Turkey Sloppy Joes
This turkey sloppy joes recipe offers a savory, saucy, and slightly sweet twist on the classic made with lean ground turkey and a rich tomato-based sauce. It’s a quick and easy dinner option that the whole family will love.
Table of Contents
Ground turkey can be drier and less flavorful than beef, so to counteract that, this recipe provides enough moisture with the sauce and seasonings to keep the mixture juicy and delicious. The result is a hearty, flavorful filling for sandwiches that’s lighter than the traditional beef version.
Love homemade sandwiches? Then try these homemade sloppy joes, or if you’re in the mood for something different, give these crockpot shredded chicken sandwiches a go. They’re all about taking classic flavors and making them even more delicious!
Another grandma gem. I just picture her cutting recipes like this out of the paper, gluing them to an index card, and saving them for me to find decades later. I love a good sloppy joe, and I can usually find ground turkey on clearance at the grocery store. This makes a quick and easy weeknight meal for my family.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Despite its simplicity, this dish is packed with the savory, sweet, and tangy flavors that we all love in a good sloppy joe.
- I think this recipe is a lifesaver on busy nights. I can easily make a big batch ahead of time and simply reheat it when we’re ready to eat.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ground Turkey: This lean protein is the star of our dish, bringing a delicious, meaty flavor to the sloppy joes. You can use any type of ground meat for this recipe, including beef, chicken, or even venison.
- Onion, Celery, and Green Pepper: Diced veggies adds a savory, slightly sweet flavor and a bit of texture to the dish. If your kids don’t like the texture of the vegetables, simmer longer until they are soft enough that they won’t notice them.
- Tomato Soup: This is the base of our sauce, providing a rich, creamy tomato flavor that ties everything together.
- Ketchup: It adds a touch of sweetness and a tangy kick to the sloppy joes.
- Brown Sugar: It enhances the natural sweetness of the ketchup and helps to balance out the flavors of the dish. If you find that the sauce is too vinegary, then add more brown sugar.
- Mustard: It adds a tangy, slightly spicy flavor that cuts through the richness of the other ingredients. If you find the sauce is too sweet for your liking, balance it with more mustard
- Ground Pepper: A pinch of ground pepper adds a bit of heat and a depth of flavor to the dish.
How to Make Turkey Sloppy Joes
Preparation
To start off, I coat my large stockpot with cooking oil or spray. This will prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pot as you cook them.
Step 1 – Cook the Turkey and Veggies
Next, I combine the ground turkey, onion, celery, and green pepper in the stockpot. I cook these ingredients over medium heat until the turkey is fully cooked and the onion is translucent. Once cooked, I drain any grease.
Step 2 – Add the Sauce and Seasonings
I add the tomato soup, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and ground pepper to the turkey mixture. Stirring everything together.
Step 3 – Simmer the Mixture
I nring the mixture to a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Making sure to stir often so that the sugars don’t burn at the bottom of the pan.
Step 4 – Serve
After 15 minutes, my turkey sloppy joes are ready to serve. I serve the mixture on buns and enjoy this hearty, classic meal with my family.
Slow Cooker Instructions
If you want to make it a few hours in advance, you can make the recipe as directed. Then add your hot, freshly made sloppy joe to a slow cooker and continue to cook it on low for four hours. Alternatively, you can store the cooled mixture in the refrigerator and warm it when ready to serve.
Lynette’s Tip
To let the flavors of your turkey sloppy joes really come together, consider making it a day ahead. Allowing the dish to sit overnight in the refrigerator will intensify the flavors, making it even more delicious when you’re ready to reheat and serve.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using ground turkey with a slightly higher fat content, such as 85%. This will help keep the meat juicy and flavorful. However, you can also use leaner ground turkey if you prefer.
Yes, if you’re not a fan of turkey, you can easily substitute it with ground chicken, ground beef, or even ground venison. The cooking time may vary depending on the type of meat you use.
No, for this recipe, you should use the tomato soup as is, without diluting it. The soup adds a rich, tomato flavor to the sloppy joe mixture.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container. They’ll keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freezing: If you’ve made a big batch and want to save some for later, it’s freezer-friendly too. Once they have cooled, you can store the mixture in a freezer-safe container. They will keep well in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen sloppy joes, simply let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: Reheat the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
More Turkey Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Turkey Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey I used 85% fat.
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 celery sticks diced
- ¼ Cup green pepper diced
- 10.75 oz tomato soup undiluted
- ½ Cup ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Coat a medium stockpot with your favorite cooking oil or spray.
- In the stockpot, combine the ground turkey, onion, celery and green pepper. Cook over medium heat until the turkey is completely cooked and the onion is translucent. Drain any grease.
- Add to the turkey mixture, the tomato soup, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and ground pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Make sure to stir often to avoid the sugars in the sauce from burning at the bottom of the pan.
- Turn the heat off and scoop the filling onto buns to serve.
Notes
My Favorite Variations
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- Adjust the Flavors: If you find the sauce is too sweet for your liking, balance it with more mustard. If you find that it’s too vinegary, then add more brown sugar. Make it your own!
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- Cook Veggies Longer: If your kids don’t like the texture of the vegetables, simmer longer until they are soft enough that they won’t notice them.
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- Different Meat: You can use any type of ground meat for this recipe, including beef, chicken, or even venison. Just follow the recipe as directed, and you’ll have a delicious, family-friendly meal.
