These turkey sloppy joes (I also like to call them turkey sloppy janes), are a fun, nutritious take on one of my favorite childhood recipes! I create the base with ground turkey and sneaky vegetables. Then, instead of adding ketchup, I flavor the meat mixture with a homemade sloppy joe sauce infused with BBQ flavor.
I love to serve them on brioche buns and an optional slaw for a satisfying crunch. However, they taste just as yummy plain without the slaw. With minimal prep time and a total time of just 30 minutes, these ground turkey sloppy joes are an easy weeknight meal for the whole family. The kids always ask for seconds and don’t even realize they’re eating their veggies!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these sloppy janes today.
For the Sloppy Joes:
- Oil – I recommend using avocado oil or olive oil
- Ground turkey – you can also substitute ground chicken
- Yellow onion – white onion also works well here
- Bell pepper – use yellow, red, orange, or green bell pepper
- Carrot – for the best taste and texture, use whole carrots, shred the skin, and dice them into small pieces
- Garlic – for the best flavor, use whole garlic cloves instead of pre-minced varieties
- Tomato paste – be sure to use tomato paste, not tomato sauce. This forms the base of the sauce, adding a rich tomato flavor and helping caramelize the veggies, enhancing their naturally sweet taste
- Broth – beef broth or chicken broth works well. Or, substitute water if preferred
- Coconut aminos – also called coconut liquid aminos, this ingredient has a similar savory taste to soy sauce but is slightly milder and sweeter
- Brown sugar
- Mustard – I like to use Dijon mustard for a bit of extra tang, but regular yellow mustard also works
- Apple cider vinegar – may sub white vinegar
- Fine salt
- Smoked paprika
- Black pepper
For the Optional Slaw:
- Shredded coleslaw mix – to save time, I buy pre-shredded coleslaw mix from the grocery store. Broccoli slaw will also work
- Mayonnaise – I like Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayonnaise
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey – may sub maple syrup
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Highlight: Coconut Aminos
While you can use soy sauce or tamari for the dressing, I much prefer coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are a dark, thin sauce made from the sap or nectar of a coconut palm tree, and they:
- Contain 70 percent less sodium than traditional soy sauce
- Are a source of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins
- Do not contain MSG, chemical preservatives, added sugar, “natural” flavorings, or added colors
- Are soy-free, gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and vegan.
- Rank lower on the glycemic index than many other condiments
Making Sloppy Janes, Step By Step
- Sauté the turkey, onions, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic in oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the turkey is no longer pink and the veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Combine the remaining sloppy joe sauce ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet, and stir to combine.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer, and continue to cook until the sauce is thickened.
- If preparing the slaw, add all the ingredients to a medium bowl, and toss to combine.
Toast the Buns
My secret to preventing the hamburger buns from becoming soggy is to toast them before serving. Place the open buns, cut side down, directly on the grill or cut side up under the broiler, and toast until golden.
You can also butter the buns, and toast them in a skillet. Or, arrange them cut side up on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for three to four minutes. Just be careful not to let them burn. You’re looking for a light nice golden brown!
Read One Of Our 5-Star Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This was so so good!! I usually really don’t like ground turkey, let alone super lean ground turkey, but this was phenomenal. So easy to make, the sloppy joes were delicious, and everything went so well together. Thanks so much!”
Reader Vikki
How To Store
Store any leftover sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Transfer the slaw to a separate airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days. Give it a good stir to redistribute the ingredients before serving.
You can also freeze the meat mixture for up to 4 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to eat.
Variations To Try
Feel free to experiment with this homemade turkey sloppy joe recipe to make it your own! Some of my favorite ways to switch it up include:
- Using lean ground beef in place of turkey
- Serving it over baked potatoes instead of buns
- Adding even more veggies like zucchini or mushrooms
- Incorporate diced jalapeños for extra heat
- Add Worcestershire sauce for extra depth and a subtle smokey taste
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Turkey Sloppy Joes
One of our go-to recipes for easy meal prep, these sloppy joes are made with ground turkey and an easy sauce. We like to call them sloppy janes and serve them in buns or over baked potatoes with the optional slaw.
Ingredients
For the Sloppy Joes:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small (¾ cup)
- 1 small bell pepper, any color, diced small (¾ cup)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced very small or shredded (½ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- ¾ cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth (may sub water)
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- ½–1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Optional Slaw:
- 2 cups shredded coleslaw mix
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure honey
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional for serving: brioche buns, sliced red onion, sliced pickles
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the ground turkey, onions, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic.
- Break up the turkey and cook for about 10 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomato paste, broth, coconut aminos, dijon, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir or whisk until smooth.
- Pour the sloppy joes sauce into the skillet and stir until combined. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Notes: sauce will thicken even more as it cools.
- Serve in a bun, or however you would like, and top with your favorite sloppy joe toppings like pickles, red onion (or pickled onions), banana peppers, slaw, or jalapeno slices.
For the optional slaw:
- In a medium bowl, add the coleslaw, mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine well.
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Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2/3 cup turkey mixture (without slaw or bun)
- Calories: 188
- Fat: 8 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 438 mg
- Carbohydrate: 12 g
- (Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 7 g)
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
Dietary
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven’t tested it with this recipe, but it should work. You’ll want to cook the turkey, onions, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic in a skillet. Then, add it to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low until the sauce thickens. Or, you can make our slow cooker chicken sloppy joe sliders instead!
Personally, I love the milder flavor of turkey when making sloppy joes, because it allows the flavor of the sauce to shine through. In addition, some people prefer turkey over beef, because it’s lower in saturated fat and higher in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fat.
No, the nutrition card above reflects only a serving of the sloppy joe meat without the bun or optional coleslaw. A serving of the sloppy joe meat (2/3 cup) on a Trader Joe’s whole wheat hamburger bun is:
347 calories, 10 g total fat (2 g sat fat), 728 mg sodium, 40 g carb (8 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 22 g protein, 56 mg cholesterol.
The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Do you use tomato sauce or paste? The recipe says sauce but the instructions say paste.
Hi Jessica,
I’m sorry about that, I used tomato paste. Not sure why I wrote ‘sauce’ since tomato paste is my go-to (my dad taught me that you can always add more water to make it sauce – so it’s like getting 2 in 1 😉 )
This was so so good!! I usually really don’t like ground turkey, let alone super lean ground turkey, but this was phenomenal. So easy to make, the sloppy joes were delicious, and everything went so well together. Thanks so much!
I have been making this for myself regularly and LOVE it, but I recently made it for my whole family over Memorial Day weekend and they loved it too! It brought back memories of us eating it as kids, but this version is healthier and tastier.
Thank you for sharing this sweet feedback with us! We appreciate the 5-star review!
Very tasty! Ease of making! The measurements for size of vegetables are wonderful so next time the taste should be the same. Served in pita pockets as a alternate. I would recommend a topper (slaw, cheese, pickel, olives etc.) even though adds to calories.
Will definitely make again even with alternative meats.
Great Ginny! Yes, the options are endless with these and toppings!
Loved this, lots of flavor — and it’s also sooo good cold the next day. Really appreciate the measurements for the onion, red pepper and carrot, rather than 1 small this, 1 medium that. Look forward to making it again.
Perfect Kim!