Instant Pot Sloppy Joes Recipe

Course: Dinner, Sandwiches

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: sandwiches

Calories: 597kcal

This easy sloppy joes recipe uses an Instant Pot to make the cooking process even simpler and more hands-free.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once heated, add in the ground beef and salt. Brown the meat until cooked through. Drain excess liquid from the pot if needed.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 pounds ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Add in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until softened.
½ onion, 1 green bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
Add in the beef broth, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder. Stir.
¾ cup low-sodium beef broth, ¾ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon chili powder
Place the lid on the pot. Press the Cancel button. Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button and cook for 5 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then release the remaining pressure by flipping the pressure release valve.
Give the meat a stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken up.
Serve on hamburger buns, pickles, and red onion.
6 hamburger buns, Pickle slices, Sliced red onion

You can use any neutral oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil, instead of the olive oil.
Feel free to substitute some or all of the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken!
If you're not a fan of green peppers, you can leave them out or use a red, yellow, or orange bell pepper instead.
You can use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
Instead of ketchup, you can use barbecue sauce.
If you don't have apple cider vinegar, white vinegar will also work.
In a pinch, you can use soy sauce in place of the Worcestershire sauce.
Feel free to drain the beef fat or leave it!
If you're short on time, you can skip browning the beef.
To avoid the burn warning, make sure there is enough liquid in the Instant Pot, and scrape up any browned bits after cooking the beef.
To thicken your sloppy joes, stir in a slurry made from 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and let simmer for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.

Storage: Store Instant Pot sloppy joes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.