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Easy, healthy and delicious Sloppy Joe Lettuce Wraps – made with lean ground turkey, black beans, and packed with flavorful vegetables smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce…

sloppy joe with meat and tomatoes sitting on a bed of lettuce.

These Sloppy Joes not only taste great but they’re healthy too! Lean ground turkey mixed with sweet and crunchy red peppers, onions, black beans, carrots and zucchini. Talk about flavor!

This recipe happens to be one I’ve been making for years. I love how the sweet sloppy joe sauce in this recipe is made from simple and healthy ingredients like, tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and molasses. Combined with a few flavorful spices, the flavor is fantastic!

Why This Recipe Works

  • It’s easy to make!
  • This sloppy joe is filled with flavor.
  • Our healthier versions is made with ground turkey instead of ground beef and is packed with plenty of freshly chopped vegetables. Instead of sugar, this sloppy joe sauce is sweetened with mineral-packed molasses.

Ingredient Notes

See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  • Ground turkey: I use ground turkey in this recipe but you can use ground beef if preferred.
  • Onion, garlic, carrots, red pepper, zucchini: Adds so much flavor to this dish.
  • Black beans: I use canned black beans.
  • Tomato sauce: Use your favorite tomato sauce or homemade.
  • Molasses: Adds a delightfully sweet flavor to the sauce.
  • Red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard powder, salt and black pepper: A small amount of these ingredients add great flavor to the sauce.
  • Lettuce leaves: 6-8 large lettuce leaves, or you can use your favorite hamburger bun or brioche bun to make a sandwich.
sloppy joe with meat and tomatoes sitting on a bed of lettuce.

How To Make This Recipe

  1. Brown the ground turkey and the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until cooked.
  2. Add the garlic, red pepper, carrots and zucchini and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
  3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, simmer for 10 minutes more.
  4. Place a half-cup scoop of the mixture onto the center of each lettuce leaf, roll and serve.

Expert Tips

  • To add a little extra spice, try adding a few dashes of hot sauce or adding chopped jalapeños to the sauce.
  • Without the bun, there’s the added benefit of fewer carbs and calories.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Should I Store The Sloppy Joe Mixture?

The sloppy joe mixture and sauce stay well in the refrigerator for 3 days. It also freezes well! Cover and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Are There Other Ways To Enjoy The Sloppy Joe Sauce And Meat?

Spoon inside taco shells, serve over spaghetti squash, or serve over tortilla chips.

If you’re looking for a Sloppy Joe For One, you can find that recipe as well as many other single serving recipes by visiting our One Dish Kitchen site. 

Enjoy!


Healthy Sloppy Joe Lettuce Wraps

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Easy, healthy and delicious Sloppy Joe Lettuce Wraps – made with lean ground turkey, black beans, red peppers and other great vegetables smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce…

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 1 red pepper diced
  • 1 medium zucchini diced
  • 1 15- ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 – 8 leaves large lettuce

Instructions 

  • Brown the ground turkey and the onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until cooked.
  • Add the garlic, red pepper, carrots and zucchini and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, simmer for 10 minutes more.
  • Place a half-cup scoop of the mixture onto the center of each lettuce leaf, roll and serve.
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Hi, I’m Joanie and welcome to ZagLeft where we share favorite recipes as well as exciting travel experiences that we’ve enjoyed while always trying to take the road less traveled.

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5 from 1 vote

1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    This looks so delicious Joanie, I was surprised by the molasses! 🙂