These Turkey Sloppy Joes are bursting with flavor from onion, green bell pepper, garlic, spicy brown mustard, spicy barbecue sauce, and chili powder. Enjoy the mixture over toasted buns, baked potatoes, pasta, rice, or macaroni and cheese.
These have quickly evolved into one of our favorite meals, and my son even declared that he likes them better than beef sloppy joes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Ground turkey: I use a mixture of dark and white meat. I find the turkey breast too lean to make good sloppy joes. You need a little fat for flavor.
- Green bell pepper: I like the flavor that the green pepper lends to the dish, but you can use any color bell pepper.
- Vinegar: As a substitute, you can use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Mustard: Use regular yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, spicy brown mustard, whole grain mustard, or honey mustard.
- Spicy barbecue sauce: Use your favorite brand or make homemade barbecue sauce.
- Ground cayenne: This amount will not add much heat, but it will add flavor.
- Chicken broth: Preferably low sodium.
How To Make Turkey Sloppy Joes
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat.
- About halfway through the browning process, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook the onions and bell peppers until soft, and the turkey is brown.
- Reduce the heat, add the garlic, and cook it for a minute.
- Add the cider vinegar, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, ketchup, chili powder, ground cayenne, and chicken broth. Stir to combine and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Toast the buns, add the sloppy joe mixture, and serve.
Preparation Pointers
- Remove any excess fat or moisture from the browned ground turkey. I use paper towels to soak it up. If any ground turkey sticks to the paper towel, you can spoon it off back into the skillet.
- Spicy barbecue sauce adds flavor to the mixture. Turkey is a little more bland than ground beef, so you need added seasoning.
- If the mixture becomes too thick or dry, add a little more low-sodium chicken broth.
Perfect Pairings
- Potatoes: air fryer potato wedges, pan-fried potatoes, or potato pancakes.
- Pasta: Velvetta mac and cheese or cauliflower mac and cheese.
- Salad: Mustard potato salad, broccoli salad, and creamy coleslaw.
Turkey Sloppy Joes
These Turkey Sloppy Joes are bursting with flavor from onion, green bell pepper, garlic, spicy brown mustard, spicy barbecue sauce, and chili powder.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 348kcal
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey not the turkey breast
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup spicy barbecue sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ⅓-½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 brioche or hamburger buns
Instructions
- Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat.
- About halfway through the browning process, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until the onions and bell peppers are soft, and the turkey is brown. Reduce the heat to low and cook the garlic for 1 minute, while stirring.
- Add the apple cider vinegar, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, ketchup, chili powder, ground cayenne, and chicken broth. Stir to combine and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Toast the buns, add the sloppy joe mixture, and serve.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 50% power for short increments until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 596mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 398IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 3mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @smalltownwomanfoodnut or tag #smalltownwomanfoodnut!
Melanie E
Turkey is a great option to help reduce saturate fat intake. Would you believe I have never tried a sloppy joe!!! These sound like they’d be full of flavour. Might make them for the kids for dinner!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Melanie! Enjoy!
Sonja
Using ground turkey was honestly such a smart switch, especially with all the extra seasoning built in. I also loved the suggestion of serving the filling over baked potatoes or mac and cheese, because that makes it feel a bit more flexible for busy nights. So deliciouse! Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Renata
That sounds yummy to me. I can definitely picture myself trying this with fries, and a fresh salad
Clarice
This looks delicious! It’s been a while since we’ve had sloppy joes at home, and we usually make ours with beef, so trying a turkey version sounds like a nice change. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I’m adding this to our weekend meal ideas and can’t wait to try it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Clarice! Enjoy!
Ebony
These turned out to good! I haven’t had a sloppy joe in so long, but now it will be one of my faves moving forward!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Ebony! I am so glad that you liked them!
Ambuj Saxena
Turkey looks easy to cook and garnish for a crowd ! I would love to have the turkey sloppy joes as the prime dish in my next houseparty!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ambuj! Enjoy!
Elizabeth F
Until I moved to the USA in the early 1980s, I had never heard of a Sloppy Joe. One day a group of friends invited me to a popular restaurant in downtown Manhattan that specialized in serving gigantic portions of Sloppy Joe burgers with different toppings a special sauces. It was memorable. Your recipe triggered that powerful, beautiful memory from the yesteryear. Such is the power of delicious cooking and smells that linger in our memory bank. Yum!
Beth Pierce
Thanks for sharing the story, Elizabeth! I agree with you about the power of certain tastes and smells on our memory.
Nayna
These turkey sloppy joes are so delicious and easy to make. Beautiful flavours and such a tasty meal prep. My family loved them!
Beth Pierce
So glad that everyone liked them!
Bryan Carey
I generally prefer beef for my sloppy joes BUT turkey I have found can work just as well with the right recipe. The right barbecue and spice makes all the difference.
Beth Pierce
So true! I agree 100%
alejandra
I started drooling from the moment I found your recipe lol so I had to try it. These turkey sloppy joes are amazing!!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked them, Alejandra!