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    Home » Main Dish

    Sloppy Joes Without Ketchup

    Published: Jun 1, 2010 Last updated: Jan 2, 2022 by Shelby Law Ruttan · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    This is the best easy sloppy joe recipe made without ketchup for a quick weeknight dinner.

    Don't let the craziness of the week get the best of you, make this sloppy joes recipe for tonight's dinner! Sloppy Joes without Ketchup is ready in under 30 minutes, one of the easiest meals to make, and kid-friendly.

    The classic sloppy joe sandwich is often loaded with too much ketchup which can take the flavor from other sauce ingredients. However, this American loose meat sandwich was adapted to maximize mouthwatering flavors in every bite!

    Sloppy joe mixture on topping the bottom half of a burger bun with the top of the roll slanted to the side
    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🙋 Recipe FAQ's
    • 💭 Tips
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage
    • Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Sloppy joe fans are sure to drool over this homemade ground beef dinner. It is an easy recipe is the perfect balance of tangy sloppy joe meat finished with the sweet taste of coleslaw all piled high on toasted hamburger buns!

    ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe

    ✔️ Sloppy joes are a great recipe to make for a crowd because it's an easy dinner recipe everyone loves!

    ✔️ This is the best homemade sloppy joe recipe to have before a long trip or holiday feast! Each helping serving four, this meal is sure to keep leftovers to a minimum.

    ✔️ Loaded with fresh ingredients, these healthy sloppy joes are an healthy meal anyone can prepare!

    ✔️ It is perfect recipe to make for those who don't like ketchup!

    🥘 Ingredients

    Please see the printable recipe card for the complete ingredient and measurement listing.

    Ground venison easier to find at the grocery store, but if you don't care for it, you can easily use any ground meat such as ground turkey, ground chicken, or lean ground beef.

    Carrots, celery, red bell pepper, green pepper, onion, and garlic cloves: my motto is fresh is best here!

    Plain tomato sauce, this takes the place of ketchup in most recipes. Many like to their sloppy joes without ketchup due to an aversion to the ingredient. Tomato sauce is plan without added sugar or salt. I like to use this brand.

    Tomato Paste, this ingredient is what will help to thicken the sauce for the sloppy joe. What isn't used for this recipe can be measured out in tablespoon sized portions and frozen, this is the brand I like to use.

    Dijon or Yellow Mustard: dijon mustard is a combination of mayonnaise and mustard where as yellow mustard is just a paste made from the mustard seed

    Worcestershire Sauce this is big on flavor and just a little bit adds a lot to one recipe.

    Brown Sugar adding a balance of sweet to this dish really complements it as a whole.

    Balsamic Vinegar is used for a tangy sauce flavor. This is my favorite brand of balsamic vinegar.

    Up close image of sloppy joe without ketchup mixture sandwiched in a bun.

    🔪 Instructions

    Step 1:

    1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, coat with cooking spray.
    2. Add the carrots, celery, red and green bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground venison.
    3. Stirring the meat mixture with a wooden spoon until the venison for 6 minutes, or until the meat is browned and the veggies are tender. 

    Step 2:

    1. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. 
    2. After bringing the sloppy joe mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until all the flavors come together.
    3. Serve on your favorite toasted bun.

    🙋 Recipe FAQ's

    Can this be made low-carb or keto?

    Absolutely! These Keto Sloppy Joes with Ground Venison are the best sloppy joe recipe for low-carb/ keto eaters! Just be sure to use a keto slider roll or keto bagel in place of the regular hamburger bun.

    Can this sloppy joes recipe be made from 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 can made ahead of time and then kept warm in the slow cooker. Perfect for game day gatherings where the sloppy joe can be kept warm.

    💭 Tips

    • Ground venison is very lean, for that reason, you may need to add a 1-2 tablespoons of oil extra virgin olive oil to the skillet to prevent it from drying out.
    • Add a combination of chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder for additional flavor. A little bit of red pepper flakes will add a touch of heat.

    📖 Variations

    • Make spicy sloppy joes by adding green chilies and your favorite hot sauce!
    • Have nacho night by making sloppy joe nachos. Just add it to your favorite corn chips and top it off with some bbq sauce and green onion!
    • Substitute barbecue sauce for the tomato sauce and tomato paste.
    • Substitute 1 teaspoon of dry mustard for the dijon or yellow mustard.
    • Soy sauce can be used in place of worcestershire sauce.

    🍽 Equipment

    A large cutting board: I love to use these bamboo cutting boards to dice the vegetables on.

    A sharp kitchen knife to dice the vegetables with. This is my favorite, go to knife.

    A garlic press to mince the garlic cloves. I use this one.

    A large or medium skillet to cook the meat mixture. I like to use one like this one that has a lid.

    Cooking spray to coat the skillet. I use olive oil cooking spray.

    A wooden spoon to stir the sloppy joe sauce. I prefer wooden spoons becasuse they don't heat quickly and won't cause a chemical reaction with any of the ingredients in the recipe.

    Serving Suggestions

    Top this delicious sloppy joe with some homemade coleslaw.

    Try your sloppy joe with some shredded cheddar cheese on top of the meat mixture!

    Serve with a side of sweet potato shoestring fries or some mashed potatoes.

    Storage

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

    Sloppy joe mixture can be frozen, simply put the contents into a freezer bag. Stores for up to 6 months!

    Related Recipes

    Easy Sausage Pizza

    Quick and Easy Philly Cheesesteak

    Quick and Easy Hamburger Soup

    Eggroll in a Bowl

    📖 Recipe

    Sloppy Joes Without Ketchup

    Shelby Law Ruttan
    This is the best easy sloppy joe recipe made without ketchup for a quick weeknight dinner.
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 258 kcal

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients
      

    • 1½ pounds ground venison
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon 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
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, coat with cooking spray.
    • Add the carrots, celery, red and green bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Sauté the vegetables in the skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes, or until vegetables have softened.
    • Add the ground venison to the skillet. Stir the meat mixture with a wooden spoon for 7 minutes, or until the meat is browned and the veggies are tender. 
    • Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. 
    • After bringing the sloppy joe mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until all the flavors come together.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 258kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 26gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 630mgPotassium: 753mgFiber: 2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 2928IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe, Sloppy Joe Recipe, Sloppy Joe Recipe without Ketchup
    Tried this recipe?Mention @grumpyshoneybunch or tag #grumpyshoneybunch!

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    About Shelby Law Ruttan

    Shelby is the author/owner of Grumpy's Honeybunch. Established in 2007, she shares and preserves family recipes as well as recipes for cooking light and keto. She has authored the One-Pot Paleo Cookbook and The Pescatarian Keto Cookbook. She is an experienced, self-taught home cook who loves to share recipes with others. She also authors the websites Honeybunch Hunts and The Best Vegetarian Recipes. You can see her work on websites such as Veal Made Easy, Parade, Community Table, SoFab Food, Yummly, and FoodGawker.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kevin

      June 05, 2010 at 8:11 pm

      Those sandwiches look good! Gotta have the slaw!

      Reply
    2. For Goodness Sake

      June 02, 2010 at 1:31 am

      I haven't thought about topping with slaw either--but it is making me drool just thinking about it. I guess Grumpy does know what's good!

      Reply
    3. bellini valli

      June 02, 2010 at 1:08 am

      I have to be a carnicore sometimes too Shelby. I love sloppy joes, I don't know why I don't have them more often.

      Reply
    4. pegasuslegend

      June 01, 2010 at 10:37 pm

      amazing havent thought of making these in years, my kids use to love them! You not only brought back great memories but an urge to make these again ...looks wonderful thanks for reminding me 🙂

      Reply
    5. Marthe

      June 01, 2010 at 10:37 pm

      Oh my gosh, now you've got me drooling and craving one of those Sloppy Joes at 0:37 am.... These look absolutely scrumptious, no wonder Grumpy loved them!!!

      Reply
    6. Mags

      June 01, 2010 at 8:44 pm

      That cole slaw on top makes a sloppy joe even sloppier...YUM!

      Reply
    7. Kathleen

      June 01, 2010 at 6:42 pm

      This looks and sounds amazing! I'd like mine with the coleslaw too!

      Reply
    8. Lynda

      June 01, 2010 at 6:30 pm

      I made sloppy joes last week, but I've never thought of topping them with slaw-sounds good though!
      I'd like a joe now!

      Reply
    9. Chef Dennis

      June 01, 2010 at 5:25 pm

      I love sloppy joes...I love cole slaw....I love that sandwich!!!!!!
      thanks so much for sharing and making me hungry!

      Reply
    10. Cristine

      June 01, 2010 at 5:04 pm

      Looks delicious, as always!

      Reply
    11. Kait

      June 01, 2010 at 4:31 pm

      Great idea putting the coleslaw inside! I wish I could have one right now.

      Reply

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    Welcome! I'm Shelby Law Ruttan, author and content creator at Grumpy's Honeybunch. She is self taught in the kitchen and has been sharing keto low carb recipes and family recipes since 2007.

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