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Healthy Sloppy Joes: even better than you remember!

This recipe creates the most crave-worthy, delicious sloppy joes, which just happen to be packed with vegetables. The food processor makes quick work of finely chopping the vegetables, cutting back on prep time and shortening the cooking time. The result is far tastier and more nutritious than the Manwich cans of my childhood. I like to serve the sandwiches with coleslaw alongside (preferably the classic coleslaw from my cookbook, but I might be biased). The sloppy joes are awesome straight out of the skillet but are even better after a few hours or even a day.
Servings: 4
Author: Nicki Sizemore

Ingredients

  • 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
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 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 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

  • Place 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 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. Do Ahead: The sloppy joes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days—thin with a few splashes of water, if needed. It gets even better with time.