If you keep a jar of this Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix in the pantry, dinner gets a whole lot easier. Stir 3 tablespoons into browned ground beef with water and crushed tomatoes, and you’ve got that familiar sweet-savory sloppy joe flavor without tearing open a packet.
This homemade mix makes about 1 1/3 cups, which works out to roughly 7 seasoning packets. It’s handy for weeknight sandwiches, baked potatoes, or even a fast skillet supper when everybody’s hungry and patience is in short supply.
Ingredients
You only need pantry staples here, and that’s the whole charm. Dried onion and green pepper flakes build the classic sloppy joe base, while cornstarch helps thicken the sauce once the mix hits the skillet.
- 1 cup dried minced onion
- 3 tablespoons green pepper flakes
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons instant minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
If you like making your own pantry blends, this pairs nicely with Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning and Chili Seasoning Mix #2.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
- Measure the dried minced onion, green pepper flakes, salt, cornstarch, instant minced garlic, dry mustard, celery seed, and chili powder into a bowl.
- Stir until the mixture is evenly blended and the smaller spices are well distributed through the onion.
- Transfer the seasoning mix to a zip-top bag, vacuum-seal bag, or airtight jar.
- Label the container and store it in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use it.
How to Use the Mix
Use 3 tablespoons of mix for every 1 pound of scrambled or browned ground beef, then add 1/2 cup water and 1 cup crushed tomatoes. Simmer until thickened and the dried vegetables soften.
For the safest leftovers, refrigerate the cooked sloppy joe mixture within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days. That timing follows USDA leftover food-safety guidance, which is worth following instead of playing refrigerator roulette.
If you want a full meal idea, spoon the finished filling onto buns or use it in Homemade Sloppy Joe’s style sandwiches.
Helpful Tips
- Shake before using: The finer spices settle to the bottom in storage, so give the jar a good shake before measuring.
- Simmer long enough: Give the cooked mixture 8 to 10 minutes so the onion rehydrates and the cornstarch has time to thicken the sauce.
- Use crushed tomatoes, not sauce: Crushed tomatoes keep the texture heartier and closer to classic sloppy joe filling.
- Double carefully: If you scale the mix up, stir it in a large bowl so the salt and chili powder distribute evenly instead of clumping in one corner like they own the place.
Variations
- Sweeter version: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar to the cooked meat if you prefer a sweeter sloppy joe filling.
- Spicier version: Add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce when cooking the beef.
- Turkey sloppy joes: Swap the ground beef for ground turkey and cook the mixture exactly the same way.
- Smoother sauce: If you want fewer visible onion pieces, pulse the dry mix a few times in a spice grinder before storing.
Storage
Store the dry seasoning mix in an airtight jar or sealed bag in a cool, dry cupboard for up to 6 months for best flavor. That’s a conservative estimate based on the dried vegetables and ground spices, which lose punch long before they become dangerous.
Once prepared with beef, water, and crushed tomatoes, refrigerate the sloppy joe mixture promptly and use it within 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze the cooked filling for up to 3 months in tightly sealed portions.
Serving Suggestions
Pile the cooked sloppy joe mixture onto toasted hamburger buns, spoon it over baked potatoes, or tuck it into slider rolls for a party tray. It also works well over rice, on Texas toast, or stirred into noodles for a shortcut version of Sloppy Joe Ramen.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dried minced onion |
$1.08 |
1 C. |
$1.56 |
|
Green pepper flakes |
$0.78 |
3 T. ≈ 1 count ≈ 1 cup(s) |
$0.15 |
|
Salt |
$0.62 |
4 t. |
$0.02 |
|
Cornstarch |
$1.92 |
3 T. |
$0.10 |
|
Instant minced garlic |
$4.92 |
4 t. |
$0.65 |
|
Dry mustard |
$3.98 |
2 t. |
$0.40 |
|
Celery seed |
$1.24 |
2 t. |
$0.10 |
|
Chili powder |
$1.24 |
2 t. |
$0.09 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$3.07 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$0.44 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
- Minced Onion, 17 oz
- Green Bell Pepper Flakes, 1.8 oz
- Plain Salt, 26 oz
- Corn Starch, 16 oz
- Minced Garlic, 1.75 oz
- Ground Mustard, 1.5 oz
- Celery Seed, 1.9 oz
- Chili Powder, 2.5 oz
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
Use 3 tablespoons. That’s the recipe’s built-in packet equivalent, so if a meal plan calls for one seasoning envelope, measure out 3 tablespoons from your jar and carry on.
You’ll get about 7 batches from one full recipe. The mix makes roughly 1 1/3 cups total, and at 3 tablespoons per pound of beef, that stretches nicely for several quick dinners.
You can, but the texture will be smoother and a little looser. If tomato sauce is what you’ve got, start with the same 1 cup and simmer a few extra minutes so the filling thickens properly.
It thickens the sloppy joe sauce right in the skillet. That means you don’t need a separate slurry later, and the meat mixture turns saucy instead of watery once the tomatoes and water are added.
Absolutely. Use the same amount of mix for 1 pound of ground turkey, then taste near the end and add a pinch more salt if needed, since turkey is usually milder than beef.
Usually it just needs more simmer time, or the meat wasn’t drained well enough first. Let it bubble gently for 8 to 10 minutes so the dried onion softens and the cornstarch has time to do its job.
An airtight glass jar or a well-sealed zip-top bag works best. You want to keep out moisture and pantry odors, because dried onion will happily absorb both and then act offended about it later.
Yes, and it scales cleanly. Mix it in a large bowl before jarring it so the salt, chili powder, and mustard spread evenly through the bigger batch instead of settling into spice pockets.
Plan on about 4 to 6 sandwiches from one pound of beef, depending on how generously you pile the buns. If you’re feeding teenagers, assume four and save yourself the look.
Definitely. Try the cooked filling over baked potatoes, rice, toast, or noodles, or spoon it into slider buns for parties. It’s the same saucy beef mixture, just wearing different shoes.
📌 Love this Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix? Pin it!
Did you make this recipe? Tell us how you used it and what you served it with in the comments. Your shortcuts, swaps, and honest dinner-table verdicts help everybody else cook smarter.
🖨️ Print-Friendly Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
Sloppy Joe Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried minced onion
- 3 tablespoons green pepper flakes
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons instant minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
Equipment
Instructions
- Measure the dried minced onion, green pepper flakes, salt, cornstarch, instant minced garlic, dry mustard, celery seed, and chili powder into a bowl.
- Stir until evenly blended.
- Transfer the seasoning mix to a zip-top bag, vacuum-seal bag, or airtight jar.
- To use, add 3 tablespoons mix to 1 pound browned ground beef with 1/2 cup water and 1 cup crushed tomatoes.
- Simmer until thickened and the dried vegetables soften.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Prepared sloppy joe filling made with 1 pound beef yields about 5 servings, estimated.
Dry mix storage estimate: up to 6 months in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry.
Prepared filling storage: refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
Prep time is an estimate based on measuring and mixing the ingredients.
this is very good!! i forgot one time that i didnt have bread so i put it on egg noodles and everyone loved it!!!