Smoky White Bean and Beef Sloppy Joes

By Sarah DiGregorio

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(577)
Notes: Read community notes

This update on the kid-friendly classic uses half the meat as a traditional sloppy Joe recipe, but retains the qualities that everyone loves: a tart-sweet savoriness and a quick cooking time. You can substitute ground pork, turkey, lamb or plant-based ground meat for the beef; the key is to use a protein that’s not too lean. A little fat helps carry the flavor of the meat through the entire dish. (If you use plant-based meat or you only have lean meat on hand, add another tablespoon of olive oil or your preferred fat.) The addition of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles imparts smoke, with just a hint of heat. (If you’d like a spicier version, by all means, chop up one or two of the chipotles and add them.) The leftover chipotles keep for at least two weeks in the fridge or indefinitely in the freezer, and they are a welcome addition to many dishes, like chicken tacos or chili.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

2tablespoons olive oil
1medium onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1red, yellow or orange bell pepper, finely chopped
½pound ground beef, preferably 85 percent lean
1packed tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
1tablespoon tomato paste
1½teaspoons garlic powder
½teaspoon ground cumin
¾cup canned or jarred tomato purée
1tablespoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotles in adobo)
1tablespoon cider vinegar
1(15-ounce) can cannellini or pinto beans, drained
4hamburger buns, preferably potato buns
Tomato slices and pickle chips, for topping

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Warm the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over high heat. Add the onion, season with 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Stir in the bell pepper, then spread out the vegetable mixture and let it cook undisturbed for about 1 minute. Stir well and repeat, letting the vegetables cook undisturbed for another minute or so at a time. You want the onions and peppers to get softened, seared and browned in spots, about 5 minutes total.
Step 3
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, making an empty spot in the middle of the pan, and add the ground beef. Season the beef with a pinch of salt, and smash it flat with a spatula, letting it cook undisturbed for 1 minute until brown underneath. Break up the beef with the spatula and cook 1 to 2 more minutes, until completely browned with no visible pink spots.
Step 4
Combine the vegetables and beef, then add the sugar and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute to toast the tomato paste. Add the garlic powder and cumin, then the tomato purée, adobo sauce and vinegar. Stir in the beans. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer to thicken slightly, about 3 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, toast the buns.
Step 6
With a fork, roughly smash some of the beans to thicken the mixture. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve on toasted buns, topped with tomatoes and pickles.

Ratings

4 out of 5

577 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Genevieve Melle3 years ago

i am no expert, but i am a bean lover and vegetarian... definitely, cannellini, even if barely cook are mushy beans, on the other hand, black beans even when overcooked, tend to be harder to mash. I would see using pinto as suggested in recipe or using already mushed (use a fork) black beans--the taste however, will be different. I hope this is helpful. I find black beans way tastier than cannellini, which i tend to use in soups or hummus.

Cooked on 9/202 years ago

Replace Cider vinegar with Worcestershire sauce

Kellen3 years ago

Try canned red kidney beans. Firm exterior with a silky interior.

mizhil2 years ago

I made these tonight using a can of lentils, cause that’s what I had. They mashed up nicely and basically disappeared into the meat. I don’t think anyone would have known that they were in there. Really enjoyed these!

Kay2 years ago

I think you should mash some of the beans before adding to mixture with beef. First, it’s easier. Second, it helps to avoid crushing onions, pepper and beef. Third, the crushed beans act as a thickener. Last bet not least, you can better control texture and account for variations in bean consistency.

Laura2 years ago

I wasn't sure about the beans in here - I thought I might not like the consistency but these are really good! The first bite was definitely different, but the flavor is fantastic. I used a red pepper because they seem to have so much sweet flavor, and pinto beans because I couldn't get my hands on cannellini beans. Also used 93/7 ground beef but still came out great and not dry. Love that it's a healthier version of sloppy joes with a little less meat and a little more fiber.

stephen2 years ago

Textured vegetable protein works really well,instead of ground meat, in sloppy joes.

Jordan2 years ago

Sooo good. The combination of sauces and spices is amazing. Used Beyond Beef. Not ready for a fine restaurant, but that’s not the benchmark on a Wednesday night at home.

bethany H3 years ago

I loved this recipe. It’s nice and sloppy and super flavorful. The next morning I poured a little coconut cream on top and added a poached egg as well. Delicious.

Lacey1 year ago

Swapped out half the white beans for kidney beans, only used half the sugar, and added 2 chipotles in w the adobo, it was plenty sweet and the spice added warmth. Eat after a day or two and it is even better!

Harris2 years ago

Even better if you've cooked dried beans first and use some of the liquor from the pot for loosening the mixture if needed.

Anja1 month ago

This recipe has become a family staple! We cook it exactly as written, down to the minute, which is pretty rare for me :D Instant classic.

Birgit Sacher8 months ago

I completely forgot to mash some of the cannellini beans. They were excellent. I'm not generally a fan of pickles, but the recipe author kkows where its at with that flavor marriage. Yum.

Eileen10 months ago

Really good made with Beyond Beef and pinto beans! My partner who is not a sloppy joe person even loved them :)

abr1 year ago

Made as written and it turned out so delicious. The texture of the sloppy joe mixture after you crush the white beans is perfect to put on a bun and it doesn't all just slide right out the other side when you take a bite due to the starch the beans release when you crush them in the pan with everything. Made with 85% ground turkey, which paired perfectly with the cannellini beans, so good!

Arlene1 year ago

I love this recipe (and thanks everyone for your lovely comments). I made it with red pepper (which is what I had), skipped the chipotle because I had none, and added Worcestershire sauce, a squirt of prepared yellow mustard, and some parsley. The beans are a wonderful addition, and as Kay mentioned I would mash them separately. Yum, yum, YUM!

A.J.S.1 year ago

Would use less brown sugar than recipe calls for the next time we make it.

Teresa Goethe1 year ago

The beans were too dry inside. More sauce maybe? Different beans? Sloppy joes should be sloppy

Emily1 year ago

I made two versions of this at the same time - one with beef and one with Impossible beef. Next time I use the fake meat I will cut or eliminate the sugar and add some smoked paprika.

Lacey1 year ago

jakinthekitchen1 year ago

I’m mostly impressed with how well this turned out, with one big caveat: a tablespoon of sugar feels like too much. The mixture is very sweet, and now I’m adding hot sauce to compensate. Next time I’d start with a teaspoon.

tina1 year ago

Didn’t measure precisely, puréed a couple adobe chilis into diced tomatoes for our purée. It will be a household regular! Great northern canned beans worked fine

Emily1 year ago

My family LOVED this. Followed the recipe to a T. Might try the addition of Worchestershire sauce as suggested and will probably add a smidge more brown sugar and a dash of hot sauce. It could have used a tiny bit more sauce. Made plenty for 6 sandwiches.

jmack1 year ago

I wasn't expecting much from this recipe and wasn't sure about the beans, but it was great! I used Beyond Beef and Worcestershire sauce per another reader's suggestion. I will definitely make this again. I top mine with plain yellow mustard. Yum.

Fun, quick and easy1 year ago

Made this on a whim and it was great as written. Helped me use up a bunch of ingredients, too! I used pinto as that’s what I had on hand, but the best thing about this recipe is that it’s super forgiving. No pinto or cannellini beans? Use kidney beans. I was out of tomato sauce so I used a little more adobo sauce. No big deal. Will absolutely make this again.

patricia1 year ago

This is so full of flavor, hearty, quick to throw together, and really healthy if you use something other than beef. I used lean ground turkey and cannellini beans. I’ve never been into sloppy Joe’s, but this is going into regular rotation!

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