Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 11 Comments

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Kick up the flavor and healthy factor of Sloppy Joes with this healthy Sloppy Joe recipe. It's great for a last-minute weeknight meal. 264 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (1)

You may be someone who plans your menu for the week (how I envy your organizational skills!) or that other type of person who decides what's for dinner at 5pm, when the troops are getting restless. Of course, I don't personally know someone who could possibly be that disorganized (ahem). Whichever category you fall into, this easy and healthy sloppy Joe recipe will appeal to you.

For those fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants types, this recipe uses ingredients that you likely stock in your fridge and pantry. If you have a decent supply of dried spices, some kind of ground meat (preferably lean), a couple of carrots and a bit of tomato and barbecue sauce, then you can pull this off with your eyes closed.

Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (2)

While traditional sloppy Joes are served on hamburger buns, there's not reason why you couldn't serve the mixture over rice or even pasta. My motto for weekday meals...use what you have. It will always turn out if you have a decently stocked pantry and a somewhat forgiving family.

Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (3)

While carrots aren't typically part of sloppy Joes, why not use the opportunity to slip in some veggies? The veggies are diced finely and cooked until softened so that they don't affect the texture of the sloppy Joes.

Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (4)

Printable Recipe

Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (5)

Healthy Turkey Sloppy Joe Recipe

Kick up the flavor and healthy factor of Sloppy Joes with this healthy Sloppy Joe recipe. It's great for a last-minute weeknight meal. 264 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entrees, Sandwiches

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Healthy Dinner Recipes, Poultry Recipes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 263.7kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the carrots and sauté until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Pour in an additional teaspoon of olive oil. Add the onion, thyme and oregano and sauté until the onions are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

  • Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, then add the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through. Drain the accumulated liquid.

  • Return the vegetable mixture to the pan with the turkey, and stir in the tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and honey (or agave nectar). Simmer for 5 minutes.

  • Divide the turkey mixture evenly between the 4 hamburger buns. Serve.

Notes

* The whole wheat buns are not included in the nutritional information or Weight Watchers points.

Weight Watchers Points: 3 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 7 (Points+)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Sloppy Joe (Without Bun) | Calories: 263.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.4g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 7.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 860.9mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 15.4g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment

  1. Joan Miller

    Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (11)
    This is so good it's almost dangerous!! My husband devours it. It has become one of our 'go to' meals!
    Thanks Dara!!

    Reply

    • Dara

      Haha! Great to hear!

      Reply

  2. Taylor

    Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (12)
    One of my favorite weeknight dinners! So yummy!

    Reply

  3. Jennifer Farley

    Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (13)
    This was absolutely delicious! Just found my new favorite way to eat Sloppy Joes!

    Reply

  4. richard

    your ingredients call for 2 tsp agave or honey and directions say add "brown sugar." Which is best and if brown sugar how much.

    Reply

    • Dara

      Hi Richard, the directions should say "agave or honey" - fixing that now. However, you could substitute brown sugar if that's what you have on hand.

      Reply

  5. cheri

    This looks like a quick meal that the whole family would love.

    Reply

  6. Lauren

    I think everyone has those afternoons where you need to whip something up in a hurry, no matter how organized you are! I love that you made it healthier too!

    Reply

  7. Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg

    Oh I bet this is delicious! This is great fly by the seat of my pants meal. It happens.

    Reply

  8. Reina

    I've been enjoying your blog, Dara. My family loves turkey Sloppy Joes! I make my own spice mix and add tomato paste and water to the cooked ground turkey, and some veggies, usually carrots like you suggest, and serve on whole wheat buns. Sometimes my youngest son objects to the small pieces of onion and carrot, so I grate or puree them to still get those veggies in. Delicious, quick, and filling. Thanks for the reminder to make these soon. 🙂

    Reply

  9. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl

    These look divine Dara!! I think the meals I create at 5PM at the last minute are usually the best. 🙂

    Reply

Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe with Turkey | Cookin' Canuck (2024)

FAQs

What to add to sloppy joes to make it better? ›

Try serving your sloppy joes with their own toppings such as slaw, melty cheese, grilled pineapple, or Hatch green chile. Even just adding a pickle gives extra flavor and crunch, transforming it from a bland sandwich into something great, like the recipe below!

What is the ingredient in Sloppy Joe? ›

It's made with ketchup, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, chili powder, garlic, dry mustard, and a little Tobasco (if you want). That sauce coats the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to make the filling. What's a good side dish with sloppy joes?

How to doctor up sloppy Joe mix? ›

In addition to sweetness, the diced Gala apple also contributes some textural variety to the recipe.
  1. Spice Your Sloppy Joe Up With Chile Flakes Or Canned Chiles. ...
  2. Sneak Extra Veggies Into Your Sloppy Joes. ...
  3. Throw In Some Liquid Smoke. ...
  4. Deglaze Your Sloppy Joes With Beer. ...
  5. Add Salsa To The Mix.
Feb 28, 2024

Is mayo good on a sloppy joe? ›

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard Worcestershire, tomato paste, salt and pepper Stir to combine. If mixture is too thick, add some water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Spread Mayo or Miracle Whip over toasted hamburger buns top with sloppy joe mix, sliced pickles and sliced cheese.

What goes good on sloppy joes? ›

Toppings, Sauces & Salsas
  • Caramelized Mushrooms. Caramelized mushrooms are so sweet and tender, and they add the perfect burst of flavor to a Sloppy Joe by complementing meaty flavors and adding in extra protein! ...
  • Roasted Corn Salsa. ...
  • Edamame Guacamole (High Protein) ...
  • Garlic Sauce.
Oct 27, 2023

What is the best side dish for sloppy joes? ›

Roasted vegetables are the best thing to serve with sloppy joes. Choose from options such as a light and refreshing lemon parmesan zucchini to a colourful Grilled Succotash for the perfect sloppy joe pairing.

What is the fancy name for sloppy joes? ›

Some other names for sloppy joes include: barbecues, dynamites, gulash, sloppy janes, slushburgers, steamers, wimpies, and yum yums. What do you call sloppy joes where you live? Just like the many names for sloppy joes, you'll also find all sorts of variations on the recipe.

What's the difference between Manwich and Sloppy Joe mix? ›

Sloppy Joes are the sandwich, while Manwich is the store-bought canned sloppy joe sauce, produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt's.

What's the difference between sloppy joes and Sloppy Jane? ›

Unlike traditional can Sloppy Joes, which are often loaded with unhealthy additives and preservatives, Sloppy Janes are made with lean meat, low-fat ingredients, and a variety of fresh vegetables. They are easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients.

What can I use instead of tomato paste for Sloppy Joe? ›

How to Substitute Tomato Sauce or Puree for Tomato Paste. You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

Should I drain hamburger meat for sloppy joes? ›

Do you drain the meat for sloppy joes? We suggest draining the browned beef, because excess grease serves as a barrier to sloppy joe seasonings. You'll want the beef to absorb these wonderful flavors as it cooks.

What can I use to thicken sloppy joes? ›

Potato flakes may come out a little grainy. However mashed potatoes could be used for better texture. Use oats to thicken sloppy-joes as to absorb the excess but it will be thicker the next day. Barley can be used but is more expensive.

What is a cold sloppy joe? ›

In this part of the country, where I grew up, a sloppy joe is something else entirely. It's a triple decker sandwich—cold deli meat and cheese on dense rye bread—glued together with coleslaw and Russian dressing.

What is sloppy joe meat called? ›

Sloppy joe meat being prepared with Manwich sauce. Early and mid-20th century American cookbooks offer plenty of sloppy joe-type recipes, though they go by different names: Toasted Deviled Hamburgers, Chopped Meat Sandwiches, Spanish Hamburgers, Hamburg a la Creole, Beef Mironton, and Minced Beef Spanish Style.

Should you drain meat before adding sloppy joe sauce? ›

Cook beef in large skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally; drain. Stir in Sloppy Joe sauce; heat through.

What's the difference between a sloppy joe and a sloppy Jane? ›

Let me introduce you to Sloppy Joe's leaner, healthier & sassier sister, Sloppy Jane. This recipe is quick and easy to make and it tastes fantastic! This Sloppy Jane recipe is low on fat and high on flavor with loads of veggies and lean ground turkey.

What's the difference between sloppy Joe and Manwich? ›

Sloppy Joes are the sandwich, while Manwich is the store-bought canned sloppy joe sauce, produced by ConAgra Foods and Hunt's. What is this? While the brand markets this product as a quick and easy one-pan meal, I strongly recommend you make the sauce from scratch.

Can you substitute tomato paste in sloppy joes? ›

Instead of tomato paste, use 1 can (19 fl oz / 540 mL) tomatoes, undrained, and omit water. Increase cooking time to 20 minutes.

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