Mama Mia's Sloppy Joes

I set out to make the best sloppy joe, but it came together so fast I had to call it the fastest. Think pizza meets meatball sub meets sloppy joe—half hamburger, half Italian sausage, rich, savory, and ridiculously good.

If you want pans that heat evenly and clean easily, this is the newer Ninja set I recommend.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

• 8 oz ground beef
• 8 oz Italian sausage (mild or hot)
• ¼ cup water
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
• ½ cup roasted red peppers
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 Tbs dried basil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• Provolone slices (for serving)
• Hamburger buns
• Butter for browning buns

Directions

1. In a large skillet, add the buttered buns face side down and cook until browned. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add a little oil and brown the onions over medium heat until soft.
3. Add the ground beef, sausage, and garlic and cook until browned.
4. Drain if necessary.
5. Stir in the spices and deglaze with the water.
6. Stir in the roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and tomato paste.
7. Simmer 10 minutes.
8. Spoon onto the toasted buns and top with a slice of provolone. Let it melt slightly before serving. (In the video I added the cheese to the mixture in the pan, covered it, and let it set about a minute to melt.)

Notes

• Toast the buns first: Browning the buttered buns in the same skillet keeps them from getting soggy and builds a little flavor in the pan.
• Mild or hot sausage: Use hot Italian sausage if you want a little kick, or mild for the whole family.
• Drain the tomatoes: Draining the fire roasted tomatoes keeps the mixture thick enough to stay on the bun.
• Melt the cheese in the pan: For extra gooey results, lay the provolone right on the mixture, cover, and let it melt for about a minute before spooning onto buns.
• Storage: The filling keeps in the fridge up to 4 days and reheats well for quick lunches.

Why This Works

• Half beef, half sausage: The Italian sausage brings built-in fennel, garlic, and spice so the mixture tastes long-simmered in just minutes.
• Fire roasted tomatoes and roasted red peppers: Both add deep, slightly smoky-sweet flavor without any extra work.
• Deglazing with water: A splash of water lifts the browned bits off the pan and blends them into the sauce.
• Tomato paste last: Stirring in concentrated tomato paste near the end deepens color and adds a rich, savory backbone.