Instant Pot Sloppy Joes are simple to prepare in your pressure cooker and deliver a well-balanced flavor that’s savory, tangy, and slightly sweet. This family-friendly recipe is adaptable to many diets, including high-protein, gluten-free, sugar-free, low-carb, and keto.
Why You’ll Love This
“A long-time favorite in our house! The flavors in this Instant Pot sloppy joes recipe strike a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and sweet. EASY & delicious.”
Family Favorite
Sloppy joes are a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike. This recipe is an easy way to get everyone at the table enjoying the same meal.
Instant Pot Convenience
The Instant Pot streamlines cooking and concentrates flavor, making this a quick one-pot dinner with minimal cleanup.
Healthy and Flexible
This homemade version lets you control ingredients and adapt the recipe to fit dietary preferences:
- Make it low-carb or keto by using a brown sugar substitute and sugar-free ketchup, then serve on a low-carb bun, lettuce wrap, or chaffle.
- Reduce fat by choosing lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken and draining excess fat after browning.
- Add vegetables like mushrooms, bell pepper, or zucchini for extra fiber and nutrients.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients for Instant Pot Sloppy Joes:
- Ground beef (2 lb, 80/20 recommended, or use lean beef)
- Pork sausage (1 lb)
- Onion (1 large, diced)
- Garlic (3 cloves, minced)
- Tomato sauce (8 oz)
- Ketchup (¾ cup; sugar-free works for keto)
- Brown sugar (1 tbsp; use a sugar substitute for low-carb/keto)
- Tomato paste (2 tbsp)
- Apple cider vinegar (2 tbsp)
- Prepared yellow mustard (3 tbsp)
- Chili powder (1 tbsp)
- Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp)
- Salt (½ tsp kosher or sea salt)
- Optional thickener: 1 tbsp cornstarch or ¼ tsp xanthan gum
For exact measurements and the full recipe card, see the recipe section below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Low-carb/keto: swap buns for lettuce wraps, chaffles, or low-carb buns and use sugar-free ketchup and a brown sugar substitute.
- Spicy: add cayenne, red pepper flakes, pepperoncini, jalapeños, or hot sauce.
- Veggies: fold in 1 to 1½ cups sautéed mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchini, or cooked spinach.
- Protein swaps: substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef.
How To Make Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Complete instructions are summarized here; follow the recipe card for details.
1. Brown the Meat
Set the pressure cooker to Sauté (medium). Brown the ground beef, pork sausage, and diced onion until the meat is cooked through and the onion is softened. Drain excess fat if desired.
2. Add Remaining Ingredients
Add garlic, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar (or substitute), tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire, and salt. Stir to combine.
3. Cook
Lock the lid and set the Instant Pot to High pressure for 5 minutes. When cooking finishes, allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then perform a quick release for any remaining pressure.
4. Thicken (If Needed)
If the sauce is too thin, whisk in ½ teaspoon xanthan gum and let the mixture sit about 15 minutes to thicken. Add extra in ¼ teaspoon increments if necessary — a little goes a long way. Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with cold water) is another option.
How To Serve
- Serve on traditional buns, low-carb/keto buns, lettuce wraps, chaffles, or a grilled portobello.
- Top with coleslaw (dill pickle slaw pairs especially well) for crunch and tang.
- Add melted cheese for extra richness.
- Offer hot sauce, sliced pepperoncini, or jalapeños for those who like spice.
Top Tips
- Drain excess fat after browning to reduce richness and calories.
- Adjust tanginess with more vinegar, mustard, or tomato sauce.
- Increase sweetness with additional brown sugar or a substitute if desired.
FAQs
Yes. You can brown the meat and combine ingredients, then refrigerate until ready to cook. You can also prepare the entire recipe up to three days ahead and reheat when needed.
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for 3–4 months.
Yes. Freeze in a freezer-safe container, thaw in the refrigerator, and reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop, or in the Instant Pot (Saute or Slow Cooker setting).
📖 The recipe
Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup (use sugar-free for keto)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (or sugar substitute for keto)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp prepared yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional: 1 tbsp cornstarch or ¼ tsp xanthan gum to thicken
Instructions
- Set the pressure cooker to Sauté (medium). Brown the ground beef, pork sausage, and diced onion. Drain excess fat if desired.
- Add garlic, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar (or substitute), tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Stir to combine. Lock the lid and set to High pressure for 5 minutes.
- When cooking finishes, allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then perform a quick release for any remaining pressure.
- If the sauce is too thin, whisk in ½ teaspoon xanthan gum and let sit about 15 minutes to thicken, adding more in ¼ teaspoon increments if needed. Alternatively, use a cornstarch slurry.
- Serve on your choice of bun or alternative and enjoy.
Kori’s Tips
- The prep time includes time to bring the Instant Pot to pressure.
- To add heat, include red pepper flakes, sliced jalapeños, or hot sauce.
- Sauteed vegetables such as mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini can be added with the onions to bulk up the dish and add nutrition.
- Substitute ground turkey or chicken to reduce fat, or use lean ground beef and drain fat after browning.
- Serve with melted cheese or coleslaw for added texture and flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 358 kcal • Carbs: 7.8 g • Protein: 22.3 g • Fat: 26.2 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Sugar: 3.9 g • Sodium: 2582 mg
© 2025 Seeking Good Eats™
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Instant Pot sloppy joes are an easy, one-pot dinner that adapts well to low-carb, keto, and gluten-free needs while delivering bold, comforting flavor.