Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes
Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes deliver a sweet-tangy sauce with a gentle kick of cayenne and a hint of cocoa depth, clinging to tender turkey crumbles. Topped with sharp white Cheddar and fresh green onions on soft buns, it’s comforting and lighter than the classic beef version. Perfect for weeknight dinners, casual gatherings, or game-day spreads.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook35 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 44 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 55 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 8
- Heart Health
- 19
- Metabolic
- 21
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 39
- Performance
- 30
- General Wellness
- 1
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion in the butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- 2
Stir the turkey and 1/2 cup cold water into the onions. Cook and stir, breaking up the meat, until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir until the liquid reduces, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and cocoa powder. Cook, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and the liquid is reduced and thick, 20 to 30 minutes, adding up to 1 cup water if needed.
- 4
Preheat the oven broiler. Position the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
- 5
Toast the hamburger buns under the preheated broiler until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
- 6
Remove the turkey mixture from the heat; stir in the cheese and green onions. Serve on the toasted hamburger buns.
- Calories 457.4 kcal High 23%
- Protein 26.0 g Good Source 52%
- Carbohydrate 46.87 g 17%
- Total Fat 18.02 g High 23%
- Saturated Fat 6.14 g High 31%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 107.14 mg High 36%
- Sodium 1275.22 mg High 55%
- Dietary Fiber 2.24 g Low Source 8%
- Total Sugars 13.69 g --
- Added Sugars 10.02 g High 20%
- Calcium 158.8 mg Moderate 12%
- Iron 4.21 mg Good Source 23%
- Potassium 142.06 mg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin A 45.49 mcg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin C 1.45 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Chocolate 🍫
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes is made with 13 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 45 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Brown Sugar, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, and Green Onion. Each serving provides about 457.4 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes made of?
- The main ingredients are Brown Sugar, Butter, Cayenne Pepper, Green Onion, Ground Turkey Sausage. The full list of 13 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes?
- About 45 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 457.4 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 13 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes healthy?
- Chef John's Ground Turkey Sloppy Joes has an easyChef Pro health score of 34/100. Per serving, it provides 457.4 calories and 26.0 g of protein, or 52% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1275.22 mg (55% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 6.14 g (31% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 10.02 g (20% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Chocolate, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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