Sloppy Joes without ketchup

Name: Sloppy Joes Without Ketchup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds ground venison; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup carrots (. diced); ½ cup celery (. diced); 1 large red pepper (. diced); 1 small onion (. diced); 2 cloves garlic (. minced); 8 ounces tomato sauce; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoon. Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons brown sugar (, loosely packed); 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 6 hamburger rolls (, split and toasted); ¼ cup salted butter

I can't tell you how many times I've gone to make sloppy joes only to realize I'm completely out of ketchup. Eventually I stopped fighting it. I always have tomato sauce and tomato paste in the pantry, so I built my own sloppy joe sauce around those instead. No bottle to run out of, and no sauce that tastes like straight sugar.

The whole thing takes about 25 minutes in a single skillet. I usually make this with ground venison because it's incredibly lean and earthy, and this savory tomato base actually compliments the meat instead of masking it.

An image of sloppy joes without ketchup topped with a scoop of coleslaw in a bun on a black plate.

That said, if you don't have wild game on hand, standard ground beef or turkey works just as well.

Jump to:

Ditch the Ketchup, Use a Mirepoix
Ingredient Swaps
A Few Quick Tips
Recipe FAQ's
Unique Ways to Serve Sloppy Joes without Ketchup
Serving Suggestions
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Ditch the Ketchup, Use a Mirepoix

Most standard sloppy joe recipes stick to onions and maybe a green pepper. This version starts with a real mirepoix of finely diced carrots, celery, onion, and red bell peppers sautéed until they soften.

Don't skip the carrots and celery. As they cook down, their natural sugars caramelize and melt right into the tomato paste, building the same deep sweetness you'd expect from a bottle of ketchup, without needing to dump any into the pan.

Dicing everything small is also a great way to hide the vegetables from my grandson. He won't eat one if he can see it on his plate!

I finish the sauce with balsamic vinegar instead of a sharper vinegar like apple cider or red wine. Balsamic brings a rounder, more mellow sweetness that plays off the caramelized vegetables instead of cutting against them.

An overhead shot of prepped ingredients in small bowls, including raw ground beef, chopped vegetables, sauces, and seasonings.

Ingredient Swaps

Swap the tomato sauce and tomato paste for barbecue sauce if you want a smokier, sweeter sauce instead.
No dijon on hand? A teaspoon of dry mustard works in its place.
Out of Worcestershire sauce? Soy sauce makes a good stand in.
I have used honey in place of brown sugar for a more natural sweetness.

A Few Quick Tips

Watch the lean meat: Ground venison has almost no fat. If you notice the meat sticking or looking dry while you're browning it, stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil.
Make it spicy: If you like heat, toss in a finely diced jalapeno with the veggies
Leftovers and freezing: This keeps perfectly in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes beautifully. Just let it cool completely, place it in a freezer safe container, and store for up to 6 months.

Chopped celery, onion, carrots, and red bell pepper in a stainless steel skillet.

Recipe FAQ's

Do you have a keto version?

Absolutely! Try my Keto Sloppy Joes made with sugar-free ketchup and monk fruit in place of this sauce.

Can this sloppy joes recipe be made for someone on a low-sodium diet?

Yes, the sodium can be reduced by cutting the salt added in half or eliminating the salt entirely. Enhance with a salt free seasoning if needed.

Can this be made in a slow cooker?

This is such an easy sloppy joe recipe and it doesn't really need the slow cooker, but it works well if you want to make it ahead. Brown the venison and vegetables on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker along with the sauce ingredients and cook on low for 1-2 hours or switch to the warm setting to hold it there for a few hours. Perfect for game day gatherings where you want it made ahead and kept warm.

A rich, thick ground beef and chopped vegetable sauce simmering hot in a stainless steel skillet on a white stovetop.

Unique Ways to Serve Sloppy Joes without Ketchup

Nacho night: spoon the meat mixture over tortilla chips and top with cheese and green onion.
Bowl-style: serve it over rice or pasta instead of a bun for a heartier plate.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the sloppy joe mixture over top of toasted hamburger buns and serve with a scoop of homemade coleslaw. It pairs perfectly with a side of sweet potato shoestring fries, air fryer frozen fries, or mashed potatoes.

A stacked sloppy joe sandwich topped with a generous scoop of creamy coleslaw, served on a black plate with a green patterned napkin in the background.

📖 Recipe