Made in less than 30 minutes, this Healthy Sloppy Joe recipe is a true family favorite! Lean ground sirloin, fresh veggies, and beans are enveloped into a sweet and tangy homemade sloppy joe sauce. These Homemade Sloppy Joes are not only healthier, but they are the BEST sloppy joe recipe. PERIOD.
Pair this Healthy Sloppy Joe recipe with Oven Baked Fries or Sweet Potato Fries for a meal the whole family will love! Or ditch the bun and serve on Instant Pot Baked Potatoes or Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes.
Recently one of you told me that you loved Sloppy Joes but hadn’t eaten them in years because you only thought they were possible if made with a can of Sloppy Joe sauce.
I immediately knew that I had to share my Healthy Homemade Sloppy Joe Recipe with you because my Sloppy Joe recipe is NOT from a can and tastes one thousand times better!
Not only is my recipe for Healthy Sloppy Joes low in sodium and fat, it is an inexpensive and easy recipe!
Healthy Sloppy Joes
These Sloppy Joes are a one skillet meal that always pleases my family.
My homemade Sloppy Joes are sweet, savory, with a hint of spice from the fresh jalapeno, creating the perfect balance of savory flavors. These are SO much better than any Sloppy Joe made with canned sauce.
The true secret to making sloppy joes healthier is not only the homemade sauce, but adding beans to the ground meat. This cuts back on fat and adds a boost of fiber to these sloppy joes. Plus it makes a little bit of meat feed A LOT more people! Trust me, you barely notice the beans!
I think your family will agree, these Healthy Sloppy Joes will be one meal that they will all LOVE!
How to Make Healthy Sloppy Joes
- Place ground beef, peppers, onions, and jalapenos in a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat.
- Cook, breaking up the meat, as it cooks.
- Once the beef is browned, drain off any excess fat that has been rendered in the skillet.
- Add in tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, salt, and beans, and stir well.
- Bring the sloppy joe mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
- Add in the apple cider vinegar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir well and let simmer an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Serve Sloppy Joes on buns or over a baked potato or baked sweet potato and top with cheese if desired.
Tips for Creating the Best Sloppy Joe
- I start with lean ground sirloin, but feel free to use ground chicken, bison, or turkey. I do find that beef produces the best flavor with this recipe and grass fed beef is filled with healthy nutrients like omega-3 acids, vitamin E and linoeic acid–plus ground sirloin is much lower in fat than ground turkey.
- My secret is to use 2 cups of pinto beans along with ground beef. They blend in perfectly with the flavors of the sloppy joes and make these sloppy joes full of fiber, lower in fat, and stretch further, therefore saving you money!
- I add in some fresh jalapenos to the homemade sloppy joe sauce for some spice, but you can omit the jalapeno for less spice.
- Fresh red peppers add a great freshness to these Classic Sloppy Joe Sandwiches, but use frozen chopped green peppers if you can’t find a reasonable price on fresh red peppers or don’t have any at home.
- The vinegar is a MUST in this sloppy joe sauce recipe. I love apple cider vinegar, but red wine vinegar works as well.
- You can serve these Sloppy Joes on buns with cheese as a classic childhood favorite. But Sloppy Joes are just as delicious served in baked russet potatoes, baked sweet potatoes or gasp, scooped up with plain potato chips 😉
- If you want to make these Gluten-Free Sloppy Joes, use Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce, Braggs Amino Acids ,or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Healthy Homemade Hamburger Helper Skillet
- Easy Homemade Beef Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Ground Beef (From Fresh and Frozen)
- Easy Pizza Meatloaf
Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe
Healthy Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 1 small onion diced
- 1/2 jalapeno seeded and minced
- 1 small red pepper diced
- 2 cups canned or cooked pinto beans drained if canned
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Worceshestire sauce
- 8 buns
- 8 slices of cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- Over medium high heat, brown the sirloin with the onion, jalapeno, and red pepper. Drain off any excess fat (which there rarely is any) and return to heat.
- Add in tomato sauce, tomato paste, beans, garlic, salt and stir well. Bring to a boil then lower to simmer.
- Add in the apple cider vinegar, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and let simmer 5-10 minutes.
- Serve on buns with cheese if desired.
Kristen Chidsey
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We loved this recipe! The next time I make it I will increase vinegar and honey a bit for a stronger barbecue flavor. It is mouth watering while cooking!
So glad you and your family enjoyed Andrea. I hope you enjoy many more times together!
Followed the instructions exactly except substituted turkey meat, came out amazing! This one is a keeper, my entire family gobbled it up. I actually had none left over despite trying to make extra, thank you so much!
I love hearing when a family gobbles up a recipe 🙂
My son loves sloppy joes! I’m always trying to find new fun ways to change it up. I love that this has pinto beans in it, gives it a little something extra!
So sloppy yet so simple – perfect!! I love dishes like this that I know I won’t have leftovers (I’m not a fan of leftovers)!
I am so glad you and your family enjoy this recipe!
Great recipe! I like the healthy twist on this classic.
Thanks so much!
Yum! These look so great!
Thank you Erin!
My mom used to make sloppy joes when I was a kid. I don’t think I’ve had one in decades! Your recipe looks fantastic. I’ve never had it with beans. What a great addition!
You have to give this a try Christina!
Homemade sauce is so smart you can control what goes in there!
Exactly!
Kristen, your sloppy joes sound so hearty and delicious! Yes – recipe love is the best and so are requests to lighten up favs! By the way, these sloppy joes are SOOOOOO much better than those canned versions for sure! Love your double dose of pinto beans in this! Hope your week is off to a wonderful start!
SOOOO much better than canned versions for sure!
I’ve never thought of adding beans to my sloppy joes. Great idea.
Thanks Wendy! It adds such great health benefits, plus makes the meal stretch further!
So yummy and hearty! I haven’t had sloppy Joes in years—now I’m craving one!
You need to have one! These are so much better than your childhood version!
We are TOTAL sloppy joe eaters! I’ve made several different kinds on my blog; all delicious, healthy, and lean. I love that you added beans to yours. I’ll be trying that next!
I hope you enjoy it Christie–I will have to check out your recipes!
I don’t think I have ever had a sloppy joe, but they certainly look great! Love the addition of the beans.
You MUST try them Laura!
Looks delicious and I love the addition of the beans!
It sure makes this dish heartier and healthier
Definite comfort food, love the healthier twist.
Thanks Caroline!