkey for a healthier meal.
- Green Bell Pepper - You can add very finely diced green peppers to the sauce for an extra kick!
- Red pepper - add a sprinkling of red pepper flakes or chili powder to kick the heat up!
- Barbecue sauce - Some people like throwing a teaspoon of barbecue sauce into the meat mixture while it cooks over medium-high heat.
How To Make Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe With Ingredients Listed Above
You are going to start these simple sloppy joes with 3 main ingredients. This is why this simple recipe is one of our favorite easy dinners, it is so simple to make and versatile too!

Begin by browning the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Once the beef has been cooked through, drain the excess fat and add in the ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard.

Stir all of the ingredients together until they are fully combined and let them simmer on low heat for around 10 minutes. You want the flavors to soak into the ground beef because they provide the perfect balance!
This will allow all of the flavors to come together perfectly and make a delicious sloppy joe mixture! Serve on buns or as part of another dish like tacos or nachos and enjoy this easy yet delicious family favorite.
Regular hamburger buns are our favorite for eating sloppy joes, but you can also use white sandwich bread, hot dog buns, brioche - whatever you like! You might also like a toasted bun. If so, just brush a dab of olive oil on the inside before toasting.

What should I serve with our family favorite Easy Sloppy Joes?
Your whole family may enjoy our sheetpan Ranch potatoes with sloppy joes! You can also make some french fries (from frozen) in your air fryer. Or to please the pickiest of eaters, serve this great recipe with potato chips or whip up a batch of our Cheesy Bacon Potatoes in the slow cooker!
Are you looking for other Easy Dinner Recipes to serve like this Easy Sloppy Joes Recipe?
Check out these delicious recipes that I have shared over the years that are just perfect for those nights when you really aren’t in the mood for cooking but don’t want to reduce yourself to ordering pizza or UberEats.
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Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe 3 Ingredients Only
This Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe 3 Ingredients Only! is easy to make and tastes like the old fashioned sloppy joe recipe that your grandma made back in the 80's.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground beef
- ⅛ C. brown sugar
- ⅛ C. mustard
- ¾ C. ketchup
Instructions
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Brown the ground beef and drain.
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Add in the brown sugar, mustard and ketchup into the ground beef.
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Simmer on low 8-10 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
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Serve.

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