Homemade Manwich (Sloppy Joes)

Homemade Manwich Sloppy Joes are not only easy to throw together, the rich zesty flavor is better than store-bought!

Ever since developing this recipe, I have never purchased another can of Manwich. This easy meal is effortless to make, and I always seem to have the simple ingredients on hand, since they are mostly pantry staples.

The classic sloppy Joe, as we know it today, is mostly associated with Manwich, but it was actually born from Loose Meat Sandwiches, popular in Iowa. It is said that a cook, appropriately named "Joe", added tomato sauce to a loose meat sandwich, and a new classic was born!

This homemade sloppy Joes recipe recreates much of what I love about Manwich, while taking these classic sandwiches to the next level! The sauce bursts with a deeper, richer, flavor that I absolutely love! Most importantly, you probably have all of the ingredients for it already in your kitchen!

Plus, let's be honest, we all feel a bit lazy dumping Manwich from a can and calling it dinner. If you make my homemade Manwich recipe, not only is it a great recipe, but you get the satisfaction of making classic sloppy Joes from scratch!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Lean ground beef - The best beef for making sloppy Joes is 90/10 ground beef in my opinion. 80/20 is great for making burgers, but it is a little greasier than I prefer for sloppy joes.
• Onion 
• Green pepper - Red bell peppers are a sweeter substitute.
• Fresh garlic - You can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Ketchup - BBQ sauce can be used to take the flavor in a different direction, like my BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes.
• Cider vinegar
• Worcestershire sauce
• Brown sugar
• Dijon mustard - Any brown mustard is a good substitution. You can even use Yellow mustard or ground mustard if needed.
• Paprika - Smoked paprika is a great substitution for a deeper flavor.
• Cayenne pepper - You can substitute chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes.
• Salt
• Buns - Simple hamburger buns are the classic choice, but you can upgrade to toasted Pretzel buns or brioche buns for a gourmet twist.

For comparison, here is the difference between my homemade Manwich above, and the ingredients you'll find in store-bought Manwich below.

Canned Manwich Ingredients: Tomato puree (Water & Tomato Paste), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Salt, Sugar, Carrot Fiber, Guar Gum, Spices, Xanthan Gum, Dried Garlic, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid.

I don't know about you, but my homemade ingredient list using real ingredients looks a lot more appetizing!

How to make Homemade Sloppy Joes

I find it is best to make this in a deep-sided skillet like a saute pan your sloppy Joes. You can use nonstick or stainless, but if given the choice I would recommend using stainless because you will get more flavorful fond building up on the bottom of the pan that will incorporate into the sauce.

To begin, we are going to brown the ground beef in the skillet set over medium high heat until it is well browned and crumbled.

Once the ground meat has browned, all of the remaining homemade Manwich ingredients can be added and simmered together for 25 minutes. They are ready to serve when the liquid has reduced into a thick and sloppy sauce.

Serve the meat mixture on hamburger buns with your favorite sloppy Joe fillings, alongside potato chips, French fries, thick-cut steak fries, or baked beans.

Serving tip: Sloppy Joes are perfect for serving a crowd, and the easiest vessel to use when serving a crowd is your slow cooker. These sloppy Joes can be made in advance and kept warm in the slow cooker, just follow the recipe as written and pour into a crockpot for serving.

Storing Leftovers

This homemade Manwich recipe can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week in an airtight container. Leftover sloppy Joe meat can be reheated in the microwave until warmed through.

This recipe was originally published April 8, 2020.

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