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A close-up of a partially eaten meatball covered in tomato sauce, revealing its cooked, ground meat interior.
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Sloppy Joe Meatballs Recipe

Turn classic sloppy joes into juicy sloppy joe meatballs! Simmered in a tangy homemade sauce, these meatballs are perfect for dinner or shareable appetizers.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: skillet
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sloppy joe meatballs
Servings: 4
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 lb. ground beef 80% lean/20% fat
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs option to sub gluten-free or whole wheat bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese + more for topping
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sloppy Joe Sauce

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a bowl. Use a spoon or your hands to mix the ingredients together until combined. Scoop 1.5 tablespoons of the meat mixture into your hands and roll it into a ball. Set aside and repeat until all of the meatballs have been made.
    A glass bowl containing raw ground meat, grated cheese, breadcrumbs, and a whole egg on a light-colored surface.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the meatballs to the skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 1-2 minutes each side. Do not fully cook the meatballs, they will continue to cook in the sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside.
    A black cast iron skillet with several beef meatballs being cooked, some browned and some still pink.
  • Next, prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion to the saucepan and season with a pinch of salt and chili powder. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, saute for an additional minute.
  • Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar to the saucepan and whisk the ingredients together. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn to low and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
    A saucepan filled with red tomato sauce and a metal whisk with a wooden handle resting inside, placed on a light-colored surface.
  • Transfer the skillet with the meatballs back onto medium heat. Pour the sloppy joe sauce over the meatballs. Move the meatballs around so they are coated in sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook the meatballs in the sauce until they reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
    A cast iron skillet filled with meatballs arranged around a pool of tomato sauce on a light textured surface.
  • Remove from the heat and serve the meatballs in a bowl, on a bun or as an appetizer.
    A cast iron skillet filled with meatballs in tomato sauce, garnished with parsley, surrounded by bowls of grated cheese, sauce, and chopped herbs.

Video

Notes

  • Feel free to use any type of ground meat. Chicken and turkey are lean and tend to need a little extra oil in the meatball mixture. Pork tends to be a bit fattier, so you may need to add extra breadcrumbs.
  • This recipe can be made gluten-free if you use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
  • Make your own bread crumbs by combining ½ cup panko, ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 30g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g