These Big Mac Sloppy Joes are one of the easiest dinners ever. They are bursting with a savory flavor that will remind you of a classic Big Mac with each bite. I love sloppy Joes because they’re simple, tasty, and incredibly versatile. You can serve a sloppy Joe burger, however you like it best!
Jump to:
The onions caramelize as they cook down with the ground beef, adding even more depth to the mixture. One of my favorite ingredients for sloppy joes is Worcestershire sauce. It adds umami, which is a rich and almost meaty flavor that complements the other components.
If you like easy sandwich recipes, you will love this Loose Meat Sandwich and Crab Cake Sandwich.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s quick to make: It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and cook these sloppy Joes. This means you can spend more time enjoying them than cooking in the kitchen.
- It makes great leftovers: I like that the beef mixture reheats well. It makes great leftovers for lunch the next day if you want another sandwich, or on a salad, or however you want.
- You can customize the sandwiches: You can use whatever toppings and sauces that you like on your sloppy Joe. I love to keep it interesting, so it feels like a whole new food each time.
Ingredients
Below, I included everything I use for the homemade Mac sauce as well as the sloppy Joe Big Mac mixture. The components are common grocery items that are easy to find.
For the Big Mac sauce
- Condiments: I use mayo, ketchup, and mustard. These are essential to make a good homemade Big Mac sauce.
- Pickles: Finely chop dill pickles to get that recognizable texture. Ensure they are dill and not sweet, as sour is best here. I add some pickle juice, too.
- Vinegar: The classic tangy flavor comes from a little white vinegar. Don’t skip this ingredient if you want the sauce to taste like it came from McDonald’s!
- Spices: I keep it easy and add salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. These ingredients season the sauce just enough without overpowering the other flavors.
For the sloppy Joes
- Ground beef: OF course, you need lean ground beef to mimic the beef patties of a Big Mac.
- Onions: Chopped yellow onions are essential, too. Instead of adding raw onions (which you can totally add extra as a topping), I saute them with the ground beef to add more flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: For the meaty punch of a classic sloppy Joe, I use a little Worcestershire sauce.
- Buns: I highly recommend using sesame seed buns, just like with a Big Mac! You may use plain ones instead if you prefer.
- Cheese: I like cheddar cheese slices, but American cheese would be great here as well.
- Toppings: I add shredded lettuce and pickle slices to really drive the Big Mac vibe home! Of course, this is up to your preference.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Add bacon: Incorporate chopped bacon into the mixture of these cheeseburger sloppy Joes for a smoky flavor.
- Turkey: To make a leaner version, try this recipe with ground turkey instead of ground beef.
- Lettuce wraps: This is one of my keto favorite sloppy Joe variations. Skip the buns and make lettuce wraps instead!
- Sliders: Use Hawaiian rolls and make Big Mac sloppy Joe sliders!
How to Make Big Mac Sloppy Joes
Here are the steps needed to prepare and assemble this unique sloppy Joes recipe. All you have to do is cook the beef, mix the sauce, and then make your sandwiches.
Step 1: Make the sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the Mac sauce and whisk them until they’re perfectly smooth. Then, set it aside.
Step 2: Make the Big Mac mixture. Cook the ground beef in a skillet until it’s mostly browned. Add the chopped onions, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Cook. Cook the mixture until the onions are soft and the meat is no longer pink.
Step 4: Assemble and serve. Make your sandwiches by starting with a slice of cheese on the bottom bun, then top it with the meat, Mac sauce, lettuce, and pickles. Add the top bun and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Toast the buns: To keep the buns from getting soggy, I like to toast them in the oven. It also adds a crispy texture to the sandwich.
- Don’t overcook the beef: I only cook the ground beef until it’s browned and no longer pink. If you cook it too long, it will become dry and take on a mealy texture.
- Use any bun you want: You’re not stuck using only sesame seed buns! I like them because they remind me of a Big Mac, but you can go for something different, like a pretzel or brioche bun.
If you love recipes like these homemade sloppy Joes, you may also enjoy this classic sloppy Joe recipe.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftover sloppy Joe mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You may freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. The Mac sauce will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container, but don’t freeze it!
- Reheating: You may reheat the sloppy Joe filling in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or on the stovetop for 8-10 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Feel free to prepare the meat mixture and sauce ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator.
Serving Suggestions
- Another great topping for this Big Mac sloppy Joe recipe is a spicy BBQ sauce. It adds richness and spice.
- I like to add cranberry and apple slaw as a crunchy topping or enjoy it on the side. It works great either way.
- Some yummy side dishes are air fryer steak fries and bacon mac and cheese to make the recipe into a filling meal.
- End the meal with soft and chewy red velvet cheesecake ookies for dessert!
Recipe FAQs
I recommend storing the mixture separately from the bread. Reheating the bun makes it a little dry and chewy, and it gets soggy as it sits in the refrigerator.
This is normal, I usually add a splash of water and Worcestershire as it reheats to give it some moisture.
Sure! Brown the meat and then transfer all the components of the filling to a slow cooker. Cook it on high for 1-1 ½ hours or on low for 2-3 hours.
More Delicious Big Mac Recipes
Do you like Big Mac recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section, I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Big Mac Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ingredients
Big Mac Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle minced
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Sloppy Joe Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef medium
- 1 yellow onion small, chopped
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 sesame seed buns
- 4 cheddar cheese slices
- pickle slices
- lettuce shredded
Instructions
- Make your Big Mac sauce by adding all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined. Set in the fridge until ready to assemble sloppy joes.
- Heat a large pan on medium heat and cook ground beef for 5 minutes.
- Strain out some excess fat, then add onion, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook for a couple minutes until the beef is fully cooked and no longer pink.
- Assemble Sloppy Joes by adding a slice of cheese to the bottom bun. Then spoon ¼ of the beef mixture, lettuce, pickles, Big Mac sauce and the top bun.
- Repeat for the other 3 and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftover Big Mac sloppy Joe meat in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, and the Mac sauce for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- Toast the buns in the oven before you assemble the sandwiches. It adds a barrier that keeps them from getting soggy.
- Prepare your Big Mac sauce 2-3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge until you make the sloppy Joes.
Nutrition
This post was originally posted in March 2023. It's been updated with new images and content.
Barb says
Now I thought that this would be a hit but man does everyone love these! Instead of taco Tuesdays now we do big mac Tuesdays! Thanks for all of the ideas!
Karin and Ken says
You’re welcome. We love everything Big Mac too! All the best. Karin
Gena says
What a great take on a sloppy Joe and who doesn't love the classic big Mac?! Ya sure it's messy but so worth it when bite into it. My kids love sloppy Joe’s night now thanks to this recipe and it sure beats Mcdonalds!
Karin and Ken says
I could not agree more! So glad you like this recipe and your kids do too! All the best. Karin
Francine says
We all loved this recipe Thanks for sharing My son added a lot of burger toppings on his and we didn’t This recipe is a terrific weeknight dinner Fast and easy Thx for sharing
Karin and Ken says
You’re most welcome! My son adds things too. Always hot sauce! So happy you liked it! All the best. Karin