Grandma’s Sloppy Joes

This yummy sloppy joe recipe is straight out of my Grandma’s recipe box. Full of flavor, easy to make, and freezer friendly too!

Does your family have any famous recipes that have been passed down through the years? These oh-so-easy Sloppy Joes were my grandmother’s specialty, and although she has been gone for ten years, I still can’t make this recipe without thinking of her and our Sunday afternoon family gatherings. I love that they have now become a favorite for my own family!

The original recipe calls for ground beef but I make it vegetarian-friendly (and much lower in calories) by using vegetarian crumbles instead–it is delicious either way! I like serving it with some store-bought coleslaw on the side, but that is just a personal preference. The recipe whips up fast with just a few basic ingredients and makes enough to feed a crowd. It also freezes beautifully which makes it the perfect recipe to include as part of a freezer cooking day, or simply divide it into bags to eat some now and save some for later!

Grandma’s Sloppy Joes

Here is what you need:

Step 1: Chop onions.

Step 2: Brown ground beef (or vegetarian crumbles) and then set aside.

Step 3: Whisk together soups, brown sugar, chili powder, vinegar, and ketchup. If you are making the vegetarian version, you can skip the chicken gumbo and double up on the tomato rice instead.

Step 4: Add chopped onions and whisk well.

Step 5: Then add ground beef ( or vegetarian crumbles) and mix well.

Step 6: Label freezer bags and then divide mixture into 2 bags.

Step 7: Let thaw, heat mixture on stove-top, let it come to a boil then lower and simmer for 30-45 minutes or heat on low in crock-pot for 3-4 hours.

What recipe has been handed down in your family?

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Grandma's Sloppy Joes

This is my Grandma's recipe and brings back such great memories. This will soon be your family's new favorite as well!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Sloppy Joes

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Author Ruth Soukup

Ingredients

• 4 lbs ground beef or vegetarian crumbles
• 1 can chicken gumbo soup
• 1-2 cans tomato rice soup
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup ketchup

Instructions

1. Chop onions.
2. Brown ground beef ( or vegetarian crumbles) and then set aside.
3. Whisk together soups, brown sugar, chili powder, vinegar and ketchup.  If you are making the vegetarian version, you can skip the chicken gumbo and double up on the tomato rice instead.
4. Add chopped onions and whisk well.
5. Then add ground beef (or vegetarian crumbles) and mix well.
6. Label freezer bags and then divide mixture into 2 bags.
7. Let thaw, heat mixture on stove-top, let it come to a boil then lower and simmer for 30-45 minutes or heat on low in crock-pot for 3-4 hours.

Recipe Notes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes on stove-top or 3-4 hours in crock-pot

Number of servings (yield): 16

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