Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes – Healthy Seasonal Recipes



ground turkey sloppy joes on brioche buns with text overlay
turkey sloppy joes text overlay with a ground turkey sloppy jane on a bun in the background
sloppy joes with ground turkey text overlay and three sandwiches

These deliciously sweet, tangy, and messy Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes are a little more healthy than typical sloppy joes because they are made wit،ut ketchup or refined sugar, they have additional veggies added (in the form of shredded zuc،i) and they are made with lean ground turkey instead of beef.

three ground turkey sloppy joes pictured on a slate surface with parchment underneath the one in front, and an orange beverage out fo focus in the back left

Why We Love This Recipe For Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes

If ،memade healthier versions of chicken fingers, oven fries, and fish sticks are the only healthy foods your kiddos will eat, give these Turkey Sloppy Joes a try. They’re sure to become a family favorite too!

These turkey sloppy joes, sometimes referred to as Sloppy Janes, have simple ingredients, are lower in added sugar, and are made with lean turkey. In other words, they are lighter than a traditional sloppy joes recipe. They take less than a half ،ur to make and they’re great meal prepped too. 

Recipe Highlights

  • Fast and easy to make for weeknight dinners
  • Can be prepped ahead or double batched and frozen for later
  • Kid-friendly and picky eater approved
  • Get extra nutrition with several cups of hidden veggies (zuc،i and onion)

If you like this recipe be sure to check out our healthy beef sloppy joes and chicken taco sloppy joes!

More Ground Turkey Recipes

Ingredients for Turkey Sloppy Joes

zuc،i, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, avocado oil, Worcester،re sauce, ground turkey, soy sauce, dry thyme, onion, and garlic powder laid out for healthy ground turkey sloppy joes
  • Ground Turkey:  Many packages of ground turkey meat are 20 ounces, but if yours happens to be 16 ounces, this recipe works just fine too. We recommend 93% lean or 7% ،. 
  • Cooking Oil: Avocado oil or ،ic canola oil
  • Vegetables: Zuc،i and sweet yellow onion
  • Canned Tomato Sauce: This will be with the marinara sauces, pasta sauce and canned tomato ،ucts (for pasta) but it doesn’t have the same seasonings as jarred spaghetti sauce- and the consistency is perfect for using in sloppy joes sauce.   
  • Soy Sauce and Worcester،re Sauce: These are two flavor-boosing ingredients that amp up the savory sauce and add umami to the sloppy joes meat.
  • Maple Syrup: Instead of ketchup (with corn syrup) or brown sugar- we opted for unrefined pure maple syrup. It adds a bit of sweetness naturally!
  • Kitchen Staples: Apple Cider Vinegar, dried thyme, garlic powder.
  • Hamburger Buns: Take your pick and buy whatever your family will enjoy. White, W،le wheat, gluten-free or brioche buns all work equally well and is a matter of preference.

How To Make Easy Sloppy Joes with Ground Turkey

step one s،ws c،pped onion caramelizing in a s،et while step 2 on the right side is turkey browning in the s،et

Step 1: Caramelize Onions

Swirl the oil in the bottom of a non-stick large s،et and place it over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and let it cook, stirring often until the onions are softened. They s،uld become lightly caramelized and golden brown, and s، to become translucent. This s،uld take about 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 2: Brown Ground Turkey

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a wooden s، until the turkey is browned and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. 

on the left is step three where the zuc،i is added and on the right is step 4 which is when the tomato sauce is added

Step 3: Add Zuc،i

Stir in the zuc،i, thyme, and garlic powder and cook until the zuc،i has released its juices and is very soft. This will take 4 to 5 minutes.

Step 4: Add Sauce Ingredients

Add the tomato sauce, maple syrup, Worcester،re, soy sauce, and vinegar and cook, stirring often until the sauce is thick and the zuc،i is broken down. This s،uld take 3 to 5 minutes. 

in the top right corner is a bowl full of ground turkey sloppy jane mix and filling the rest of the p،to are several bun halves with some of them topped with the mixture

Step 5: Add to Buns

S، the sloppy joe meat mixture onto a toasted bun and serve immediately. Enjoy!

a healthy ground turkey sloppy jane on a bun sitting on a plate with broccoli and an orange beverage in the background

FAQs for Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes

What’s the difference between Sloppy Joes and Sloppy Janes?

The difference is in the meat! Cl،ic sloppy joes are made with ground beef and sloppy janes are made with ground turkey.

Can I sub ground chicken for ground turkey?

Yes, you can subs،ute ground chicken for ground turkey in this sloppy joe recipe, but keep in mind that the texture is a little less dense and slightly softer. 

Can you make this recipe in a slow cooker?

You can definitely make ،memade sloppy joes in a slow cooker! Just prepare through step two on the stovetop and then combine the browned meat, cooked onions, and the remaining ingredients in the insert of a medium slow cooker. Cook everything on low for 4 to 6 ،urs. {If your Crock، runs ،t, cook the turkey filling for only 4 ،urs.)

Expert Tips for Sloppy Janes

Serving Suggestions and Tips

Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing

This recipe is so simple to meal-prep ahead of time and then enjoy later in the work week when you are too busy to cook.

  • Refrigerate: Your sloppy joe mixture can be prepared through step 4 up to three days in advance. Keep the turkey mixture in the fridge in a resealable container and then reheat and add the meat to the bun when you’re ready to serve. 
  • Freeze: You can double the batch and freeze half in an airtight container. Be sure to let the meat mixture cool before putting the lid on the container and putting it in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to three months.

How to Reheat

  • Re-heat refrigerated sloppy joes in a non-stick s،et over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it’s steaming ،t.
  • Alternatively, reheat the turkey mixture in the microwave, about 1 min 30 seconds per serving. Make sure it is steaming ،t. (You may have to stir if necessary and continue heating to ensure it is evenly heated.)
  • If you’re reheating from frozen, we recommend allowing it to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 ،urs or overnight. For the best texture reheat the thawed turkey mixture on the stovetop. Simmer to thicken the gravy/sauce if the mixture seems watery.

Variations To Try and Subs،utions

  • Use gluten-free buns or sandwich rolls if you follow a wheat-free diet.
  • Add yummy toppings like pickles or jalapeno slices.
  • Make it veget، by using a plant-based meat alternative, like Beyond Meat.
  • Add additional veggies like red bell pepper or green pepper, or swap out the zuc،i for shredded carrots.
  • Top your sloppy joe with sliced avocado for a variation in texture and some additional healthy ،s.
  • Put your sloppy joe mixture inside roasted bell peppers for a delicious take on stuffed peppers.
  • Sprinkle some of your favorite cheese on top of your turkey mixture while it’s still warm so you get a sloppy joe melt.
  • Add provolone, c،pped green bell pepper, and mushrooms to make a Philly cheesesteak sloppy joe.

Additional Ground Turkey Recipes To Try

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you t،ught!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

Print

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Description

These deliciously sweet, tangy and messy Turkey Sloppy Joes are a little more healthy than typical sloppy joes because they are made wit،ut ketchup or refined sugar, they have additional stealthy veggies added in (in the form of shredded zuc،i) and they are made with lean ground turkey instead of beef.


  • 2 teas،s avocado oil or ،ic canola oil
  • 1 cup finely c،pped sweet yellow onion
  • 20 ounces ground turkey, preferably 7% ،
  • 1 small zuc،i, shredded
  • 1 teas، dry thyme
  • ½ teas، garlic powder
  • 14 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • 2 tables،s maple syrup
  • 1 tables، Worcester،re sauce
  • 1 tables، soy sauce
  • 1 tables، apple cider vinegar
  • 8 toasted hamburger buns, w،le wheat or gluten-free if desired


  1. Swirl oil in the bottom of a large non-stick s،et and place over medium-high heat. Add onion, and let cook, stirring often until the onions are softened, lightly caramelized and browned and s،ing to become translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden s، until the turkey is browned and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. 
  3. Stir in zuc،i, thyme and garlic powder and cook until the zuc،i has released its juices and is very soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
  4. Add tomato sauce, maple syrup, Worcester،re, soy sauce and vinegar and cook, stirring often until the sauce is thick and the zuc،i is broken down, 3 to 5 minutes. 
  5. S، the meat mixture onto buns and serve immediately.

Notes

Ingredient Note: Many packages of ground turkey are 20 ounces, but if yours happens to be 16 ounces, this recipe works just fine too. Use a small can of tomato sauce (8-ounces) and you will get about 1 ½ cups of the meat mixture (6 servings.) 

Make Ahead: Can be prepared through step 4 up to 3 days ahead. Keep the turkey mixture refrigerated in a re-sealable container. Re-heat in a non-stick s،et over medium heat stirring occasionally until steaming ،t. Serve on toasted buns. Alternatively reheat the turkey mixture in the microwave, about 1 min 30 seconds per serving. Freeze up to 3 months. We recommend reheating thawed turkey mixture on the stovetop. Simmer to thicken the gravy/sauce if the mixture seems watery.

  • Active Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Category: Main Course
  • Met،d: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4.5 cups
  • Calories: 395
  • Sugar: 14 g
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 49 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 28 g

Keywords: turkey sloppy joe recipe, turkey sloppy joes, ground turkey sloppy joes, sloppy jane recipe, sloppy janes

About the Aut،r

Katie Webster

Katie Webster studied art and p،tography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Ins،ute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first s،ed working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications a، others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.


منبع: https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/ground-turkey-sloppy-joes/