A childhood staple, Sloppy Joes are hearty and delicious! Now you can make Instant Pot Sloppy Joes for a super quick and easy dinner that has a sweet and savory sauce. This is the perfect recipe for family dinner and also potlucks.
Original recipe: June 2019 | Updated: March 2021
Sloppy Joes are one of those classic dishes that makes most people think of childhood. There’s a reason for that! They are super easy to prepare, making them the perfect meal for busy families.
Moms are smart! They are good at finding those easy recipes that are also off-the-charts delicious. Sloppy Joes are perfect for family dinner any night of the week and they are also the perfect potluck party food.
Every time I arrive at a party and see that sloppy joes are on the menu, I start loading up a bun pronto! These savory sandwiches are staples at graduation parties, summer potlucks, game-day parties, Father’s Day celebrations and so much more.
They are delicious, versatile and when made in an Instant Pot Duo they become even more delicious! I’m telling you, there is magic inside that little pot of yum!
How To Make Homemade Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
This pressure cooker sloppy joes recipe is a family meal and a classic that everyone will enjoy! Follow these simple steps to make it in your Instant Pot!
STEP 1
Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add the ground beef, onion and garlic and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease from the pot, if needed. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if the pot is too dry.
STEP 2
Add the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, water, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to the pot and mix well.
Place the cover on the pot and set the timer to 5 minutes on high pressure (use the pressure cook setting) and ensure the release valve is set to the sealing position. It will take the Instant Pot approximately 9 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.
When cook time is up, release pressure naturally for 10 minutes then do a quick release. It’ll be great to not have to stir occasionally – the pressure does all the work!
STEP 3
Remove the cover, stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes before spooning into hamburger buns and serving. Top with pickle slices, if desired.
What To Serve With Sloppy Joes
This recipe roundup will provide you with an extensive list of recipe ideas about what to serve with sloppy joes! Whether for a party or dinner, you’ll walk away with a plan.
What Makes These Better Than Stove Top or Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
We all know that no matter how sloppy joes are made, THEY ARE DELICIOUS. Nobody will argue with that. So are they really that much tastier when made in an Instant Pot? The amount of time it takes to make them on stove top and pressure cooker are about the same, but the flavor?
The Instant Pot works it’s secret magic to turn up the dial on the flavor, even over the slow-cooked version.
Great Party Food Recipes
Sloppy Joes are the ultimate party food, but there are so many other delicious recipes to make for your next gathering that people will swoon over. Check out these yummy options!
- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- Pull Apart Pizza Ring
- Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Best Ever Chili Dogs
Instant Pot Recipes
The list of recipes you can make in an Instant Pot is endless! It can act as a slow cooker, saute pan, steamer, rice maker, yogurt maker and pressure cooker. It can cook soup, chili, pasta, meat, potatoes, veggies, cake, beans and so much more. Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:
- Instant Pot Chicken
- Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Steamed Artichokes
- Instant Pot Goulash
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Avoid the Instant Pot Burn Notice
- Stir heavy sauces or soups just before placing the cover on the pot for cooking. You will want the heaviest ingredients toward the top in order to ensure they don’t stick to the bottom and burn.
- Make sure your pot contains enough liquid! Add extra beef broth or chicken broth if it is already an ingredient in the recipe. If the recipe does not contain a thin liquid (e.g., a recipe that requires a trivet), add 1 1/2 cups of liquid to the bottom of the Instant Pot before cooking.
- I do not use an 8-quart IP, but from what I have read this size is much quicker to burn than the 6-quart version. The 8-quart Instant Pot may require more liquid than the 6-quart does.
Recipe Notes
- Spice up the recipe by adding 1/2 teaspoon of additional cayenne pepper. You could also add up to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and or 1 teaspoon chili powder! Make sure to stir the beef mixture with your wooden spoon so you don’t get a clump of spice.
- I will occasionally add a splash of soy sauce to the sauce for an extra salty end result. I love the twist this adds. Don’t add too much, though!
- Use lean ground beef or even ground turkey for an extra lean meal.
- Add a chopped red, orange or green bell pepper to the pot along with the onions for extra crunch and flavor!
- I love sandwich toppings almost more than I love sandwiches! Great topping options for sloppy joes include: pickle slices, a spoonful of coleslaw, red onion slices, sliced green onions, a thick tomato slice, cooked bacon strips, a slice of cheese (put it on while it’s hot so it melts!) or a fried egg if you’re feeling really crazy.
- Any buns work great for this recipe, including sesame seed buns (white or wheat) or brioche buns.
- Enjoy a low carb meal by turning these into a lettuce wrap “sandwich” instead of a traditional bun-enclosed sandwich.
FAQ About Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joes can indeed be frozen. Cook as directed, allow to cool, then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 4 months for best results.
Depending on the size of the buns, you should have enough meat for 4-6 sandwiches from 1 pound of meat.
To make sloppy joes even easier (this is already a super easy recipe!), complete steps 1 and 2 in the recipe. Store the mixture in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to throw into the Instant Pot and cook.
Typically sloppy joe sauce is made of ground beef, onions, ketchup and/or tomato sauce, brown sugar and beef broth. Extra ingredients sometimes included: bbq sauce, tomato paste, chopped green or red bell pepper, mustard (or mustard powder), Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke.
Instant Pot Sloppy Joes Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef broth or water
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 8 hamburger buns
- sliced pickles for topping, optional
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute. Add the ground beef, garlic and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain, if needed.
- Add the ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, water, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to the pot. Mix well.
- Place the cover on the pot and set timer to 5 minutes on high pressure (pressure cook setting). It will take the IP around 9 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking.
- When cooking is done, let it release naturally for 10 minute. Then do a quick release. Remove cover, stir and let sit for 10 minutes before spooning into buns and serving. Top with pickle slices, if desired.
Notes
- Spice up the recipe by adding 1/2 teaspoon of additional cayenne pepper. You could also add up to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and or 1 teaspoon chili powder! Make sure to stir the beef mixture with your wooden spoon so you don’t get a clump of spice.
- I will occasionally add a splash of soy sauce to the sauce for an extra salty end result. I love the twist this adds. Don’t add too much, though!
- Use lean ground beef or even ground turkey for an extra lean meal.
- Add a chopped red, orange or green bell pepper to the pot along with the onions for extra crunch and flavor!
- I love sandwich toppings almost more than I love sandwiches! Great topping options for sloppy joes include: pickle slices, a spoonful of coleslaw, red onion slices, sliced green onions, a thick tomato slice, cooked bacon strips, a slice of cheese (put it on while it’s hot so it melts!) or a fried egg if you’re feeling really crazy.
- Any buns work great for this recipe, including sesame seed buns (white or wheat) or brioche buns.
- Enjoy a low carb meal by turning these into a lettuce wrap “sandwich” instead of a traditional bun-enclosed sandwich.
I needed a last minute dinner idea for a family of 7 and I had 2lbs of ground beef. This was quick and feed everyone happily!
It’s the perfect dinner! Glad it was enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for this useful informative blog to sharing step by step.
We love it! No flavor overwhelmed the others. Less sweet and ketchup dominant than Manwich – which I loved as a child but doesn’t appeal anymore. One had this with pickles, and one without. Definitely a keeper. Thank you.
So glad to hear it! Thank you for sharing.
Perhaps this is a dumb question…but this seems like way more work than simply using a skillet on the stove with no added benefit from the Insta Pot since the meat, onion, and garlic are already cooked. What is the purpose in using the "Pot" in this recipe?
Hi Lin, Thanks for asking! Everyone has different tools they like to use in the kitchen and I’m working to provide multiple ways to accomplish getting meals on the table. It’s definitely a preference but I have found I’m enjoying using my Instant Pot a lot with my go-to favorites that are able to done on the stove or in a crockpot. Here’s why!
WHAT MAKES THESE BETTER THAN STOVE TOP OR SLOW COOKER SLOPPY JOES?
We all know that no matter how sloppy joes are made, THEY ARE DELICIOUS. Nobody will argue with that. So are they really that much tastier when made in an Instant Pot? The amount of time it takes to make them on stove top and pressure cooker are about the same, but the flavor? The Instant Pot works it’s secret magic to turn up the dial on the flavor, even over the slow-cooked version.