Garden Sloppy Joes Cooking Light

Elevate your weeknight dinners with these vibrant and healthy Garden Sloppy Joes, a lightened-up twist on a classic comfort food. Packed with finely diced onion, bell pepper, shredded carrot, and zucchini, this recipe sneaks in plenty of fresh vegetables while using lean ground turkey or chicken for a guilt-free protein boost. A flavorful homemade sauce made with tomato sauce, Worcestershire, ketchup, and a hint of smoked paprika creates the perfect balance of tangy and smoky goodness. Ready in just 35 minutes, these sloppy joes are served on hearty whole wheat buns for the ultimate wholesome meal. Perfect for busy families, these lighter sloppy joes are deliciously satisfying and pair wonderfully with a crisp side salad or baked sweet potato fries.

Nutriscore Rating: 78/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:20 mins

Total Time:35 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 medium carrot, finely shredded
• 1 medium zucchini, finely shredded
• 1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken
• 15 ounces tomato sauce, no salt added
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 pieces whole wheat hamburger buns

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Step 2

Add the diced onion and green bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.

Step 3

Stir in the shredded carrot and zucchini, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Step 4

Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet, and add the ground turkey or chicken to the other side. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 5

Once the meat is cooked, mix it together with the vegetables in the skillet.

Step 6

Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, mustard, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.

Step 7

Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavorful.

Step 8

Toast the whole wheat hamburger buns lightly, if desired.

Step 9

Spoon the sloppy joe mixture evenly onto the bottom half of each bun, then top with the other half of the bun to serve.

Step 10

Enjoy these light and healthy Garden Sloppy Joes with a side salad or baked sweet potato fries!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	1928.5 grams (1928.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2161

Total Fat 69.20g	89%
Saturated Fat 16.90g	85%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.30g
Cholesterol 363mg	121%
Sodium 3631mg	158%
Total Carbohydrate 242.20g	88%
Dietary Fiber 40.20g	144%
Total Sugars 66.60g
Protein 153.00g	306%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 851mg	65%
Iron 24mg	133%
Potassium 4553mg	97%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 28.3%

Protein: 27.8%

Carbs: 44.0%