Turkey Sloppy Joes
These Turkey Sloppy Joes are a family favorite! Made with ground turkey, veggies and BBQ sauce for a sweet-spicy kick. Ready in 30 minutes and perfect for any night of the week!
Serve these turkey sloppy joes with Air Fryer Broccoli and Baked French Fries or Roasted Sweet Potatoes for an easy dinner that the whole family will love.
Turkey Sloppy Joes – Easy and Delicious!
I love making sloppy joes for dinner because they’re a quick and easy meal that I can have on our table in just 30 minutes. These turkey sloppy joes are a delicious, healthier twist on the classic recipe. They’re made with ground turkey and finely diced veggies, all coated in a sweet and savory sauce that keeps everyone going back for more.
I serve these turkey sloppy joes on toasted whole wheat burger buns, with a bit of shredded mozzarella or gouda cheese for those who want it. Honestly, the sloppy joe mixture is so flavorful you don’t even really need the cheese! Every time I make this recipe, as soon as I take my first bite I’m reminded of why I love it so much. I hope you’ll love these turkey sloppy joes as much as we do!
loved it! Only thing different is I threw in a small chopped tomato I had sitting around and used spaghetti sauce as this is what I had. Did not even use the cheese and it was still wonderful!! This ones a keeper!!
Kathy
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need. Find the full recipe with measurements below.
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the veggies.
- Red Onion: Its mild, sweet onion flavor is so good in this recipe.
- Carrot and Red Bell Pepper: I love that this recipe has some extra veggies worked into it. Chop the veggies up finely so they blend right into the meat mixture.
- Garlic: For flavor.
- Ground Turkey: I like to use 93% lean ground turkey meat. I don’t recommend using leaner than 93% or the sloppy joes could turn out a bit dry. You need a little bit of fat for flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: To season the ground turkey.
- Tomato Sauce, BBQ Sauce and Water: These form the base of the sloppy joe sauce. I just love the added flavor that the BBQ sauce brings to this recipe. Use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce or try my Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe.
- Fresh Cilantro: For a bit of fresh flavor. The cilantro really complements the flavor of the BBQ sauce.
- Burger Buns: For serving. I like to use whole wheat burger buns or these Brioche Buns.
- Shredded Cheese: Optional, for serving.
More Ground Turkey Recipes!
Ground turkey is one of my favorite proteins to cook with and I’ve shared many other Ground Turkey Recipes here on Kristine’s Kitchen. I hope you’ll try a few!
How to Make Turkey Sloppy Joes
Sauté red onion, carrot and bell pepper until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add the ground turkey and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the turkey meat with a spoon, until the turkey starts to brown. It doesn’t have to be fully cooked yet, since it will continue cooking in the sauce.
Pour in the tomato sauce, BBQ sauce and water. Stir and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cilantro.
Serve. I like to toast the burger buns so that they hold up better to the saucy sloppy joes. Top with shredded cheese if desired.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can make the sloppy joe mixture ahead and reheat it for a quick meal. The leftovers are delicious, especially after the flavors have had more time to meld together.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover sloppy joe meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble the sandwiches right before serving so that the buns do not get soggy.
- To Reheat: Reheat the sloppy joe meat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often. Add a bit of extra water or BBQ sauce if the mixture seems dry. Or, reheat in the microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.
More Favorite 30 Minute Meals
- Baked Salmon
- Beef and Broccoli
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- Pineapple Chicken
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Turkey Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup tomato sauce, 8 ounce can
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
For serving:
- 5 whole wheat burger buns, toasted
- shredded gouda or mozzarella cheese, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
- Add turkey to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook turkey, breaking it up into pieces, until it starts to brown, about 6 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, and water. Stir; reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook 10 minutes until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
- Serve sloppy joes on toasted burger buns, topped with shredded cheese, if desired.
I originally shared this recipe in March 2015. Post updated with new text and photos July 2024.
Usually, I can’t eat Sloppy Joes because I do not eat red meat, but I’m so happy that I found a recipe with turkey meat. Yay! These look too good. The melted gouda cheese on top totally completes these.
I love making sloppy joes with turkey so they’re just a bit healthier. So glad you stopped by, Erin!
These look great – the perfect weeknight meal!
Thank you, Karen! I was thinking of you when I made these – I think you’ll love them!
I made them for my birthday dinner yesterday and they were really good! I’m excited for leftovers tonight!!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed these! Happy Birthday again!!!
I just LOVE sloppy joes! Dinner time can be such a hectic time with the kiddos, I love how easily these come together!
Yes, easy and fast recipes are a must when you’ve got kids to take care of!
I’m ready for sloppy joe season again! And YES to the bbq sauce – it can do no wrong in my mind! 🙂
I agree! BBQ sauce makes so many meals better – grilled chicken, pizza, and these sloppy joes!
loved it! Only thing different is I threw in a small chopped tomato I had sitting around and used spaghetti sauce as this is what I had. Did not even use the cheese and it was still wonderful!! This ones a keeper!!
Delicious!!