Easy Sloppy Joe Recipe: Spicy Cheeseburger

Sloppy Joe is one of those meals that comes together quickly, making it the perfect weeknight meal! In this version, I step it up a notch by adding pickles, onions, and chipotle to make Spicy Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes!

Like most moms…heck, most people in general, I always have a long to-do list. Between chasing my toddler, working my day job, keeping the house in order, and building my own business, it seems like it is neverending. As a result, I like to have a few meals that I can rely on that are healthy and fast to make!

My spicy cheeseburger sloppy joe checks both of those boxes!

Plus, cheeseburgers and sloppy joe are two meals that every few dislike. So combining the two means your whole family will enjoy the meal!

By making this recipe with quality ingredients, you also yourself a nourishing meal to serve your hungry crew!

Tips for making great sloppy joes

You can easily reduce or eliminate the chipotle in the recipe if you or your crew are not fans of spicy foods. Around here, we do not shy away from the spicy stuff! Even the little guy will eat dishes with a little kick to it.

If you are into meal prepping, you can make this meal come together even faster on a busy weeknight! You can dice the pickles and onions and mix the sauce together on the weekend. Then on the night you having hamburger sloppy joe, brown the meat, add the sauce, pickles, onions, and you’re ready!

To really step up the nutrient-density of this meal, add in some liver! You do not have to add much to reap the benefits, just a couple of ounces will do. I keep both chunks of frozen liver and liver pate in the freezer to add to ground beef meals. For the chunks, I grate it with a box grater and add to the dish near the end of cooking. For the pate, defrost it and stir in near the end of cooking.

If using grass-fed beef, it is typically on the lean side. I find that adding just a touch of oil to the pan really helps to prevent it from sticking. Half a teaspoon is usually enough.

How to make Sloppy Joes

Brown the ground beef. Adding salt and pepper.

While beef is cooking, prepare the sauce.

Add the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire/coconut aminos, and pickles to a small bowl. Stir well.

Once beef is cooked, add in sauce and allow to cook a few mintues until sauce is warm.

Add onions to the mixture.

Assemble your sandwhich or lettuce cup, top with cheddar.

If you are serving this on a bun or a thick slice of sourdough, I highly suggest that you throw your cheese topped sloppy joe under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Yum!!

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Choosing Quality Ingredients

Grass-fed beef is has more nutrients then regular conventional raised beef. A bit more on the later in the post.

Choosing sugar-free ketchup is ideal. Primal Kitchen makes lots of great condiments, their ketchup is no exception. This is also a good option for one the is sweetened but uses honey. Keeping sugar to a minimum in your diet is a great way to support overall health and reduce inflammation.

When choosing pickles be sure to check that label! Pickles are one of the food items that tend to have high fructose corn syrup(HFCS) as an ingredient. I recommend that you avoid that stuff at all costs. There are a few brands that do not use sugar or HFCS, but you will have to take time to read the ingredients. I can find McClure’s Pickles at the larger grocery store near me and they are delicious.

To add some gut support to your sloppy joe, grab some fermented pickles. Bubbies is my favorite brand of fermented pickles and kraut! You may need to reduce the amount of salt added to the recipe if using fermented pickles, they tend to be a bit more salty.

Why choose grass-fed beef

All beef is an excellent source of vitamin B12, zinc, selenium, vitamin B3 & B6, and iron, as well as protien.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, grass-fed is more nutrient-dense then conventionally farmed grain-fed beef.

Grass-fed beef is higher in B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and potassium than grain-fed beef. It may also have more than ten times more vitamin A and three times more vitamin E.

Grass-fed beef contains roughly four times more omega-3 fatty acids which are important for brain health.

Grass-fed also contains about double the amount of conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) which is known to reduce inflammation, promote healing, and fight cancer. CLA performs actions in the body that also reduce the risk of obesity and cancer, diabetes, and more.

In addition to the greater nutrient profile, grass-fed beef is also better for the environment and the animals are treated better.

Great Pairing

• Go the traditional route and serve these up on a nice slice of sourdough bread.
• If you are low-carb or need to avoid grains, serve these spicy sloppy joe up in lettuce cups.
• A big salad
• Fermented sauerkraut
• Avocado
• Extra onions and pickles
• Baked fries, even sweet potatoes, would be an excellent side dish if you are serving the sloppy joe up in lettuce cups.
• Steamed veggies
• Mango Slaw

Go give these a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!

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