Is Manwich Gluten Free? (Plus GF Sloppy Joe Recipes)

Last Updated on July 2, 2024

Is Manwich gluten-free? What is it? Is it safe to consume on a gluten-free diet? Let’s take a closer look. You’ll find a recipe further down for delicious gluten-free sloppy joes and sloppy joe pot pie!

What Is Manwich?

Manwich is a brand name of a canned sloppy joe sauce, which you’re probably already familiar with. It brings together the words man and sandwich. It was introduced in the late ’60s by Hunt’s and ConAgra Foods. It’s essentially tomato sauce with seasoning and ground beef in a can. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for the whole family. You’ll often see it advertised as a one-pan meal.

Ingredients In Manwich

The ingredients you’ll find in the Original can of Manwich are:

• Tomato Puree
• Water
• Tomato Paste
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Distilled Vinegar
• Corn Syrup
• Salt
• Sugar
• Carrot Fiber
• Green and Red Bell Peppers
• Chili Pepper
• Guar Gum
• Spices
• Xanthan Gum
• Dried Garlic
• Natural Flavors
• Citric Acid

Is Manwich’s Sloppy Joe Sauce Gluten-Free?

One of the most common questions is, “is Hunt’s Manwich gluten-free?”. As you can see from the ingredients, some of them are a bit vague in terms of whether they may contain gluten. However, Hunt’s claims that Manwich does not contain any of the most common food allergens, that are set by the FDA. And the Gluten Free Bar states that this popular sauce is considered gluten-free within the gluten-free community.

However, this does not mean that all sloppy joe sauces are gluten-free. And whenever you purchase shop-bought sloppy joe sauce, you should always check the ingredients labels.

No Gluten

It’s important to note that there are several categories that foods are categorized under on the ConAgra website. Foods that are gluten-free, foods that contain gluten, and foods that do not contain gluten.

If a food product carries a gluten-free claim, it means that it’s been tested for gluten. However, Manwich does not make this claim – it simply does not have any gluten ingredients. This may mean that cross-contact is a risk. Cross contact is when a product may come into contact with gluten when being made, due to manufacturing methods, etc.

However, it is eaten widely among the gluten-free community with no issues and is unlikely to contain any gluten whatsoever. If you’re making sloppy joe’s for someone with celiac disease or a severe intolerance, it’s always best to check whether they’re comfortable to eat Manwich. The decision should be their own.

Usually, the gluten in a sloppy joe comes from the bread itself. So if you’re looking to make your own, be sure to substitute the bread, as that’s usually the food that contains the gluten.

As well as the original Manwich, there’s also a few other flavors that do not contain any gluten ingredients. These flavors include:

• Bold
• Bourbon BBQ
• Thick and Chunky

All flavors should be safe to enjoy on a gluten-free diet. However, always check ingredient labels, as ingredients are subject to change at any time.

You can find a full list of their Manwich range and ingredients here.

Sloppy Joe Gluten-Free Recipe

If you’re unsure whether to use Manwich for your sloppy joe, why not try making your own? It’s super easy and it’s guaranteed to be gluten-free if you know exactly what is going in to eat. This Gluten-Free Sloppy Joe recipe from Meaningful Eats is absolutely delicious.

Gluten-Free Sloppy Joe

The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 1/2lb ground beef
• 2/3 cup BBQ (ensure gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 gluten-free soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (ensure gluten-free)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• gluten-free buns

Method

You can make this dish in just a few short easy steps. All you need to do is:

1. Over medium heat, add oil and soften the onion for around 5-7 minutes
2. Once soft, add the meat and break it up. Cook for a further 10 minutes and drain the grease away
3. Stir in the remaining ingredients (BBQ sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and ground pepper) and simmer. It will take around 15 minutes to thicken
4. It’s ready to serve on your buns!

Gluten-Free Sloppy Joe Pot Pie

Another easy recipe you may like to try (this time using Manwich!) is the Gluten-Free Easy Sloppy Joe Pot Pie from Betty Crocker.  The ingredients you’ll need are:

• 1lb of ground beef
• One medium onion (chopped)
• 1 can of Manwich
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 2 slightly beaten eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup Bisquick Gluten Free Pancake and Baking Mix

This recipe is even easier than the first! All you need to do is:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray or shortening.
2. Cook the beef and onion over medium heat and drain once browned. Put back over medium heat and add the Manwich and cheese.
3. Spoon into the greased baking dish.
4. Stir together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Pour over the beef mixture.
5. Bake for around 30 minutes/when golden brown

Your sloppy joe pot pie is ready to serve – and utterly delicious!

Conclusion

I hope this post has helped to answer the question: is Manwich gluten-free? And let you know that at the next Super Bowl party, you don’t need to miss out on any sloppy joe’s – as Manwich is completely gluten-free and safe for us to consume. Or better yet, you can even make your own and serve your own homemade sloppy joe’s!