Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

Have you tried making Sloppy Joes in the Instant Pot?  What a time saver where you can still achieve the depth of flavors from a long simmer.  The yummy fresh ingredients are delicious.  This is a recipe I love and in my home, the boys love too!

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Instant Pot Sloppy Joes are a familiar recipe that you likely remember your own mom or even grandmother making for a family reunion or social pot luck.  It feeds an army and tastes great.  Two qualifying factors.

The secret to mouthwatering Sloppy Joes is a long simmer with fresh ingredients perfectly balanced.  But my busy schedule doesn’t allow for hours on the stove and over the years I’ve sadly gone to a canned recipe for ease and convenience.

Made with White Onion, Celery, Bell Pepper, Green Chilies, Diced Tomatoes, Garlic, Salt and pepper, this recipe comes together pretty quickly using your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.  Your mouth will drool wanting more so make sure to have extra buns. 

Let me tell you one of my favorite secrets or Tips!  When making Sloppy Joes Sandwiches place a piece of lettuce on the bottom before loading up the bun.  The lettuce will help give a barrier so the juices don’t saturate the bun and you will be able to easily pick up this sandwich. 

What Should I Serve with Sloppy Joes?

Some prefer to serve Finger Foods.  Chips, a Veggie Tray, Sliced Fruit.  You get the idea.  Easy to eat and enjoy.  But honestly I love all the good Summer Salad Recipes.  My Grandma’s Potato Salad is the BEST but you might also enjoy a trusted Deli Mac Salad too.

How do you Thicken Sloppy Joes Sauce?

Personally I prefer to thicken the sauce by simmering for a few minutes.  You can also make a cornstarch slurry with 1-2 Tbs Cornstarch and a little water.  Stir into mixture and heat.  This process works like a charm.

What type Hamburger is best?

Using 93/7% Lean Ground Beef is ideal.  You will have very little fat and won’t need to drain anything off.  If you choose to use a ground beef with higher fat content make sure to drain excess grease before pressure cooking.

Can I use Ground Turkey?

Ground Turkey is an excellent substitute for Ground Beef with reduced calories and fat.

Can you pour ground beef grease down the drain?

I do not recommend pouring hot grease down the kitchen drain.  The fat will solidify as it cools and could block the drain.  Always allow to cool and discard in the trash.

Can we talk about how to eat a Sloppy Joes Sandwich?  As a kid they were served on a soft hamburger bun that would fall apart in seconds, always making a big mess.  As I’ve grown up I’ve realized a few things about how to make my eating experience better.

Serving Sloppy Joes on a Toasted Hard Roll is ideal.  These rolls hold up when saturated with the yummy sauce which means it’s much easier to eat in the long run.  Next make sure to add a sliced pickle on top and even a slice of cheese.  Those ‘extra’ items really help hold the sandwich together.

Sloppy Joes aren’t just for kids!  As a busy mom I have fallen short to using a can of soup, ground beef and buns.  It worked and my boys ate it.  But let’s all agree that there is so much better we can do!  I’m going to help you because this recipe is really good!

Sloppy Joes Recipe Ingredients

• Ground Beef
• Onion
• Celery
• Bell Pepper
• Green Chilies
• Diced Tomatoes
• Garlic
• Brown Sugar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Dijon Mustard
• Ketchup
• BBQ Sauce
• Water
• Chili Powder
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

• Start by washing Celery and Bell Pepper.  With a sharp knife diced onion, Celery and Bell Pepper.
• Heat Instant Pot to Sauté and adjust to “More” setting.  Typically you can press the Sauté Button to adjust the setting.  Wait for the Instant Pot to read “Hot”
• Add 1 Tbs Olive Oil and add diced vegetables.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes.

• Add Ground Beef and with a wooden spoon chop hamburger to break it up and cook.
• Cook Ground Beef until no longer pink.

• Turn Instant Pot Off
• Add Dijon Mustard, Brown Sugar, Spices, Apple Cider Vinegar, and Worcestershire Sauce.  Stir to combine.
• Add Water
• Dump BBQ Sauce and Ketchup on top of mixture.  DO NOT STIR
• Close Instant Pot Lid and set to Pressure Cook for 5 minutes.  Allow a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release and then remove the lid.
• Open Lid, Stir and Serve.
• To Thicken Sauce:
• Simmer on Sauté for a few minutes to thicken sauce OR Mix 1-2 Tbs Corn Starch with 1-2 Tbs Water and add to Pressure Cooker.  Stir to thicken.
• Serve over Rolls, Hamburger Buns or Bread
• Garnish with Sliced Pickles, Sliced Cheese

Substitutions

• Ground Turkey for Ground Beef
• Soy Sauce for Worcestershire Sauce

Ad-ins:

• 2-3 Drops Liquid Smoke
• Hot Sauce

Fun Facts:

Did you know that Sloppy Joes have gone by many names?  Manwich is a brand name you can buy in a can.  They have also been called Slush Burger, Yum Yums, Dynamite and would you believe Sloppy Jane too.  Regardless what you call them.  These messy sandwiches are really good.

How to Freeze Sloppy Joes

This meat sauce freezes perfectly which is so perfect.  Freeze in Zip Lock bags as an individual serving size or in larger freezer bags.  Freeze up to 3 months.  Meat Sauce is easily thawed for use later.

I have recently enjoyed this product for Souper Cubes which is ideal for freezing leftovers into perfect single serve portions.  The lid snaps on tight for no spills and I love them.  Easy to wash and reuse too. They come from a young new company and I’m very impressed with their products.  I choose to freeze in ½ cup serving sizes for a nice Hard Roll size Sandwich.

Souper Cubes come in a variety of sizes from small portions to larger 1 and 2 cup sizes. Check out Souper Cube products.

Be sure to Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube for the Latest Recipes, Tips and Tricks, and creative menu ideas!

Take a look at more Summer Recipes

• Instant Pot Hamburgers
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
• Huli Huli Chicken
• Instant Pot Hot Dogs

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Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

This Sloppy Joes Instant Pot recipe is such a time saver and doesn't compromise on the depth of flavors from a long simmer! It's made with fresh ground beef, onions, celery, peppers, chilis, and tomatoes, in a sweet and savory BBQ sauce!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Natural Pressure Release10 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs Lean Ground Beef - 93/7% Lean
• ½ cup White Onion - Diced
• 2 Stalks Celery - Diced
• ½ Bell Pepper - Diced. *Red, Orange, Yellow OR Green
• 4 oz Diced Green Chilies - Mild, Medium, OR Hot
• 8 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Cloves Garlic - Crushed
• 2 tbs Brown Sugar
• 1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tbs Dijon Mustard
• ½ cup Ketchup
• ½ cup BBQ Sauce
• ½ cup Water
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Pepper

Instructions

• Heat Instant Pot to Sauté and adjust to “More” setting. Typically you can press the Sauté Button to adjust the setting. Wait for the Instant Pot to read “Hot."
• Wash the Celery and Bell Pepper, and dice the Onion, Celery and Bell Pepper.
• Add 1 tbsof Olive Oil to the bottom of the Instant Pot, and add the diced veggies and crushed garlic.
• Saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the Lean Ground Hamburger (93/7%). Use a wooden spoon to chop the hamburger into small pieces.
• Cook for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink.
• Turn Instant Pot Off.
• Add Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder, Dijon Mustard, Worcester Sauce, Apple Cider Vinegar, Diced Green Chilies and Canned Diced Tomatoes. Stir to combine.
• Add ½ Cup Water.
• Dump the Ketchup and BBQ Sauce on top of meat and DO NOT STIR.
• Close Lid and set to Presure Cook for 5 Minutes.
• Allow a 10 minute Natural Pressure Release and release the remaining pressure.
• Open Lid and stir.
• Serve over Hamburger Buns or Rolls.
• Garnish with Pickles and Sliced Cheese.

Notes

Storage

• Storage: Store leftover sloppy joes in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: Yes! You can easily freeze cooked sloppy joe meat mix to enjoy it later on. Store it in a sealed, freezer-safe container, or portion it into Ziploc bags and freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost it thoroughly before reheating it on the stovetop.

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Nutrition Disclaimer

All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1120mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 4mg