Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes
Ground turkey sloppy joes have a lighter, zippier filling than classic sloppy joes. Spoon it into crusty bread and bake the sandwiches in the oven for the perfect texture.
Sloppy joes are a classic easy weeknight dinner for hungry families because you can prep ahead the filling and assemble the sandwiches at dinner time.
I love to use my Crockpot sloppy joes for nights when I'm not even home to feed my family but this recipe for ground turkey sloppy joes is my all-time favorite because of the crusty bread which holds up to that saucy filling without getting soggy.
Add in that perfectly melted ooey-gooey American cheese, and this sandwich is a dinner winner.
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Lighter but SO Much Flavor: If you don't often cook with ground turkey, you're going to love how much flavor is in this sandwich. My kids love it better than the beef variety!
- Freezer-Friendly: I prepped a double batch when making this recipe for the photos you see here. I served one half for dinner that night and froze the other half for an even easier dinner another time.
- Perfect Texture: No soggy buns here. Toast that crusty bread and bake the sloppy joes in the oven for just 5 minutes before serving for the best tasting sloppy joe sandwich you've ever had.
Ingredients
This simple recipe only needs a few pantry items to make it:
- Ground Turkey: You could substitute ground chicken, ground pork, or lean ground beef if you prefer.
- Onion
- Ketchup
- Cider Vinegar
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Chili Powder
- Dried Thyme
- Garlic Salt
- Dry Mustard
- Vegetable Oil
- Crusty Sub Rolls: I found these in the bakery department of our grocery store. If you can't find long sub rolls, a crusty kaiser roll would work great, too.
- Sliced American Cheese: American cheese melts amazingly in this recipe and I strongly recommend it. If you don't want to use it, a sliced provolone would be my next recommendation.
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Brown the Ground Turkey
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and let it warm through.
Add the ground turkey meat and the chopped onion to the skillet. Crumble the turkey as it cooks.
NOTE: I cooked a double batch of this recipe when photographing it for you. Your skillet won't have nearly this much turkey in it if you are cooking the recipe as written.
Once the turkey is no longer pink and the onions are softened, reduce the heat to medium.
Add all the dried seasonings, ketchup, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar to the skillet. Stir it all together until smooth.
Bring it to a simmer and cook for 3 more minutes to thicken.
Bake the Sloppy Joes
This step makes ALL the difference between an average sloppy joe and a phenomenal one!
Split the crusty rolls in half lengthwise and place them open face on a broiler-proof baking sheet. To make our sandwiches easier to eat, I actually cut the long rolls in half, too. They were about 3-inches long for each half.
Preheat the broiler. Toast the open bread for just a minute or so until it is golden brown. Watch carefully or it will burn.
Place the sliced cheese on the bread and then spoon some of the prepared ground turkey mix on top.
Return the pan to the broiler to melt the cheese and warm the whole sandwich through.
Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.
Make Ahead Tips
I prepped a double batch of the recipe because I knew how well the sloppy joe filling would freeze.
If you want to do the same, just be sure to let the ground turkey cool completely before packaging it in an airtight freezer-friendly container.
You can freeze it for up to 6 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight or warm it in the microwave. Reheat it gently in a saucepan on the stovetop and then bake the sandwiches as directed.
Serving Suggestions
When serving sandwiches for dinner, I often refer to this list of easy side dishes for party sandwiches. I mix and match a salad, fresh fruit, chips and dip, or baked french fries to serve on the side.
We loved the sandwiches as shown above, but if you are a coleslaw fan, my angel hair coleslaw recipe would pair really well here.
If you like your sandwiches with a little kick, you could substitute hot honey for the brown sugar in the sauce or add a pinch of cayenne.
If you wanted to serve this for a football party or open house, this would also be a fantastic Crockpot sandwich to keep warm on the buffet table. Just pre-toast the buns so they are crispy when guests assemble their sandwich.
More Sandwich Recipes
Looking for more easy sandwich recipes to serve for dinner? Here are a few of my favorites:
📖 Recipe
Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey meat
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 3/4 tsp dry mustard
- 4 crusty sub rolls
- 8 slices American cheese
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once the oil has warmed through, add the ground turkey, chopped onion, and salt and pepper. Cook the turkey, crumbling it with a spoon as it browns, until no longer pink and most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated and the meat is starting to sizzle.
- Add the ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and all the seasonings to the skillet and stir together. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 more minutes to thicken.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven broiler. Slice the sub roll in half lengthwise leaving a connecting piece so they open like a book. Place them open face on a large broiler-safe baking sheet. Toast the buns until just golden, watch carefully or they will burn.
- Lay the slices of cheese on the toasted buns, spoon the prepared turkey and sauce mixture over the cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes for the buns to warm through and the cheese to melt. Serve immediately.
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