This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.

Hawaiian Sloppy Joes are an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will LOVE! Classic ground beef sloppy joes with a Hawaiian spin and smothered in a sweet & tangy sauce. Serve inside Hawaiian hamburger buns and you have a delicious dinner with sweet island flavors. 

If you’re a sloppy Joe fan then you must also try these sloppy joe favorites – BBQ Turkey Sloppy JoesGumbo Soup Sloppy JoesFrito Pie Sloppy Joes, and Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes.

A sloppy Joe inside a bun with pineapple on the side

Delicious & Easy Hawaiian Sloppy Joes Recipe

You are going to love this sweet island twist to a classic tangy sloppy joe! Ground beef simmers in a semi-homemade sweet Hawaiian barbecue sauce made with crushed pineapple, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce for a BIG flavor explosion. 

The sweet & savory flavors pair perfectly with each other – with chunks of sweet pineapple, fresh veggies, and an incredible thick and sweet sauce that smothers everything. The simmer time is really important because it caramelizes the sugars and really enhances the flavors and thickens the sloppy Joe meat, so make sure you don’t skimp on that!

These sloppy joes are on the sweeter side (which I think you are going to love) but of course, add some spice if that’s your thing, and be sure to serve the sloppy joes inside sweet Hawaiian buns for the best taste. 

Open faced sloppy how with a pineapple ring on it.

Simple Ingredients Needed

  1. Ground Beef : To avoid excess grease in the sloppy Joe mixture I reccomend using a lean ground beef. I use 93/7 or 90/10 lean ground beef. But of course, if you want the flavor then use a fattier ground beef such as 85/15 or 80/20. 
  2. Sweet Onion : One small sweet onion is what you’ll need for this recipe. 
  3. Red Bell Pepper
  4. Crushed Pineapple : Use a colander to make sure this is lightly drained before adding it into the skillet pan. 
  5. Ketchup
  6. Light Brown Sugar : Adds some sweetness and helps the ground beef mixture caramelize while cooking. 
  7. Soy Sauce : I use low-sodium soy sauce but regular soy sauce can also be used if that’s what you prefer. 
  8. Worcestershire Sauce
  9. Garlic Powder
  10. Kosher Salt
  11. Black Pepper
Ingredients

How To Make Hawaiian Sloppy Joes (Printable Recipe Card)

In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef, sweet onion, and red bell pepper until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat from the pan. 

Add in the crushed pineapple, ketchup, light brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.

process images

Bring the mixture to a simmer, once simmering (very light boil), reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened. Stir occasionally during the simmer time. 

process images

Serve the Hawaiian sloppy Joe mixture onto hamburger buns and enjoy!

process images

What Do I Serve With Hawaiian Sloppy Joes?

I always love making this Hawaiian Mac Salad when I make these sloppy joes for dinner. Other great options are coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, sweet potato fries (frozen from the store or make your own), or grill some fresh pineapple. 

If you want toppings for the sloppy joes then try serving some green leaf lettuce, drained and patted dry pineapple ring, and/or sliced red onion. My family actually loves putting plain potato chips on sloppy joes! I promise it’s so good and you could use Lay’s classic potato chips or find some Hawaiian style kettle chips. 

Sloppy Joe meat on a bun with a pineapple on top, sitting on a white plate.

Can I Make Any Changes To The Recipe?

  • Spice – These sloppy joes are on the sweeter side so add some spicy elements if you’re wanting more balance; cayenne pepper, red pepper chili flakes, and/or hot sauce are all great options. You could also top the sloppy Joe with some sliced jalapeños. 
  • Buns – I always recommend toasting the buns when making any sloppy Joe. The toasted bun helps the sloppy Joe mixture not seep into the bread which in turn can make the bread soggy. Separate the buns and place them onto a baking sheet. Butter each bun and then broil in the oven for a few minutes. Watch it carefully because they will burn fairly quickly if left unattended. 
  • Soy Sauce – I use low-sodium soy sauce but regular salted soy sauce also works just fine. It just depends on how much salt flavor/umami flavor you want. 
  • Additions – Add a splash of pineapple juice and/or teriyaki sauce to enhance the Hawaiian flavors of the dish. 
  • Bell Pepper – Although I prefer the red bell pepper in this recipe, you can substitute with a green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, or an orange bell pepper if wanted. 
Close up of the sloppy Joe meat

Recipe FAQ’s

Can I Use Ground Turkey Instead of Ground Beef In Sloppy Joes?

Yes! Using ground turkey instead of ground beef is a great way to reduce the fat content and make them slightly healthier. 

What Buns Do I Serve Hawaiian Sloppy Joes On?

I love buying some Hawaiian hamburger buns, Hawaiian rolls, or Hawaiian roll sliders buns from the grocery store. I love the sweetness of the Hawaiian bun paired with the sweet and savory sloppy Joe filling inside. You could also use traditional hamburger buns or sesame seeds buns. 

Can I Make This Ahead of Time?

Yes you can make it ahead of time. Make it according to the recipe and then place the sloppy Joe filling into a slow cooker (preferably with a slow cooker inside of it) and put it on WARM for up to 2-3 hours. Give it a good stir before serving. If the warm setting is not warm enough then you may have to turn it to LOW heat. The sloppy Joe sauce will thicken up the more it’s over heat so watch it carefully if keeping it warmed in the slow cooker. 

You can also make it ahead of time and let it cool to room temperature. Store inside an airtight container and reheat when ready to serve dinner. You an reheat in the microwave or on the stove top over medium heat. 

Can I Make It Spicy?

These Hawaiian sloppy joes are on the sweeter side so if you want more of a kick then I definitely recommend adding some hot sauce or red pepper chili flakes with the other ingredients. 

Open faced sloppy joe

Try These Other Hawaiian-Inspired Recipes

A sloppy Joe inside a bun with pineapple on the side
Together As Family Logo

Hawaiian Sloppy Joes


Author Jessica – Together as Family
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Hawaiian Sloppy Joes are an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will LOVE! Classic ground beef sloppy joes with a Hawaiian spin and smothered in a sweet & tangy sauce. Serve inside Hawaiian hamburger buns and you have a delicious dinner with sweet island flavors. 

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
  • 1 small sweet onion finely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper finely chopped
  • 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple (lightly drained)
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • hamburger buns for serving

Instructions

  • In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef, sweet onion, and red bell pepper until the ground beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened. Drain any excess fat from the pan. 
    1 pound lean ground beef, 1 small sweet onion, 1 small red bell pepper
  • Add in the crushed pineapple, ketchup, light brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
    1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, 1 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer, once simmering (very light boil), reduce the heat to medium-low and allow it to simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
    *Stir occasionally during the simmer time.
  • Use a slotted serving spoon to serve the sloppy Joe mixture onto toasted hamburger buns. I use Hawaiian hamburger buns for added sweetness!
    hamburger buns for serving

Notes

Onion + Bell Pepper : If they are larger only use half of it for the recipe. 
Serving : I always recommend toasting the buns for sloppy joes. Separate the buns and place them on a baking sheet. Spread softened butter on both buns (or spray with cooking spray) and then BROIL on LOW heat for several minutes. Watch carefully cause they will burn quickly. You can serve the sloppy joes with pineapple rings, green leaf lettuce, sliced red onion if wanted. Or, my family loves sloppy joes with plain classic potato chips inside. The crunch is so good! I like buying some sweeter Hawaiian hamburger buns for this recipe but plain Hamburger buns or sesame seeds also work well. 
Simmer Time : Don’t skip this! The simmer time allows the flavors to blend, the sugars to caramelize, and the sauce to thicken. Simmer the sloppy joe mixture uncovered and stir occasionally. 
Nutrition Information : Amounts is listed is for 6 sloppy joes and it includes a traditional hamburger bun. Depending on what ground beef and what buns are used, the nutrition information will vary greatly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 1462mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 5mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!

Did you love this recipe?

Make sure to comment below so we can chat about it! Or follow on your favorite social network for even more family recipes.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating