Some nights you just want a quick, comforting dinner that tastes like childhood. Sloppy Joes have been a classic American favorite for decades, especially the sweet and tangy version many of us remember from a can of Manwich.
This homemade Manwich-style sloppy joe recipe uses simple pantry ingredients like ketchup, brown sugar, and spices to recreate that sweet, savory sauce in just minutes.
It’s fast, inexpensive, and perfect for busy weeknights when you need a hearty meal the whole family will enjoy.
Copycat Manwich Soppy Joes
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain grease.
- Add ketchup, tomato paste, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire, and water.
- Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, and salt.
- Simmer 5–8 minutes until thick.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or salt.
Notes
- I didn’t have a can of tomato paste, so I used a small can of tomato sauce. Because of that, I didn’t add the water stated in the recipe.
- My ground beef is packaged from the butcher at 1 1/2 pound packages, so that’s what I used.
- I didn’t have yellow mustard on hand, so I used honey mustard, which added a little extra sweetness that we really liked.
If you enjoy making pantry staples, you might also like my Homemade Taco Seasoning and Homemade Fajita Seasoning.
Sloppy Joes have been a staple of American home cooking for decades. According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, ground beef recipes like sloppy joes remain one of the most popular family dinners in the United States.