20-Minute Homemade Sloppy Joes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · with credit

Adapted from bellyfull.net

Ground beef simmered with peppers, onion and a sweet-tangy tomato sauce, piled onto toasted buns. It comes together in about 20 minutes from pantry staples and tastes far better than anything from a can.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 small green bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 4 buns, toasted

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion and bell pepper, breaking the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes, until no pink remains and the vegetables have softened.
2. Stir in the garlic and cook just until you can smell it, about 20 seconds. Tip the pan and spoon off any excess fat.
3. Add the tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds so it coats the meat evenly and loses its raw edge.
4. Pour in the ketchup and water, then add the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir until everything is glossy and well combined.
5. Lower the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick enough to mound on a spoon.
6. Take the pan off the heat and spoon the filling generously onto the toasted buns. Serve right away, with extra napkins.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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