Delicious Turkey Sloppy Joes with lean ground turkey and simple healthy sauce made in one skillet. It’s great over buns or potatoes, and kids and adults will love it!
Why You’ll Love My Turkey Sloppy Joes
I didn’t grow up with sloppy joes, but it didn’t take me long to figure them out. I tested this turkey sloppy joe recipe 3 times and based the sauce on my ground turkey tacos, which hit the the right mix of tangy, savory, and sweet.
It’s a healthy dinner win, especially on busy nights, which for us means hockey practice nights. If I have time, I’ll toast the buns and serve healthy coleslaw on the side. But on hectic nights, I just double the recipe because with boys, it’s all about quantity, and these fill their bellies fast.
Actually, sloppy joes with ground turkey are called sloppy janes, who knew?!
No matter what you call them, healthy sloppy joes are easy to make, packed with lean protein and veggies, customizable to your taste, and kid approved! What not to love?!
Ingredients for Turkey Sloppy Joes
I kept this recipe healthy, saucy, and flavorful, using only simple kitchen staples and no packaged ingredients.
- Ground turkey: I love to use 93% lean ground turkey or ground chicken because it’s light but still packed with protein. If you want to keep it classic, you can use ground beef.
- Veggies: Finely chopped onion and green bell pepper get mixed right into the sauce. I like to use more bitter green pepper but you can use any color, or even toss in other vegetables. See below for ideas.
- Oil: You’ll need a bit of oil to saute the veggies and cook the meat. I usually go with olive oil or avocado oil.
- Homemade sauce: I made a delicious sauce by combining tomato sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, a touch of brown sugar, white vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. You can swap in gluten-free liquid aminos for soy sauce, and use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
- For serving: Hamburger buns, toasted if you have time. I like to add sliced onion, pickles, and jalapenos, but those are totally optional.
How to Make Turkey Sloppy Joes
These sandwiches come together fast and make a tasty 30 minute meal that keeps things simple and the kitchen cool.
- Saute the vegetables: Add the diced peppers and onion to a skillet with oil and cook over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and let them soften and become fragrant before adding in the meat.
- Cook the turkey: Add the lean ground turkey to the skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. It should be fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
- Make the sauce: Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and mix well. Cover with a lid and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Once it’s done, turn off the heat and give everything a final stir.
- Serve: Spoon the sloppy joe filling onto hamburger buns, pile on your favorite toppings, and grab some napkins. Serve with coleslaw or a side dish of your choice.
Tips for Best Results
Here are a few tips for making the best ground turkey sloppy joes!
- Don’t reduce sauce too much: If the sauce cooks down too much it can become too thick or dry. Sloppy joes are meant to be saucy.
- Adjust consistency: If it’s too thick, add a splash of water and let it simmer until it loosens up. To thicken, simply let it simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. You’re aiming for a thick, scoopable consistency that’s juicy but won’t run off the bun.
- To avoid soggy buns: Toast them cut side up under the broiler or cut side down on the grill. And don’t assemble your buns until everyone’s ready to eat.
- Make ahead tip: Leave the mixture a bit more wet than you normally would. That way it will not dry out when you reheat.
Variations
- More veggies: Finely chopped or grated carrots, celery, zucchini, or mushrooms will blend right into the sauce without making it chunky.
- Store-bought BBQ sauce: If I’m really short on time, I use lighter store-bought BBQ sauce like Stubbs or my healthy BBQ sauce and then omit tomato sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and all the spices.
- Classic beef: Swap the turkey for ground beef to keep it traditional.
- Cheesy sloppy joes: Stir in shredded cheddar or melt cheese on top before serving.
- Rich and savory: Add 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce for a deeper flavor.
Serving Ideas
We like our sloppy joes on whole wheat buns with red onion, pickles, and jalapenos, plus a side of coleslaw. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of coleslaw right in the sandwich.
You can skip the bread and serve over baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, or rice. It also works great mixed into healthy mac and cheese. And if you want a low-carb option, there’s always lettuce wraps, bell pepper halves, or cauliflower rice.
As for sides, we’re fans of simple favorites like corn on the cob, baked beans, corn bread muffins, or a handful of potato chips.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Put any leftover sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Next time you make this, double the meat and sauce and freeze the extras for later. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, just thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Simmer the mixture on low heat in the skillet, adding a splash of water if needed to reach the right consistency. Or, just microwave it until heated through.
More Family Dinner Recipes to Try
Also be sure to browse all of my turkey recipes.
Turkey Sloppy Joes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil, for frying
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 14 ounces can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, liquid aminos (gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For Serving:
- 6 hamburger buns, sliced in half and toasted, if desired
- Sliced onions, pickles, jalapenos, optional
Instructions
- Preheat large skillet on medium-high heat and swirl oil to coat. Add onion and green bell pepper. Saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add ground turkey and cook for another 5 minutes, constantly breaking into small pieces and stirring.
- Add tomato sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir, cover with lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and give it a final stir.
- Spoon meat onto hamburger buns, add toppings (if desired) and serve with a side of coleslaw.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate meat mixture in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat by simmering on low heat in the skillet on the stove (might have to add a splash of water) or in a microwave until warmed through.
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
