Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes make a quick and easy dinner for busy weeknights. This homemade version features a sweet and tangy sauce that the whole family will enjoy!

Sloppy Joes are a favorite dinner in my household. 

The hubster adores them, and I do, too. In fact, this recipe is my husband’s, though I tweaked it so that we could make sloppy joes in the instant pot. And if I’m being completely honest, my husband calls them sloppy Freds, a loving nickname because of his Uncle Fred.

Growing up, I always had the sloppy joe meal from a can. You know, brown ground beef and add sloppy joe sauce, heat, and dinner is done. And while that was still delicious, this homemade sloppy joe recipe is a million times better. And just as easy!

Easy dinner recipes are the name of my game, especially when the Instant Pot is involved. This Instant Pot fried rice, that beef stew, and this no bean chili are a favorite around here.

So, it only seemed natural to add a pressure cooker sloppy joe recipe to the mix. This recipe is simple, fast, and made with just a handful of ingredients. In fact, you might just have everything you need right in your kitchen.

The sweet, yet slightly tangy homemade sloppy joe sauce is like a match made in heaven for the ground beef. It has that simmer-all-day taste, without actually cooking it all day. Mmm mmm good!

What’s needed for Instant Pot Sloppy Joes?

• Ground beef
• Olive oil
• Yellow onion
• Green pepper
• White vinegar
• Granulated sugar
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Barbecue sauce
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Water

How to make Instant Pot Sloppy Joes:

• Set your Instant Pot to the ‘sauté’ setting and brown and crumble ground beef until no longer pink. Drain and remove to a separate plate.Wipe pot, if needed. Add olive oil and sauté onion and green pepper until tender.
• Add ground beef back to the Instant pot, along with vinegar, sugar, mustard, ketchup, bbq sauce, seasonings, and water. Stir thoroughly to combine.
• Place lid onto pot and lock, setting valve to ‘sealing’ position. Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 6 minutes. When timer goes off, do a quick release.
• Remove lid, stir, and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve on toasted buns and devour!

My favorite Sloppy Joes Sides:

Some side dishes for sloppy joes are these baked sweet potato fries, that garlic herb rice, those roasted potatoes, or a simple green salad.

Can you Freeze Sloppy Joes?

You sure can! Let the easy sloppy joes cool to room temperature and then freeze in a ziploc bag or freezer-safe container for up to four months.

How long do Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes last?

These homemade sloppy joes will last in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can Easy Sloppy Joes be made on the stove?

Absolutely! To make these on the stove, brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Drain and remove to a separate plate.

In the same skillet, add one tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onion and green pepper until tender. Add ground beef back to skillet, along with the rest of ingredients (but NOT the water). Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. 

Tips for the Best Sloppy Joes:

• When adding all of the ingredients together in the Instant Pot, be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get any browned bits of the bottom. This will help ensure that you don’t receive a ‘burn’ warning on your pot.
• Taste the sloppy joe mixture before pressure cooking! I like to sample a spoonful to see if I need to add more ketchup, bbq sauce, or seasonings.
• The mixture may seem a bit watery after it’s done cooking and that is normal. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to thicken up a bit. Alternatively, you could add a tablespoon or two of cornstarch to the mixture to thicken; or add some more ketchup and/or bbq sauce. 

Looking for more Ground Beef Dinner Recipes? I’ve got you covered!

• Instant Pot Spaghetti
• Creamy Ground Beef Pasta
• One Pan Beef Stroganoff
• Easy Shepherd’s Pie
• Cheesy Beef Tortellini Skillet