Make these healthy version of the classic sloppy joes in under 30 minutes with just one skillet and homemade, easy-to-make, family-friendly dinner that you can even prepare ahead of time! These incredibly delicious ground turkey sloppy joes
This Turkey Sloppy Joes recipe is a healthier twist on a classic that my family really loves. We love easy recipes, and sandwiches are always a hit—check out my Cheese Steaks and Ultimate Grilled Cheese recipes, which are two of my favorites you’ll want to have on hand!
Hey there fellow food lovers! Are you looking for a quick easy, and delicious dinner recipe that’s also healthy? Look no further than these amazing Sloppy Joes with Ground Turkey! This recipe is a fun and flavorful twist on the classic, made with simple, wholesome ingredients that are sure to please everyone at the table.
Two Great Recipes, One Delicious Dish
Today, I’m bringing you the best of both worlds by combining two fantastic Sloppy Joe recipes with ground turkey We’ll be using the delicious homemade sauce from Ambitious Kitchen and the quick and easy cooking method from The Chunky Chef to create a truly mouthwatering meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper or green bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound 94% lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup ketchup (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Ketchup)
- ¼ cup your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Stubb’s Spicy BBQ sauce, but a sweet one is great too!)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ½ cup filtered water
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, if you like spice
- For serving: 4 hamburger buns of choice
- 2-4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese (about 1/2-1 cup)
- Optional: Jalapeno slices
Instructions:
- Sauté the veggies: In a large skillet, add olive oil and place over medium heat. Add in the garlic, white onion, and bell pepper; sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Move the mixture to the sides of the pan.
- Cook the turkey: Add ground turkey to the skillet and season with salt and pepper; break up the meat and cook until browned.
- Combine the sauce ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, yellow mustard, and water.
- Add the sauce to the skillet: Pour the sauce mixture over the cooked turkey and vegetables. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer and thicken: Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve it up: Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto toasted hamburger buns. Top with shredded pepper jack cheese and jalapeno slices, if desired.
Tips and Tricks:
- Toast the buns: For an extra layer of flavor and texture, toast your hamburger buns before assembling the sloppy joes.
- Adjust the spice level: If you like things spicy, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- Get creative with toppings: Feel free to add your favorite toppings to your sloppy joes, such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, or pickled onions.
- Make it ahead of time: This recipe is perfect for meal prep! Simply cook the sloppy joe mixture and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat when you’re ready to serve.
What to do with sloppy joe meat?
First and foremost, put some on a toasted bun! Here are a few of my favorite things to do:
- Spoon some over some crispy waffle fries. Before adding the sloppy joe meat, add some cheese to the fries for extra credit!
- Add some to a grilled cheese.
- Wrap in crescent roll dough and bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cheese makes a great addition to these as well!.
- Add some on top of a burger.
How to make the best turkey sloppy joes
- Cook meat. Add the turkey, onion, and bell pepper to a skillet. Cook over MED HIGH heat, crumbling the turkey as it cooks, until the vegetables are soft and the turkey is cooked through. Drain.
- Add sauce. Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Simmer. Cook the sloppy joes over MED/MED LOW for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring frequently, or until the consistency is to your liking.
- Serve. Serve hot on toasted buns.
- Toast the buns: Toast the buns prior to beginning to prepare the sloppy joe mixture. It only takes a few minutes to toast the bun, but it makes all the difference. Simply turn the skillet’s heat up to MED HIGH/HIGH and drizzle some vegetable oil over it. Once the oil is hot, add the buns and toast them for 30 to 1 minute, or until golden brown. Once toasted, place the buns cut side up on a cooling rack.
- Consistency: Keep an eye on the sauce to prevent it from reducing excessively. An excessive amount of sauce reduction results in a dry sloppy joe mixture. While everyone has a slightly different preference, I prefer to cook mine down to reveal the meat pieces. This way, when I move my spoon through the sauce, it leaves a trace where the sauce is divided. The sauce is too liquidy if it returns to that trail right away. I prefer a few seconds before the sauce completely covers the trail, providing me with a slightly thick but saucy consistency.
- Bun type – Choose your favorite type of bun. Usually, I go for a brioche bun like I’ve done here, or a pretzel bun like I did in these Beer and Chorizo Sloppy Joes!
Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes
FAQ
Can you mix ground beef and ground turkey together?
What’s the difference between Sloppy Joes and Sloppy Jane?
What can I add to sloppy joes to make them taste better?
What’s the difference between Manwich and Sloppy Joe mix?
How to make turkey sloppy joe?
This turkey sloppy joe recipe is easy to make in a few simple steps: Start by heating the olive oil in a large skillet or pan. Sauté the onion until soft, then add the garlic and red bell peppers. Add the ground turkey and break up the meat as it cooks.
How long does it take to cook ground turkey sloppy joes?
These absolutely delicious ground turkey sloppy joes are made in one skillet and ready in less than 30 minutes! Heat a large skillet over MED HIGH/HIGH heat. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil, and once hot, add buns, cut side down. Cook for 30 seconds to a minute (this time will vary), or until golden brown on the bottoms.
How do you cook sloppy joes?
If you plan on simmering the sloppy Joes for an extended time, a cover is a good idea. Add the ground meat, chopped onions, and peppers to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat, stirring and breaking up the chunks of ground meat. I like to use a wooden spatula with a flat edge. Add sauce.
Can you cook turkey sloppy joes in a slow cooker?
These turkey Sloppy Joes make a very enjoyable lunch. Kept warm in a slow cooker, it could also work very nicely for a football party. This recipe tastes enough like a beef Sloppy Joe to provide those satisfying flavors, yet it seems much lighter. Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.