This Healthier Sloppy Joe recipe is a family-friendly, weeknight dinner special! Made with a base of lean ground beef and chopped veggies - it’s great for the kiddos and adults too!

There’s just something about Sloppy Joe’s that screams comfort food. I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating Sloppy Joe’s and whenever I think about my mom’s home cooked meals it just takes me back to the good ole days of classic comfort food recipes.

Here’s my spin on the classic sloppy joe recipe, healthified with lean ground beef and minimal ingredients for a delicious and satisfying meal that will leave you reminiscing about the good ole days of home cooked meals.

What’s in a Sloppy Joe Sauce?

A typical Sloppy Joe sauce includes ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce. This healthier version has no sugar added and uses a tomato sauce and tomato paste instead of overly processed ketchups.

What Ingredients are Needed for Healthier Sloppy Joes?

Ground Beef: 90% lean ground beef or higher.

Garlic: 2-3 cloves for flavor.

Yellow Onion & Red Bell Pepper: Chopped up fine and included in our sloppy joe mixture.

Tomato Paste, Tomato Sauce & Worcestershire Sauce: For the sloppy joe sauce.

Sriracha: For the sloppy joe sauce and some extra heat.

What Do You Serve with Sloppy Joes?

• Serve them on a bun of your choice, I used onion rolls!
• A baked or air fried vegetables like potatoes, broccoli, carrots, or butternut squash
• Tater tots or french fries 
• Side of greens
• Potato salad, cole slaw, or pasta salad
• Mac and cheese 

Kitchen Tools Needed for this Recipe

• Large skillet
• Cutting board
• Kitchen knife

Looking for Similar Recipes? Try These:

• Mexican Elote Turkey Burgers
• Pulled Pork Sandwiches
• Greek-Inspired Turkey Burgers
• Barbeque Shrimp Burgers

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How to Make Healthier Sloppy Joes

Step One: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the garlic for approx. 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Turn the heat down to medium and add the chopped onions and pepper. Saute  until tender and translucent, approx. 5-8 minutes. 

Step Two: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned all the way through, approximately another 5-8 minutes. Stirring the mixture occasionally, if desired, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step Three: Stir in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, and sriracha. 

Step Four: Simmer over low heat, covered, for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to marinate together. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water. If the sauce is too thin, let it simmer for a few extra minutes, uncovered, to allow the extra liquid to cook off.

Step Five: Remove sloppy joe mixture from the stove and serve on your favorite toasted buns!