These healthy sloppy joes are one of our FAVORITE meals! They’re a lightened-up version of the original and taste even better thanks to some secret ingredients.

Healthy sloppy joes
Sloppy joe, slop, sloppy joe / Sloppy joe, slop, sloppy joe
Until a couple of years ago, I hadn’t eaten a sloppy joes sandwich since the time Adam Sandler debuted his Lunch Lady Land song on Saturday Night Live. Back then, my sloppy joes were most likely of the Manwich variety. Not any more. These healthy sloppy joes are just as messy as the ones from my childhood, but oh so much more delicious and nutritious.
Healthy sloppy joes with turkey or beef
I adapted this recipe from my good friend Kelley’s version. Kelley smokes her own bacon and makes ramen from scratch, so I knew her joe was going to be good. Worcestershire sauce, sriracha, balsamic vinegar and a touch of maple syrup give these joes incredible flavor. To lighten things up, I use lean, grass-fed ground beef, but ground turkey or bison also work well. Even better, hidden vegetables provide juiciness and sweetness, meaning this recipe requires minimal oil and no processed sugar!

Sloppy joes without brown sugar
Sloppy joes usually include anywhere from a couple of tablespoons to a quarter cup of sugar, but this version uses only 2 teaspoons of maple syrup! The naturals sugars in the vegetables as well as a splash of balsamic vinegar provide plenty of natural sweetness.
Sloppy joes with hidden veggies
These sloppy joes also incorporate finely chopped veggies, which not only bolster the flavor, but which also amp up the nutrition. Instead of having to chop the veggies by hand, I streamline the prep process by using my food processor to do the chopping for me. This cuts back on the prep time AND makes the cooking time faster since the vegetables are so finely chopped (it’s a trick I talk about in my first cookbook, The Food Processor Family Cookbook, and it’s a game-changer on busy nights).


Make ahead sloppy joes
While the sloppy joes are awesome straight out of the skillet, they’re even better if you’re able to make the mixture a few hours or even a day or two in advance. They’re the perfect make-ahead dinner for busy weeknights or for dinner parties. Dinner parties? You heard me right! They’re a fun meal that everybody loves (in fact, some of the best parties we’ve had involved sloppy joes and tater tots. You can thank me later.)
Toppings for sloppy joes
I like to serve the sloppy joes in squishy buns (gluten-free for me) topped with coleslaw (my favorite is in the book!). You can also top them with thinly sliced red onion, pickles and/or cheese, or just serve them plain (as my kids prefer). They’ve become a Tuesday night favorite in our house since the girls have ballet that evening. I make the sloppy joes ahead of time so that they’re ready the minute we get home. If you’ve never seen a pink ballerina in a tutu down two sloppy joe sandwiches without pause, let me tell you, it’s a sight to behold. (And yes; thank god for stain remover.)

Tips for the best healthy sloppy joes:
- Use the food processor to finely chop the vegetables. This not only cuts back on the prep time, but it also helps the vegetables to seamlessly incorporate into the meat mixture (my kids don’t even know they’re there!). I own this 14-cup Cuisinart model, which is a workhorse in my kitchen (btw, you can get a slew of other food processor recipes in The Food Processor Family Cookbook!)
- I usually make these sloppy joes with naturally lean grass-fed ground beef, but you could also use ground bison or ground turkey (I even had a reader tell me that she used meat-free crumbles with success)!
- The ingredient list looks long, but it’s mostly stuff you probably already have in your pantry (think spices, vinegars and sriracha). You’ll need both tomato paste (I prefer the stuff in the tube, which lasts forever), as well as tomato puree. The paste provides a sweet richness while the puree gives the sauce body.
- You can use any heavy-bottomed pan to cook the sloppy joes. I use my Le Creuset braiser, which is pretty enough to place right in the middle of the table.
What to serve with sloppy joes:
- Easy Homemade Red Cabbage Coleslaw
- Cheesy Baked Oven Fries
- Elote Corn Dip (Mexican Street Corn Dip)
- Sriracha Cream Cheese Dip
- Instant Pot Pinto Beans
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- One Bowl Green Salad
Get the recipe!
The Ultimate Healthy Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
Veggies and meat
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, trimmed and coarsely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef (preferably grass-fed), or ground bison or turkey
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup canned tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sriracha, or more to taste
- ½ cup water
- Buns for serving, regular or gluten-free
Instructions
- Put the onion, red pepper, carrot and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping the sides occasionally, about 12-14 pulses.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the ground beef, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate. Discard any fat in the pan.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Scrape in the vegetables from the food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the cooked beef, tomato puree, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, sriracha (if you like it spicy, feel free to add a few more teaspoons!), and water. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the pan back over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes. If needed, add a few more splashes of water to thin. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, and/or sriracha as desired (don’t be shy with the seasonings). Serve warm on soft buns.
Notes
- Use the food processor to finely chop the vegetables. This not only cuts back on the prep time, but it also helps the vegetables to seamlessly incorporate into the meat mixture (my kids don’t even know they’re there!). I own this 14-cup Cuisinart model, which is a workhorse in my kitchen (btw, you can get a slew of other food processor recipes in The Food Processor Family Cookbook!)
- I usually make these sloppy joes with naturally lean grass-fed ground beef, but you could also use ground bison or ground turkey (I even had a reader tell me that she used meat-free crumbles with success)!
- The ingredient list looks long, but it’s mostly stuff you probably already have in your pantry (think spices, vinegars and sriracha). You’ll need both tomato paste (I prefer the stuff in the tube, which lasts forever), as well as tomato puree. The paste provides a sweet richness while the puree gives the sauce body.
- You can use any heavy-bottomed pan to cook the sloppy joes. I use my Le Creuset braiser, which is pretty enough to place right in the middle of the table.
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Mmm, this brings back yummy childhood memories! Thanks for the healthier version. I’m going to try a veggie version with one of the “crumbles” products. Right now I’m liking the Quorn and Beyond Beef brands, which are made from mycoprotein and pea protein respectively. (Trying to mostly cut out soy.) Will try this weekend!
Yay! Please let me know how the veggie version turns out!!
Hi Nicki. I did make these a couple of weeks ago, with one of the veggie crumble brands. They were delicious, and with the complexity of flavors in your recipe, I would challenge anyone to be certain that it was not meat in there. Your list of ingredients was so interesting — I figured you must have really labored to get just the right flavor, so I followed to the letter. Yum yum! Tasted just like I remember sloppy joes from childhood (though, as you said, these are better and healthier!) Will for sure make these again.
Thank you so much for letting me know! This is great news!!