Spice up your dinner menu with these Spicy Jalapeño Sloppy Joes! Toasted brioche buns topped with a sweet spicy meat sauce, melty muenster cheese, sliced jalapeños and crispy onions! Serves 8 in about an hour.
Looking for something easy to make for dinner?
Or maybe you want something spicy and delicious to serve at your football get together. Either way, the answer is these spicy jalapeño sloppy joes! Toasted buns topped with a sweet and spicy sloppy Joe beef mixture, topped with cheese, jalapeños and crispy fried onions.
Floor to ceiling flavor with delicious heat and it can be on your table in well under an hour. <– my kind of recipe.
To Make These Spicy Sloppy Joes You Will Need:
- yellow onion – Adds a subtle sweet onion flavor.
- jalapeño – Adds delicious spicy flavor.
- garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
- lean ground beef – I like to use 90/10 but use your favorite!
- ketchup – Is the base of the sloppy joes sauce. Use homemade or store-bought.
- water – This is added to thin the sauce a tad.
- vinegar – Gives the sauce the tangy zip.
- mustard – Lends distinct flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds some depth and flavor. Use homemade or store-bought.
- sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness and helps balance flavors and acidity.
- paprika – Lends subtle color and flavor.
- cayenne – Gives the sauce added kick and flavor.
- kosher salt – Enhances the flavors in this recipe.
- black pepper – This will add some subtle bite and flavor.
for serving:
- hamburger buns – We like toasted brioche buns.
- muenster cheese slices – the perfect melty cheese. You will need 8 slices.
- extra jalapeños – Either sliced or chopped.
- crispy onions – Adds onion flavor and crunchy texture.
- potato chips – Serve as a side.
- pickles – Serve as a side.
Make the Sauce:
Start by heating 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium to medium-low heat. Add in 1 cup diced yellow onion, 1 diced jalapeño (seeds and ribs removed for less heat) and 2 minced cloves of garlic with a pinch of kosher salt.
Stir and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until the onions and jalapeños are soft.
To that, add in 2 pounds lean ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, break it up into crumbles and cook until no longer pink. Drain and discard fat.
Once the beef is browned, add in 1-3/4 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup water, 1-1/2 tablespoons white (distilled) vinegar, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, and a couple splashes Worcestershire sauce. Then measure and add in 2 tablespoons sugar, 3/4 teaspoon both kosher salt and cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Stir, cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Build the Sloppy Joes:
Toast your hamburger buns, top with a few spoonfuls of the spicy sloppy joe mixture. Top with a slice of muenster cheese and slide underneath your broiler for 30 to 45 seconds. It doesn’t take long for the cheese to melt.
Lastly, top with a few more spoonfuls of the meat mixture (they’re called sloppy for a reason!), sliced jalapeño and crispy fried onions.
SO. DANG. GOOD.
These sandwiches, without the extra jalapeño on top, are the perfect level of spice and not too hot. But the extra jalapeño gives these sloppies fresh flavor and crunch, they also amp up the heat for those who like things extra spicy.
Whether served on a random Wednesday, Halloween or at your game day party, these spicy jalapeño sloppy joes will be a huge hit!
Enjoy! And if you give this Spicy Jalapeño Sloppy Joe recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Spicy Jalapeño Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 large jalapeño, diced (seeded and ribs removed for less heat)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef, I like to use 90/10
- 1¾ cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
FOR SERVING:
- 8 brioche hamburger buns
- 8 slices muenster cheese
- 2 jalapeños, sliced or chopped, for serving (optional)
- crispy fried onions, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium to medium-low. Add in the diced onions, jalapeños and garlic with a small pinch of salt. Stir and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until softened.
- Add in the ground beef, use a wooden spoon to break it up into small crumbles and cook until no longer pink. Drain and discard fat, if any.
- Next add in ketchup, water, vinegar, mustard and worchestershire sauce. Then measure and add in the sugar, salt, cayenne, paprika abd black pepper.
- Stir, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Move your oven rack to the highest position and preheat your broiler to high.
- Meanwhile toast hamburger buns or rolls and place on a rimmed, metal baking sheet.
- Top with a few spoonfuls of the meat mixture and top with slices of muenster cheese. Slip under the broiler for 30 to 45 seconds or until melted.
- Top with a spoonful more of the meat mixture, then add slices of jalapeño and crispy fried onions. Replace the top bun and serve.
Notes
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What-a-Picture!! I wonder how much it took you to write this? very detailed information and detailed guide! i really enjoyed reading this. thanks
This is not your average sloppy joe recipe—it’s a gourmet version for sure! Thanks for a taste sensation. We loved it!
what a wonderful reminder of a long forgotten fun favorite, and love the homemade ketchup recipe, so much better than corn syrup based store brands, spiciness works for me too, thank you!