
This sloppy Joes recipe is classic American sandwich based on seasoned hamburger meat cooked in a sauce.
Traditionally this is served with potato wedges or chips, and dill pickles, but for a lighter version serve simply with a crisp salad. Unlike a regular burger, there's no need to add other fillings like sauces, sliced tomato or greenery - they spiced meat has everything it needs already. And don't worry if you make a mess while you're eating these - it's part of the fun. Some of the delicious filling might slip out as you go, but just be ready to tuck it back in. This is a great value recipe too, so we have included it in our best cheap family meals.
Ingredients
- 450g lean beef mince
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 150ml barbecue sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 burger buns, halved
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Put the beef mince and onion in a large frying pan and stir fry over a high heat for 5 mins until to brown.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar and ginger and simmer together for a further 5 mins until cooked through. Remove from the heat, and season to taste. Cover and keep warm.
- Preheat the grill to a hot setting, arrange the buns, cut side up, on the grill rack and grill for a few seconds to lightly toast.
- To serve, put the bun bases on warm serving plates and spoon over the mince mixture. Top with the other half and serve immediately.
Top tip for making Sloppy Joes
This is a versatile recipe so you can change the filling to any minced meat, and add your own spices to taste.

Octavia Lillywhite is an award-winning food and lifestyle journalist with over 15 years of experience. With a passion for creating beautiful, tasty family meals that don’t use hundreds of ingredients or anything you have to source from obscure websites, she’s a champion of local and seasonal foods, using up leftovers and composting, which, she maintains, is probably the most important thing we all can do to protect the environment.