Turkey Lentil Sloppy Joes with Quick Cabbage Slaw

Turkey Lentil Sloppy Joes with Quick Cabbage Slaw on a black & silver serving tray.
Prep Time: 
55 min prep time
Number of Servings: 
serves 8 in regular-sized buns, serves 16 in mini-slider buns
Recipe Source: 
From Oven to Table by Jan Scott ($24.95, Penguin, 2019), Image Credit: ​© blm photography

Ingredients

For the Sloppy Joes

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 12 cup)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 cups cooked green or brown lentils (or 1 19-oz can, rinsed and drained)
  • 3 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 sp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 12 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp hot sauce

For the Slaw

  • 4 cups chopped red cabbage (about 1 small cabbage)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled
  • 3 green onions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 12 cup mayonnaise
  • 14 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp liquid honey
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • Kosher salt

For Serving

  • 8 whole-wheat dinner rolls or hamburger buns (split in half and toasted)*

Directions

  1. In a large cast iron, stainless steel, or nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, season with a pinch of salt and sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  2. Crumble ground turkey into skillet and stir to combine, cooking until browned. Add lentils, chili powder, oregano, cumin, pepper, and tomato paste and stir, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes to infuse turkey and lentils with spices.
  3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Check seasonings and add more salt if needed.
  4. While meat mixture is cooking, make slaw. Place cabbage in a medium bowl and, using a vegetable peeler, shave carrot into ribbons. Add carrot and green onions to bowl and toss with clean hands to combine.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice, honey, and celery seed. Pour over cabbage and toss to combine. Finish with a pinch of salt.
  6. Spoon Sloppy Joes onto split and toasted rolls. Top with slaw and serve at once.

Notes

  • For more of a bite-size snack, turn these into sliders. Just replace the 8 hamburger buns with approximately 16 mini-slider buns.
  • You can easily double or triple this recipe for a large party. The slaw adds some crunch to this dish. Its simplicity lends itself well to customization, so feel free to play around with vegetables if you like, maybe adding some grated apple or green cabbage to the mix.
Nutrition Info: 
Per serving (serves 1 minislider): 309 Calories, 15 g Protein, 39 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Fiber, 11 g Total fat (2 g sat), 437 mg Sodium, ★★★ Vitamin B6, Folate, ★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), C, D, Iron, Phosphorus, Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B12, E, K, Potassium, Zinc

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