Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes are a nostalgic family favorite featuring tender ground beef in a tangy, sweet, savory, and sticky sauce. Serve it on toasted buns with a bit of creamy coleslaw for the whole package.

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes feature ground beef in a tangy, sweet, savory, and sticky sauce. Each sloppy bite will bring you back to your childhood.

Sloppy Joes are a classic family and childhood favorite, and this Instant Pot version helps get them on the table in no time with very little clean up! Pressure cooking keeps the ground beef moist and tender and infuses it with tons of flavor from the sauce.

These instant pot sloppy joes are kid-friendly and freezer friendly to help you get dinner on the table for your family that they'll love ASAP.

Can You Put Raw Ground Beef in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Cooking raw ground beef in an instant pot is no different than cooking raw chicken or a raw beef or pork roast in an Instant Pot.

Do I Have to Brown the Ground Beef Before Cooking?

Not exactly. In this recipe we brown the ground beef in the Instant Pot on the saute function before pressure cooking. This gives us the opportunity to drain off some of the fat.

Can I Make Instant Pot Sloppy Joes without Browning the Ground Beef?

Yes, you actually can. Your sloppy joes will have the fat from the meat in it, and will likely be a bit runnier from this. But it will still taste incredible. No need to adjust the cooking time, either.

Troubleshooting the Burn Warning

To avoid the burn warning, make sure to measure your ingredients correctly and stir well. Most of the time this is enough to avoid the warning.

When you pour in the liquid ingredients, make sure to scrape off any bits stuck to the pot from browning the ground beef. Anything stuck on the bottom and quickly trigger the warning.

Sometimes, an Instant Pot can just be extremely fickle with the burn warning. I have had two different Instant pots making the same recipe, and one was "warning" me and one was cooking just fine. If you keep getting it after making sure you followed the first two tips above, open the lid and stir in another ¼ cup to ½ cup water. Thicken the sloppy joes with a cornstarch slurry after pressure cooking as described in the next paragraphs.

How Do You Thicken Sloppy Joes

I find this recipe to be plenty thick, if followed to recipe instructions.

However, if you ever find yourself with a pot of runny sloppy joes (or your Instant Pot was giving you the run-around with its burn warnings), you can add a cornstarch slurry.

Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water, and whisk together. Then add to the pot, and simmer until thickened.

Variations on Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

I mostly leave this nostalgic family favorite as is, but if you're looking for some variety, here are some suggestions!

• Beans - I love adding beans to dishes like this because it stretches it a bit without compromising the flavor. Plus, they're packed with healthy protein and fiber, unlike white potatoes, so it's a great healthy addition. Add a can or 2 of your favorite beans, drained and rinsed.
• Spicy - This recipe has basically no spice, since I cook it for my kids. But to add some spice, toss in some fresh chopped jalapenos, red pepper flakes, and/or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
• Protein - You can use any ground protein instead of beef. Ground turkey, chicken, pork, venison, bison, or whatever you have on hand. With all the extra sauce and flavor, it's a very versatile dish.
• Veggies - Because the sauce is so flavorful, this is a great recipe for using up extra leftover veggies including shredded carrots, chopped celery, zucchini (shredded or chopped), and more!
• Chili Powder - Chili powder can give this recipe a kick and a nice earthy flavor. Add about 1 teaspoon to try it out.

How to Serve Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

Traditionally, sloppy joes are served on a bun. You can top your instant pot sloppy joes with a slice of cheese or, my favorite, some creamy coleslaw.

Some other favorite side dishes include a fresh green salad, potato chips, fruit salad, potato salad, mac and cheese, or pasta salad.

You can also serve sloppy joes over baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, on french fries, or even mixed with pasta.

More Sloppy Joes Recipes You'll Love

• Crock Pot Sloppy Joes - Same favorite sloppy joes with tangy, sweet flavors, made in the slow cooker.
• Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese - a great way to use up leftover sloppy joes or stretch the meal a little further with this gooey, cheesy recipe.
• Pizza Sloppy Joes - a fun twist on traditional sloppy joes using pizza sauce and your favorite pizza toppings.
• Sloppy Joe Casserole - noodles are tossed in with the sloppy joe mixture and topped with cheese and buttery biscuits.
• Chili Cheese Dog Sloppy Joes - chili cheese dogs are a favorite, and even better when they're sloppy on giant buns.

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes Video