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side view of sloppy joe on bun with chips on white plate
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5 from 2 votes

Old-Fashioned Best Ever Sloppy Joes

Get ready to sink your teeth into these mouthwatering Sloppy Joes! Packed with flavorful ground turkey or beef, tangy tomato paste, and a touch of heat, this easy-to-make recipe is a crowd-pleasing favorite that will leave you wanting seconds (and maybe even thirds!).
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Marie

Ingredients

For the Meat Mixture

  • 1 pound ground turkey or beef
  • 1/2 large onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup green or red bell peppers finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery finely chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves smashed and minced

For the Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 can tomato paste (6 ounce can)
  • 2 tbsp water or more depending on consistency at final step
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce or more (optional); may also use Sriracha
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper

Instructions

To Make the Sauce

  • Add all sauce ingredients (Worcestershire, brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, water, salt, tabasco [if using[, and black pepper) to a small pot and simmer over low heat while you prepare the meat.

To Make the Meat

  • In a large skillet or pot that has been coated with cooking spray or a tablespoon or so of oil, cook the ground turkey or beef over medium heat until browned. Break it up a bit (but not too much, leave some small chunks) with a spoon or spatula while cooking. Drain any excess fat if necessary and remove the meat from the pan. You can either pour off the excess fat or drain in a colander depending on dietary preferences.
  • To the now empty pot/skillet, add the chopped onion, celery, peppers, and minced garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables becomes translucent and fragrant.
  • Add the meat back to pan with the sautéed vegetables and then add the sauce mixture that has been simmering and cook everything for another 3 or 4 minutes until heated through. If the mixture seems too dry, add a few more tablespoons of water to loosen up the sauce.
  • Check seasonings, and add more salt/pepper or hot sauce if desired.
  • Spoon onto freshly baked snowflake rolls or other bakery rolls of your choice.

Notes

Nutrition facts estimate based on use of 93% lean turkey and do not include bun. 

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 779mg | Potassium: 817mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1376IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg