Julie Clark
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Sloppy Joe Pasta
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This one pot sloppy joe pasta is a delicious twist on the classic sloppy joe sandwich. A pasta dish recipe in 35 minutes, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
One pot pasta dinners are my jam lately. From Italian sausage pasta to one pot creamy pasta and even chipotle chicken pasta, you just can’t go wrong when you’re talking about a pound of meat, pasta, a simple sauce and one pot to clean up.
This One Pot Sloppy Joe Pasta is a fun twist on the classic sloppy joes on hamburger buns. While sloppy joes are often great to make in bulk and serve to a crowd, this simple pasta dish makes enough for your family for quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Pasta
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef to reduce the amount of fat. You can substitute with ground turkey for a sloppy Jane pasta!
- Penne: This pasta shape holds the sauce well, but you can use any short pasta like elbow macaroni, rotini, shells or bowtie pasta.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a nice tang, but white vinegar works as well.
- Strained Tomatoes: I used a 24 ounce jar of strained tomatoes. If you cannot find this product, tomato purée will work as well.
✨ See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts. ✨
But can’t you just use Manwich?
Our recipe features a sweet and slightly tangy sauce based with tomato purée, but you can certainly swap out the sauce ingredients and simply use canned Manwich. You’ll still want to keep the chicken stock, since that is what is going to allow the pasta to cook. Either way, this pasta dish is perfect comfort food.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Pasta
- In a large pot or deep, large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the diced onion and red pepper, and sauté until they are softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef, until browned and fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Add the chicken stock, strained tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, garlic powder. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Stir in the penne, ensuring it is fully submerged in the sauce.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed the flavors.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle the sloppy joe pasta with chopped parsley. Serve warm.
Make it your own.
- Swap out the ground beef for a plant-based alternative or crumbled tofu.
- Add diced carrots, green bell peppers, celery, or mushrooms for extra nutrition and taste in the sloppy joe pasta.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to a baking dish, top with mozzarella or cheddar cheese, and broil it in the oven for a few minutes until golden and bubbly.
Side Dishes for Sloppy Joe Pasta
To make this one-pot dinner a complete meal, consider a couple of the following side dishes:
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
This sloppy joe pasta also freezes well. After cooking, let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Sloppy Joe Pasta
This one pot sloppy joe pasta is a delicious twist on the classic sloppy joe sandwich. A pasta dish recipe in 35 minutes, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Servings 6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 24 ounces strained tomatoes 1 jar (or tomato purée)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 10 ounces penne or any short pasta
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red pepper, and sauté until they are softened, about 3-4 minutes. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 1 red bell pepper
- Add the ground beef, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef, until browned and fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed. 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the chicken stock, strained tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, garlic powder. Stir until everything is well combined. 3 cups chicken stock, 24 ounces strained tomatoes, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Stir in the penne, ensuring it is fully submerged in the sauce. 10 ounces penne
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and has absorbed the flavors.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve warm. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Notes
- Adjust the Thickness: If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of chicken stock. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 706mg | Potassium: 1135mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1602IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 5mg
