April 19, 2022

The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes

A healthy and satisfying mixture of lean ground turkey, beans, veggies, tomato sauce, molasses, spices, and pickled jalapenos. So much flavor, meaty, and truly The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes!

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I grew up eating classic Manwich sloppy joes. This was an easy and inexpensive meal for my mom to put together and we always enjoyed it. As I started my own family, I wanted to aim for something slightly healthier, yet still delicious.

More than 10 years ago I was inspired by a sloppy joe recipe on the Food Network show, and I’ve been making a version of that ever since. The meat mixture included beans, which I had never had in sloppy joes, plus, all kinds of great spices.

This Homemade Sloppy Joes has just the right amount of tang from the pickled jalapenos and vinegar, and sweetness from the rich molasses. I also like that’s it’s not runny or soupy. It’s perfectly saucy, yet still has a thick consistency that holds up well on buns.

My Homemade Sloppy Joe recipe has a lengthily ingredients list but don’t let that intimidate you. Most people have these easy pantry staples on hand. Trust me when I say, it’s worth the little effort to pull out these extra items for excellent Sloppy Joes.

The great thing about Sloppy Joes is it can be used in other ways than in between two buns. We love to use this recipe for tacos, in lettuce cups for a lower-carb option, mixed with penne pasta and mozzarella cheese, and over simple brown or white rice! Or use the leftovers to create another meal using one of these options! So many ways to serve it.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

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Let’s eat!🤍

The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes

A healthy and satisfying mixture of lean ground turkey, kidney beans, veggies, tomato sauce, molasses, spices, and pickled jalapenos. So much flavor, meaty, and truly The Best Homemade Sloppy Joes!

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 483kcal

Equipment

1 large skillet

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean ground turkey or beef
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 cup or 1 small red bell pepper diced small
2 tbsp pickled jalapenos chopped fine
1 15.5 oz can low sodium red kidney or pinto beans, drained and risnsed
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp worcestershire
1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard or dried mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 large buns of choice

Instructions

Heat a large skillet to medium heat with olive oil. Add ground turkey. Cook and crumble until no longer pink, about 10-12 minutes. Do not drain the excess liquid unless there is a lot of grease.
Add onions, garlic, and red peppers. Cook 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes stiring often. Mixture will be thick. Taste for seasoning.
Scoop meat mixture over buns and serve!

Notes

Tips:

Meat- Lean ground turkey, chicken, or beef work well for this recipe.

Toasting buns- You can pop the buns in the toaster or under the broiler for a few minutes to toast the buns. For a real treat, spread a little mayo on the inside of both bun halves, and place in hot non-stick skillet until deep golden brown. So good!

Add Cheese- For a cheesy top, add shredded mozzarella or a slice of provolone just before you add the top bun. Yum!

Other ways to use Sloppy Joes-

Tacos
Lettuce cups for a lower-carb option
Mixed with penne pasta and mozzarella cheese
Over brown or white rice

Or use the leftovers to create another meal using one of the options above!

Calories include 1/4 of meat mixture and 1 whole wheat bun.

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal

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