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The Best Homemade Big Mac Sloppy Joes with Copycat Special Sauce

A towering big mac sloppy joes sandwich featuring saucy meat, melted cheese, shredded lettuce, and pickles on a sesame seed bun.
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Make this fast-food inspired dinner at home. This recipe combines seasoned ground beef with a tangy homemade special sauce, served on sesame seed buns with classic toppings for a quick, family-friendly meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish (for sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (for sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar (for sauce)
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 8 sesame seed hamburger buns
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup dill pickle slices
  • 8 slices American cheese

Instructions

  1. Make the Special Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of sweet pickle relish, 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, and paprika. Mix well until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
  2. Brown the Beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and chopped onion until the beef is fully browned and the onion is soft. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Simmer the Sloppy Joe Base: To the skillet, add the water, 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish, 1/4 cup yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to combine.
  4. Cook the Mixture: Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let it cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
  5. Toast the Buns: Lightly toast the cut sides of the sesame seed buns.
  6. Assemble the Sandwiches: For each serving, place a bottom bun on a plate. Top with a slice of American cheese. Spoon a generous amount of the beef mixture over the cheese. Top the beef with shredded lettuce, pickle slices, and a drizzle of the reserved Special Sauce. Place the top bun on the sandwich.
  7. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For an extra authentic flavor, lightly toast the buns in a dry pan until golden brown.
  • You can substitute cheddar cheese for American cheese, but American melts best for this recipe.
  • This recipe makes enough beef mixture for 8 sandwiches, but you can use 4 standard hamburger buns if you prefer larger portions.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://juliameal.com/big-mac-sloppy-joes-recipe-special-sauce/