Skip to main content

Garden Sloppy Joes

Healthy vegetable-packed lunch or dinner favorite!
Video

Cooking for a Crowd

Cooking for a Crowd

Use these recipe sheets to prepare for larger groups:

Open faced buns with a saucy meat and vegetable mix.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 Sandwiches
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped or shredded
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 pound lean ground meat (15% fat turkey, chicken or beef)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (15 ounces) whole tomatoes, crushed
1 can (8 ounces) mushrooms or ½ pound chopped fresh mushrooms
¼ cup barbecue sauce
6 whole wheat buns, split in half to make 12

Directions

  1. Wash hands with soap and water.
  2. Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
  3. Sauté onions, carrots, green bell pepper and ground meat in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
  4. Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms and barbecue sauce.
  5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally.
  6. Toast buns if desired. Spoon sauce over bun halves. Serve open-faced.
  7. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

  • Add your favorite fresh, canned or frozen chopped vegetables.
  • Try whole wheat English muffins instead of buns. 

Comments

Delicious and vegetable packed sloppy joe recipe! I made this with half ground beef and half soy curls/fines. This recipe yield A LOT which makes it perfect for family dinners. I ate it with whole grain English muffins and it paired very nicely.

I made these the other night with soy fines/curls and I thought they were great! I did not have mushrooms and ran out of carrots so I used red and orange bell peppers and a spinach and arugula mix. I also used frozen onions so I cooked them separately a for a little longer. I seasoned the soy curls/fines with paprika and seasoned pepper and cooked them like I would the meat in the pan. Overall super easy and delicious!

This is really tasty and so easy to make!  A great way to get kids to eat some veggies in something that usually is just meat and sauce.

This a great recipe and an excellent way to sneak vegetables for our kids to eat! I made this recipe as it called for with my summer students. I did however, first brown my meat, drained the fat and than added the vegetables to saute, I waited to add the mushrooms till the last 10 minutes of cooking time since mushrooms cook fast. I modified the recipe by adding 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon paprika to enhance more flavor.   I topped it off with low fat chedder cheese on a whole wheat English muffin. It was delicious! I plan to make this recipe for my family on a regular basis!

You might also like...

Recipes A to Z (without photos)

Stovetop Oatmeal
Bowl of oats served with sliced strawberries.

Stovetop Oatmeal

Quick and simple oatmeal recipe. Add your favorite toppings and seasonings.
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
2 cups
Baked Bean Medley
A mixture of seasoned beans and bacon is shown in a serving bowl.

Baked Bean Medley

Enjoy this delicious mix of beans and a savory sauce, baked to blend the lightly sweet and salty flavors.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
1 and ½ hours
Makes:
8 Cups
Butternut Apple Crisp
Butternut squash and apples are topped with a cinnamon-spiced oat crumble baked to a golden brown.

Butternut Apple Crisp

Butternut squash and apples are topped with a cinnamon-spiced oat crumble for a healthy fall dessert.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
4 Cups
Very Berry Muesli (‘mew-slee’)
Bowl of oatmeal and yogurt topped with fruit and walnuts.

Very Berry Muesli (‘mew-slee’)

Quick and healthy breakfast with hearty oats and creamy yogurt, then topped with crunchy walnuts.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash strands served with red sauce and grated parmesan cheese.

Spaghetti Squash

Learn how to bake or microwave spaghetti squash, then top with your favorite sauces or seasonings!
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
45 minutes
Makes:
4 cups
Stovetop Brown Rice
Cooked rice in a bowl.

Stovetop Brown Rice

Nutrient-rich whole grain that can be used in a variety of recipes. Great make-ahead staple.
Prepare:
5 minutes
Cook:
45 to 55 minutes
Makes:
3 cups