Weeknight dinners don’t get much easier and tastier than a classic sloppy Joe, and these Turkey Sloppy Joes are no exception. Made with simple ingredients and ready to serve in 30 minutes, these ground turkey sloppy joes are the perfect simple meal!
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What’s in This Turkey Sloppy Joe Recipe?
If you are trying to cut down on your red meat intake, this turkey sloppy joes sandwich is an excellent alternative for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Made with just 5 ingredients, it all comes together in the skillet in minutes– perfect when you are short on time after a busy day!
- Turkey: Ground turkey makes this dish healthier than traditional sloppy joes.
- Onion: Creates a sweet and earthy base of flavor. White, yellow, sweet, or Vidalia all work for this recipe, but avoid red onion.
- Ketchup: Adds a touch of acidity and sweetness. We used Heinz Simply Ketchup, but any brand will work.
- Mustard: Adds a bit of tang! We like classic yellow mustard, but feel free to try out different kinds for a different flavor profile.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a savory, salty, and umami flavor to the meat that mimics ground beef.
- Hamburger Buns: We like sesame seed buns. Try our homemade hamburger buns recipe if you’re feeling fancy.
Variations on Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes
This turkey sloppy joe recipe is easy to adapt to any taste! We think it has a great balance of sweet and savory flavors, but for a more savory flavor profile, swap the ketchup for tomato paste and add a splash of red wine vinegar. For a sweeter option, add some brown sugar!
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How to Store and Reheat
These turkey sloppy joes are super quick and easy to make, but if you like you can make a bigger batch to enjoy later in the week. Let the turkey cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated on the stovetop.
How to Freeze
Let the turkey sloppy joe meat cool and place it in Ziplock bags to freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop.
Serving Suggestions
We like to serve these turkey sloppy joes with a few zingy pickles or some pickle relish. The meat is also great by itself, without the buns. Serve it over some egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Yum!
Notes from the Test Kitchen
Turkey is a great healthy alternative to beef. It’s lower in fat and calories but still high in protein, and it has such a great flavor when combined with the sloppy joe sauce!
Turkey Sloppy Joes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ onion chopped
- 1 cup ketchup we used Heinz Simply Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- In a skillet set over medium heat, brown the ground turkey and chopped onions.1 pound ground turkey, ½ onion
- Once the meat is brown and no longer pink and the onions are tender, add the ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well.1 cup ketchup, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Turn the stove down to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. As it simmers, it will thicken and allow the flavors to meld together.
- Get your favorite bun toast it or don’t, and fill it up with the delicious sloppy Joe meat and enjoy!4 hamburger buns
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- When cooking ground turkey, there won’t be much if any grease to drain.
- For a sweeter filling, add some sugar to the ketchup mixture; however, we don’t feel this is necessary.
- We like to serve these with toasted sesame seed buns!
Nutrition Information
Easy and delicious recipe! Both my kids and the adults in my house always say it is delicious. I like to add chopped garlic for a little bit of a different flavor profile :)
This recipe is delicious and easy!
Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth!