Turkey sloppy joes are an easy weeknight dinner made with ground turkey, onion, bell pepper, and a tangy homemade sauce that cooks right in the skillet. This version keeps things simple with pantry ingredients like ketchup, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce for a lighter take on a classic comfort food recipe.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Turkey Sloppy Joes
🕒 Ready In: ~30 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~320 per serving, without bun (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground turkey, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, ketchup, mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce
📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free, gluten-free option
👌 Difficulty: Easy - sauté, simmer, serve
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These turkey sloppy joes come together in about 30 minutes and are great for busy nights when you want something warm, filling, and family-friendly. The sauce is rich, savory, and a little tangy, and the ground turkey keeps the recipe hearty without feeling too heavy.
If you need more easy dinner ideas for busy nights, try our Korean BBQ Meatballs, Santa Fe Chicken Skillet, or Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin.
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Why You'll Love this Turkey Sloppy Joes:
Easy weeknight dinner: These turkey sloppy joes come together in one skillet with simple ingredients and very little prep.
Lighter than the classic version: Ground turkey keeps the recipe hearty and satisfying while feeling a little less heavy than traditional sloppy joes.
Big flavor from pantry staples: Ketchup, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce create a rich, tangy sauce without needing anything complicated.
Family-friendly: The flavor is classic and familiar, which makes this a great dinner for both kids and adults.
Key Ingredients:
- ground turkey. This makes the sloppy joes hearty and satisfying while keeping them a little lighter than the classic ground beef version.
- onion and green bell pepper. These add flavor, texture, and that classic sloppy joe base.
- ketchup. Gives the sauce its signature sweet and tangy flavor and helps bring everything together.
- yellow mustard. Adds brightness and a little tang that balances the sweetness of the ketchup.
- tomato paste. Deepens the flavor and helps thicken the sauce so it clings to the turkey mixture.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Swap the protein: Ground chicken or lean ground beef can be used instead of ground turkey.
- Make it sweeter: Add a small drizzle of honey or brown sugar if you like a sweeter sloppy joe sauce.
- Add a little heat: Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a little hot sauce for a spicier version.
- Use a different pepper: Red or orange bell pepper works well if you want a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Serve it different ways: Spoon the turkey sloppy joe mixture onto buns, over baked potatoes, or into lettuce wraps.
How to Make Turkey Sloppy Joes:
- Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they start to soften. Add the garlic and ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat as it browns, until the turkey is cooked through.
- Step 2: Stir in the ketchup, yellow mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until everything is well combined. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve warm on buns.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Cook the vegetables first: Giving the onion and bell pepper a few minutes to soften first helps build better flavor and keeps the texture from feeling too raw in the finished filling.
- Break up the turkey well: As the ground turkey cooks, break it into small crumbles so the sloppy joe mixture has an even texture and is easier to spoon onto buns.
- Let the sauce simmer: A short simmer helps the ketchup, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce come together and thicken so the filling is rich and not too runny.
- Adjust the sauce to taste: If you like a sweeter sloppy joe sauce, add a little honey or brown sugar. For more tang, add a little extra mustard.
- Toast the buns if you can: Toasted buns hold up better and keep the filling from making them soggy too quickly.
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store the turkey sloppy joe filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm it in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. If it thickens too much in the fridge, add a splash of water to loosen it.
Freezer: Let the filling cool completely, then freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Turkey Sloppy Joes FAQs:
Turkey sloppy joes are made with ground turkey instead of ground beef, which gives them a lighter feel while still keeping the same rich, tangy, saucy texture people expect from a sloppy joe. The flavor is still classic and comforting, but the ground turkey makes them a little leaner.
To keep turkey sloppy joes from being dry, cook the onion and bell pepper first, then simmer the turkey with enough sauce so the meat stays moist and flavorful. Ground turkey is leaner than ground beef, so letting it cook briefly in the ketchup, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce helps keep the filling from drying out.
Yes, turkey sloppy joes are a great make-ahead recipe. The filling can be cooked in advance and stored in the refrigerator for several days, then reheated when you are ready to serve it. This makes turkey sloppy joes a good option for meal prep or easy lunches.
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Turkey Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and green bell pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they start to soften.
- Add the garlic and ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat as it browns, until the turkey is cooked through.
- Stir in the ketchup, yellow mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until everything is well combined.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve warm on buns.
Nutrition
Notes
- Cook the vegetables first: Giving the onion and bell pepper a few minutes to soften first helps build better flavor and keeps the texture from feeling too raw in the finished filling.
- Break up the turkey well: As the ground turkey cooks, break it into small crumbles so the sloppy joe mixture has an even texture and is easier to spoon onto buns.
- Let the sauce simmer: A short simmer helps the ketchup, mustard, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce come together and thicken so the filling is rich and not too runny.
- Adjust the sauce to taste: If you like a sweeter sloppy joe sauce, add a little honey or brown sugar. For more tang, add a little extra mustard.
- Toast the buns if you can: Toasted buns hold up better and keep the filling from making them soggy too quickly.
Ava says
My kids loved this and didn't even realize I used turkey instead of beef.