Hot Hungarian paprika and chipotle en adobo sauce bring a bold smokiness to these easy-to-make Chipotle Sloppy Joes.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Sloppy Joe Recipe
- Just made the Chipotle Sloppy Joes…If you like a 'lil spice in your life, you have to make these!! Super easy and absolutely delicious, by far the best sloppy Joes I have ever eaten!! My new favorite!! Yummy!!!😋 - Krista (a Chipotle Sloppy Joe aficionado!)
- Ingredients
- How to Make Chipotle Sloppy Joes
- What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
- Top Tips for the BEST Chipotle Sloppy Joes
- Recipe FAQs
- More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Chipotle Sloppy Joes (No Ketchup)
A wise, albeit slightly off-putting, lunch lady once said, “Have some more Sloppy Joes. I made 'em extra sloppy for yous. I know how yous kids like 'em sloppy.”
I concur, the sloppier the better. And the SMOKIER the better too. If you’re hankering for a bold meal that’s ready quickly, this one’s for you.
For more quick and easy ground beef dinner recipes try adding this Tex-Mex Ground Beef and Creamy Beef Taco Soup to your weekly rotation of meals!
Why You Will Love This Sloppy Joe Recipe
- So good! With the addition of chipotle chilies, this recipe provides a bold twist on a lunchroom favorite! It adds just a subtle smokiness with a hint of heat.
- Easy! The short ingredient list and low-maintenance preparation make this a quick and easy dish. You won't be twaddling away in the kitchen for hours to make something delicious (though I’ve been doing a fair amount of pandemic kitchen twaddling).
- Family Favorite! These loose meat sandwiches are a hit with kids and adults! A simple sandwich that tends to please all palates.
- Easy pairing! A sloppy joe, IMHO, is one of those sandwiches that can get along super great with a lot of different side dishes. Try serving these sloppy sandwiches with Creamy Dill Cucumber Salad, Elote Pickle Spears, and a Melon Fruit Salad.
Just made the Chipotle Sloppy Joes…If you like a 'lil spice in your life, you have to make these!! Super easy and absolutely delicious, by far the best sloppy Joes I have ever eaten!! My new favorite!! Yummy!!!😋 - Krista (a Chipotle Sloppy Joe aficionado!)
Ingredients
To make these boldly chipotle-flavored Sloppy Joes you will need:
- Ground beef - This is one of few instances where I recommend buying lean (85/15 or leaner), since you don't want to wind up with greasy sloppy joes. Or you could make sure to strain your ground beef really, really well after cooking to remove excess grease. I have not tried this, but you *could* use ground pork or chicken instead of beef!
- Seasonings - Not many! Literally all you need are hot Hungarian paprika (you could also use smoked paprika) and salt and pepper (to taste). You could also add in a little brown sugar to add a touch of sweetness in the absence of ketchup. Or add more depth of flavor with mustard or garlic powder.
- Worcestershire sauce - Just a few dashes add subtle umami (and is my secret ingredient in many dishes, including this Green Olive Dip).
- Chipotle en adobo sauce - Smoky and spicy, the heat from this sauce is so addicting and just a little goes a long ways.
- Canned tomato sauce - Because can you even make sloppy joes without it?
- Hamburger buns - Buy the cheapest white bread buns you can find and get ready to serve up these zesty sloppy joes.
You'll notice the absence of an ingredient that many loose meat sandiwch recipes often require. That's right these are no ketchup sloppy joes! I'm just not a ketchup fan and I wanted to try something different.
Essentially, the chipotle en adobo sauce replaces the ketchup in these no-ketchup loose meat sandwiches.
Be sure to check the recipe card further down the page for the full list of ingredients with the quantities of each one.
How to Make Chipotle Sloppy Joes
- Step 1: Cook the ground beef in a pan over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until completely cooked. Season with a few dashes of salt and pepper as the meat cooks. Remove from heat and drain off any excess grease. Return the pan to medium heat.
- Step 2: Add the hot Hungarian paprika and chipotles en adobo sauce to the cooked ground beef. Stir until well combined.
- Step 3: Add the tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Step 4: Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Adapted from AJC Smoky Sloppy Joes (also a no-ketchup recipe!).
What to Serve with Sloppy Joes
Chips and pickles are a given, but you might also want to serve up these slammin’ sides that go with loose meat sandwiches:
- Toppings. The possibilities are endless! Any good melting cheese like cheddar or pepper jack, banana peppers, dill pickles, pickled jalapenos, or chips (put potato chips on a sandwich!) are just a few ideas! Or how about some coleslaw?
- Salads are a classic addition! From this crunchy Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw , slightly sweet Corn and Quinoa Salad, and Dill Pickle Pasta Salad - for the pickle lover, make great sides! Or something a bit more simple, try this Sweet Vinegar and Oil Dressing poured over sliced cucumbers!
- Prefer a hot side dish? You will love this Easy Seasoned Refried Beans recipe featuring kicked-up canned pinto beans.
- Enjoy great starters like these Jalapeno Pickle Roll-Ups to kick things off. They're especially great for parties.
- Looking for a bit more flavor in your sides? Then you will love my Zesty Jalapeno Top Ramen Salad and this Tex-Mex Pasta Salad!
- What's for dessert? Try pairing these loose meat sandwiches with these tasty treats -- Raspberry Icebox Bars, Coconut Rice Krispie Treats, and Blackberry Coconut Cobbler.
Top Tips for the BEST Chipotle Sloppy Joes
Tip 1. Nail the consistency. Consistency is key for this sandwich - you want the sauce to cling to the meat but not runny. Keeping an eye on things towards the end with an occasional stir will give you the perfect consistency. If things get too thick, a splash of water loosens things back up.
Tip 2. Make it your own. If you enjoy bell pepper, add it in! Same goes for onions, mushrooms, lentils, etc.
Tip 3. Think outside the bun. Sloppy Joes may make excellent sandwiches, but they also can be used so much more creatively as a baked potato topping or over fries or nachos.
Tip 4. Napkins. Things will get messy when eating this sandwich, so don't be unprepared. Grab yourself a napkin before digging in.
Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes well; for best results, use within 3-6 months.
Reheat in the microwave in a lidded container until heated through, or on the stovetop over medium heat, lid on, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Learning time folks! A Sloppy Joe is a "loose meat" sandwich with tomato sauce or ketchup, typically made with ground beef and served on a hamburger bun. These elements must be present at a minimum, though variations exist where ground pork or chicken is used. Other ingredients like onions, peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings are typically incorporated into the mix.
Depending on where in the United States you are, you may know this popular sandwich by another name, like barbecues, dynamites, loose meat sandwiches, or Sloppy Janes.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Sloppy Joe recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Chipotle Sloppy Joes (No Ketchup)
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika (you could also use smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons chipotle en adobo sauce
- 1 ¼ cups canned tomato sauce
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Add the ground meat to a pan over medium-high heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until completely cooked. Season with a few dashes of salt and pepper as the meat cooks.1 pound lean ground beef, salt and pepper
- Remove from heat and strain any excess grease. Return the pan with the ground beef to medium heat.
- Add the hot Hungarian paprika and chipotles en adobo sauce. Stir until well combined. Then add the tomato sauce and Worchestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer.½ tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika, 1 ½ tablespoons chipotle en adobo sauce, 1 ¼ cups canned tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve on buns.4 hamburger buns
Krista
Just made the Chipotle Sloppy Joes…If you like a lil spice in your life, you have to make these!! Super easy and absolutely delicious, by far the best sloppy Joes I have ever eaten!! My new favorite!! Yummy!!!😋