Sloppy Joe’s are one of those things that just instantly make me feel better. How can one be stressed or sad while eating a juicy, meaty, mouth-watering sloppy joe?! I have lately been making it a point to cook the meals I enjoyed growing up for my kids, so next on my list is Sloppy Joes. Yes, they are indeed SLOPPY so post-meal cleanup takes some extra time and you will probably need to pack an extra napkin or 2, but the look on your kids face when they see this fun, easy, and awesome meal makes it all worth it!
Plus, I don’t think any other lunchbox makes it possible to pack something like sloppy joes! Being able to pack the filling into the insulated container so it stays warm while the buns and pickles stay nice and cool is insanely helpful.
What you need:
1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 can mushrooms
1 can black beans
1 can tomato soup
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper
8 hamburger buns (we used mini brioche buns from Trader Joe’s!)
What to do:
In a deep sided skillet, cook the beef for about 5 minutes. Add onion, green pepper and celery and cook until the beef has browned and the onions are translucent. Add the rest of your ingredients (zucchini, mushrooms, tomato soup, etc.) and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes and voila! You’re delicious Sloppy Joe mixture is done and ready to be piled on to your brioche buns!
Sprinkle some cheese on top and serve with extra pickles – we dare you to try and not finish the entire pot in one sitting!
And for all you vegans/vegetarians out there- there are so many other options for you! Basically all you have to do is replace the meat with lentils. Here is one of my favorite recipes by The Minimalist Baker: Vegan Sloppy Joes Recipe! It’s tried and true and honestly, my kids barely miss the meat when I cook this one up. It’s a delicious, lighter, healthier spin on the classic.
