Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (2024)

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (1)

Whether your family calls this a sloppy joe or the brand name most people know of, Manwich, we can all agree that it's a quick and easy way to make some ground beef taste a lot better!

Not only is this Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix recipe less expensive than purchasing a packet of McCormick's or a Manwich can but you are leaving out all the additives, preservatives, and you have control over the sodium. I think the Sloppy Joe Sauce tastes way better too!

As you are reviewing the recipe below, you can choose to 2x or 3x the recipe. It's no more work to make a double or triple batch of the seasoning mix and you won't use all the spices required for the mix. It's definitely a staple we keep on hand for weekly meal planning.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (2)

Homemade Sloppy Joe Seasoning

A long time ago, I began to make my own seasoning mixes for lots of pantry staples. This recipe uses basic seasonings we always have in the pantry. I consider it a McCormick's seasoning packet copycat. I don't remember the last time we purchased seasoning packets at the store.

Now, the seasoning mix alone doesn't make a Sloppy Joe. You'll need wet ingredients for the Sloppy Joe Sauce, and those are listed below. All of the ingredients combined will turn the seasoning mix and ground beef into that Manwich or Sloppy Joe.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (3)

Recipe for Sloppy Joe Mix

  • 2 Tbsp, Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp, Onion Flakes
  • 1 tsp, Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp, Dry Crushed Basil Leaves
  • 1 tsp, Dry Mustard
  • ½ tsp, Salt
  • ½ tsp, Pepper
  • ¼ tsp, Celery Salt or Seed
  • 1 tsp, Cornstarch
Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (4)

How to Make Sloppy Joe Seasoning

  1. Combine all dry ingredients and stir well.
  2. Store in a glass container.
Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (5)

I mixed mine right in the container I was going to store it in.

The above measurements make one recipe, I usually triple or quadruple the recipe so I have enough for a month or so on hand.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (6)

Recipe for Sloppy Joe Sauce

To turn this into a homemade Manwich sauce, you'll need the sloppy joe seasoning mix above along with these ingredients:

  • ½ cup, Water
  • 1 Tbsp, Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 cup, Ketchup
  • 1/3 cup, Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (7)

Sloppy Joe Mix from Scratch

Stir the seasoning mix along with the wet ingredients together in a bowl. This makes the equivalent to one can of Manwich.

Add directly to pan with 1 pound browned ground beef. Let simmer until thickened.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (8)

What to add to Manwich to make it taste better?

With this homemade version, some people like chopped onions and bell peppers but my kids don't like those added so we don't add them. We just use the homemade seasoning mix and the sloppy joe sauce ingredients and that's it.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (9)

As I mentioned at the start, consider making a double or triple batch of the seasoning mix and you will still have plenty of the other spices remaining for other things. The cost for the spices and the wet ingredients for the Sloppy Joe Sauce is going to be a lot less than a can of Manwich at the store. Not to mention you don't need to run to the store and grab it when it's on the meal plan for the week!

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Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recpe

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (10)
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  • Author: Andrea Deckard

Ingredients

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Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix

  • 2 Tbsp, Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp, Onion Flakes
  • 1 tsp, Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp, Dry Crushed Basil Leaves
  • 1 tsp, Dry Mustard
  • ½ tsp, Salt
  • ½ tsp, Pepper
  • ¼ tsp, Celery Salt or Seed
  • 1 tsp, Cornstarch
  • ½ cup, Water

Sloppy Joe Sauce

  • 1 Tbsp, Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 cup, Ketchup
  • 1/3 cup, Seasoning Mix

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dry mix and store in a glass container.
  2. Combine all ingredients for the Sloppy Joe Sauce and mix together in a bowl.
  3. Add sauce directly to pan with 1 pound browned ground beef.

  4. Let simmer until thickened.

Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix and Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What seasonings go in sloppy joe's? ›

A sloppy joe seasoning packet is just a combination of spices like chili powder, paprika, dry mustard, garlic powder, and minced onion. They also include dried green pepper flakes, cornstarch, and (¼ teaspoon) celery seed.

How to make sloppy joe mix better? ›

15 Ways To Upgrade Canned Sloppy Joe Sauce
  1. Salsa brings a spicy twist. ...
  2. Try gochujang for Korean-inspired Sloppy Joes. ...
  3. Experiment with Worcestershire sauce. ...
  4. Red pepper flakes bring the heat. ...
  5. Miso provides the umami your Sloppy Joe sauce is missing. ...
  6. Liquid smoke enhances the meat's flavor.
Feb 19, 2024

What are the main ingredients in sloppy joe? ›

A Sloppy Joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef and onions in a tomato-based sauce served on a hamburger bun. The sandwich likely originated in Sioux City, Iowa in the 1930s.

What are the ingredients in French's sloppy joe mix? ›

INGREDIENTS: Spices (Dried Onion, Dried Garlic, Paprika, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper), Sugar, Modified Starch, Salt, Acids (Sodium Diacetate, Citric Acid), Natural Flavouring, Herbs (Oregano, Rosemary), Anti-caking Agent (Calcium Silicate), Rapeseed Oil, Colour (Paprika Extract).

What's the difference between Manwich and sloppy joe mix? ›

Sloppy Joes are the sandwich, while Manwich is the store-bought canned sloppy joe sauce, produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt's.

What are the ingredients in Del Monte Sloppy Joe sauce? ›

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Green and Red Bell Peppers, Salt, Modified Food Starch (Corn), Worcestershire Sauce Concentrate (Distilled Vinegar, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Garlic Powder, Spices, Tamarind, Natural Flavor), Spices, Dehydrated Onions, Garlic Powder, ...

Does Sloppy Joe seasoning mix go bad? ›

Unopened McCormick Culinary® Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix packages are shelf stable and can be held for use for up to 720 days.

How do you keep sloppy joes from falling apart? ›

Why Use These for Sloppy Joes? Baking soda helps keep the ground beef moist and tender, and incorporating baking soda into the finely chopped onion causes the onion to soften rapidly so it nearly melts into the sauce. Cornstarch thickens the sauce and binds up any fat, creating a silky-smooth, cohesive texture.

How to thicken up Sloppy Joe mix? ›

Use Baking Soda To Velvet The Meat For Your Sloppy Joes

You can also carry out a similar process with cornstarch, which has the added benefit of creating a slightly thicker sauce.

What's the difference between a sloppy joe and a sloppy Jane? ›

Our Sloppy Jane recipe is a healthy cross between chili and Sloppy Joes that makes great sandwiches. This is a hearty sandwich is made with ground turkey or ground chicken so it is lighter and lower in calories. We love how easy these sandwiches are to make and how good they taste!

What should I put on my sloppy joe? ›

To be clear, a sloppy joe is not a sandwich with chili piled on top. A sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef or pork, onions, tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun.

What is a New Jersey style sloppy joe? ›

There are minor variations depending on the deli, but it is always a double-decker thin sliced rye bread sandwich made with one or more types of sliced deli meat, such as turkey, ham, pastrami, corned beef, roast beef, or sliced beef tongue, along with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing.

What are the ingredients in Hunt's Sloppy Joe sauce? ›

Ingredients : 'TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, DISTILLED VINEGAR, CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF: SALT, SUGAR, CARROT FIBER, DRIED GREEN AND RED BELL PEPPERS, CHILI PEPPER, GUAR GUM, SPICES, XANTHAN GUM, DRIED GARLIC, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID. '

What is the origin of the sloppy joe recipe? ›

Some attribute the original Sloppy Joe to a cafe in Sioux City, Iowa, where, many years ago, in 1930 a cook named Joe added tomato sauce to his “loose meat” sandwiches. Voila: a new between-the-bread offering, and the sandwich's official name.

What should I put on my Sloppy Joe? ›

To be clear, a sloppy joe is not a sandwich with chili piled on top. A sloppy joe is a sandwich consisting of ground beef or pork, onions, tomato sauce or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings, served on a hamburger bun.

What gives Manwich its flavor? ›

The majority used ground beef in the sauce - a concoction of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic and spices - and made it into sandwiches. Food scientist Bill Skinner occasionally buys Hunt's Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce and described the bold version as being a little sweeter with more tomato flavor.

What are the ingredients in Hunt's sloppy joes? ›

'TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, DISTILLED VINEGAR, CORN SYRUP, LESS THAN 2% OF: SALT, SUGAR, CARROT FIBER, DRIED GREEN AND RED BELL PEPPERS, CHILI PEPPER, GUAR GUM, SPICES, XANTHAN GUM, DRIED GARLIC, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID.

What is on a deli Sloppy Joe? ›

There are minor variations depending on the deli, but it is always a double-decker thin sliced rye bread sandwich made with one or more types of sliced deli meat, such as turkey, ham, pastrami, corned beef, roast beef, or sliced beef tongue, along with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing.

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