Chris Gesualdi’s Sloppy Joes

Recipe from TriBakery

Adapted by Andrea Strong

Updated March 18, 2025

Chris Gesualdi’s Sloppy Joes — Rikki Snyder for The New York Times

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Rating: 4(931)
Comments: Read comments

Some foods are memory triggers, meals that send you back to long-forgotten moments in your life. The sloppy Joe sandwich is one such time machine.

This version is an adaptation of one developed by Chris Gesualdi, the chef at TriBakery in Manhattan. It's a tribute to the one his mother, Rose, used to make for him as a child, and it is perfect: a sweet and spicy hill of thick sautéed ground beef spilling out of a toasted homemade kaiser roll. He tops his with melted cheddar, and that can't be a bad thing. All in all, it is a terrific antidote to adulthood. —Andrea Strong

Featured in: An Ode to Sloppy Joe, a Delicious Mess

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

2tablespoons olive oil
1cup finely diced onion
1teaspoon minced garlic
2pounds lean ground beef
1cup tomato paste
2¾cups tomato puree
½teaspoon chili powder
½teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1teaspoon pureed canned chipotle in adobo
1bay leaf
12kaiser rolls or hamburger buns
12slices cheddar cheese (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil, and saute onions until translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 30 seconds. Add ground beef, and saute until well browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 2
Add tomato paste, tomato puree, chili powder, Tabasco, chipotle and bay leaf. Stir until blended. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread on a sandwich, about 45 minutes.
Step 3
To serve, heat a broiler. Slice the rolls open and place them under the broiler until lightly toasted, turning as necessary. Ladle about ½ cup onto the bottom of each roll, and top with cheddar cheese to taste. Return bottom halves to the broiler until cheese just melts. Top with the remaining halves, and serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

931 user ratings

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Comments

Thomas7 years ago

Can someone confirm the amount of tomato paste? 1 cup seems like an awful lot!

Gayle7 years ago

I'm not as ambitious or genius as Bonnie - I just put the remaining canned chipotle in adobo as is in a small container and freeze. Pull it out a half hour or so before I need it for another recipe and scoop out what I need. Refreeze the rest. Food safety purists probably cringe and shudder at that. But I've been doing it for years and we're all still alive.

Clint7 years ago

I would also add a tablespoon or do of Worcestershire sauce to the mix to jazz up the flavor a bit.

Eric S1 year ago

This recipe definitely needs some help. I added chipotle powder, paprika, curry powder, onion powder, and a couple tablespoons of good steak sauce (pat lafrieda if you live in NY/NJ area). Also do not need to brown the chop meat for nearly as long as indicated. Also can shorten the simmer time significantly.

Anthony S.2 years ago

I should have added chopped-up bell peppers. I didn't get the flavor out of it that I hoped for.

Abby2 years ago

Definitely needs to be jazzed up with Wooster sauce and brown sugar. I skipped the tomato purée and did 12 oz paste just because that was the next available size can.

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