Instant Pot Sloppy Joe

Instant pot sloppy joe is ready to be served in just 30 minutes! Two sesame seed buns filled with ground beef, onion, bell peppers, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar with some additional seasonings make this easy, messy meal flavorful and filling!

sloppy joe sandwich made in an instant pot

Why this recipe works

This instant pot sloppy joe recipe is a quick, filling meal you can get on the table without any sweat on your brow. It isn’t difficult in the slightest bit and uses fresh ingredients in place of the store-bought stuff.

This pressure cooker dinner comes from our sloppy joes recipe, but we’ve made multiple renditions including sloppy joe cornbread muffins, one-pot sloppy joe pasta, and of course, bacon sloppy joes. If that doesn’t speak to the volume of our love for this cost-effective meal then I’m not sure what else will! So naturally, we knew we had to make the process even easier by throwing it into the instant pot.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Sloppy Joe

BEEF – While this recipe calls for ground beef, you can easily substitute the same amount of your favorite ground meat. Ground turkey or chicken are the most common, but bison and venison will taste great as well!

SAUCE – Our sauce is made from brown sugar, mustard, and ketchup. If you like your sloppy joes with a bit of a kick, don’t be afraid to add a little bit of hot sauce to the mixture, though you may want to cut back a bit on the main sauce depending on the amount of hot sauce you end up using so your sloppy joes aren’t TOO sloppy.

How to Make Instant Pot Sloppy Joe

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode. Brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off excess liquids if more than 1/4 cup.
Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, and water; mix thoroughly. Pressure cook on manual medium heat for 5 minutes. Quick-release pressure. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw and tater-tots.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I store sloppy joe?

If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You can reheat in the microwave, or add a little water and simmer on the stove over medium-low heat.

What level of fat should my ground beef have?

You can really use any fat level of ground beef in this recipe. We are using a leaner ground beef, which is about 85/15. If you use a fattier meat, you will just need to drain off more excess fat than you would with lean. I don’t recommend using a high lean mixture like 93/7 as you will get extra flavor from the fat.

Can I use a different type of meat?

You can easily substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef. Simply replace an equal amount of your favorite ground meat for the beef.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to serve instant pot sloppy joe. You can easily make them into sliders by using small buns, top them with some pickles or coleslaw or serve them up alongside some of the following dishes.

Coleslaw or Broccoli Slaw
Baked Beans
French Fries, Tater Tots, Onion Rings, or Sweet Potato Fries
Corn on the Cob
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Potato Salad or Macaroni Salad

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Amanda Davis

President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.

Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!