Enjoy some spicy, taco-seasoned homemade Sloppy Joes made with your favorite toppings on Taco Tuesday or any day.

These are no regular sloppy joes. There’s no canned sloppy joe sauce. They have a homemade taco sloppy joe sauce made with tomato sauce, salsa, taco seasoning, and more!

Sloppy Joes are one of our favorite Ground Beef Recipes, and this Taco Sloppy Joes are one of my most requested Tex-Mex Recipes!

It is a meal that the whole family will love! If you are looking for a more traditional sloppy joes recipe, then try our Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes Recipe.

If you like my Pizza Sloppy Joes, Lentil Sloppy Joe Casserole (Vegan), or Sloppy Joe Burritos, you will love these Taco Sloppy Joes!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Taste – This recipe has taco flavors that taste so delicious that it is certain to become a family favorite. Imagine the taste of a sloppy joe mixture that has a ground beef or ground turkey meat mixture with tomato sauce, seasoned with taco seasoning, chili powder, and crushed taco shells, inside hamburger buns, with chopped jalapenos or green bell pepper, with black beans and sour cream!
Easy – This easy sloppy joe recipe makes an easy dinner recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners. Be sure to try this delicious, easy recipe.
Budget Friendly – This recipe uses common ingredients most likely found at your local grocery store. This Sloppy Joe recipe stretches a package of ground beef so you can feed more people or have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Versatile – It’s easy to customize it to your taste. Add your favorite toppings, like Mexican cheese.
Picnic Friendly – Sloppy Joes are perfect for a party or picnic. It is one of those favorite foods that most people love.

Equipment Needed

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Sloppy Joe Ingredients

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

Below are the ingredients and suggested substitutions if you don’t have an ingredient.

Ground Beef – This is a great way to get more meals from a pound of ground beef. It helps stretch the grocery budget. However, you could also use ground turkey if you don’t have ground beef. However, if you prefer vegan sloppy joes, skip the ground beef sloppy joe meat and use red lentils instead to make Sloppy Janes.
Bell Pepper (or Jalapeño)- If you don’t like spicy heat, then use a green bell pepper. However, if you are like me and like Spicy Sloppy Joes with a little kick, use fresh jalapeños that have been deseeded.
Onion – I used a sweet onion, but you could use a white onion or Vidalia onion if that’s what you have.
Black Beans – I used a can of drained black beans. However, you could also use pinto beans, Great Northern beans, or kidney beans.
Corn – I used canned corn, but you can use frozen corn that has been thawed or cooked fresh corn.
Tomato Sauce – You’ll need an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce. You could also use tomato soup, tomato paste, water, or ketchup. Try using enchilada sauce instead of tomato sauce to make it more taco-like.
Salsa – Use 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa. I used a red salsa to go with the tomato sauce.
Taco Seasoning – You can use pre-packaged or my Taco Seasoning recipe.
Garlic Powder – I recommend using garlic powder and NOT garlic salt, as packaged taco seasoning usually has plenty of salt.
Onion Powder
Ground Cumin
Diced Green Chilies (or diced Jalapeños) – Feel free to use either diced green chilies or diced jalapeños. They can be canned or fresh.
Chopped Cilantro – I highly recommend using chopped fresh cilantro for the best taste and appearance.
Cheddar Cheese – Optional Topping. You could also use Mexican Blend cheese.
Sour Cream

How To Make Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

Add the ground beef, onion, and bell peppers in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the beef into crumbles and cook, stirring occasionally, until there is no pink left, about 8-10 minutes.
Drain any excess fat from the mix and add the taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin, stirring to combine well. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato sauce, salsa, black beans, corn, and green chilies, and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly but still saucy.
Stir in the fresh cilantro and serve on your favorite burger buns with your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe Tips

Corn – You can use fresh or frozen corn in place of canned.
Spice Level – If you don’t want it spicy, use a mild taco seasoning packet, and do not add the green chilies or jalapeños.
Leftover Taco Meat – If you have leftover taco meat, you can make this recipe even easier by heating it and using it as a base for making these sloppy joes.

Sloppy Joe Variations

Change Out The Protein – It is excellent with ground pork, turkey, or chicken!
Change Out The Bun – Instead of adding the filling to a bun, use it in taco filling and make tacos with the ground beef taco filling.
Sloppy Joe Taco Salad – Add the sloppy Joe meat to the top of a taco salad for a filling lunch or light dinner.

Sloppy Joe Dinner Sides

FAQ’s

How To Store Leftovers?

Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat, I suggest heating it in a pan with a little stock or water to help loosen it back up.

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Taco Sloppy Joe’s Recipe

Taco Sloppy Joes are extremely flavorful and mildly spicy with taco seasoned, saucy ground beef, black beans, corn, diced green chilies and more!

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword Taco Sloppy Joes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 16

Total Time 31

Servings

Calories 286kcal

Author Michele @ Flavor Mosaic

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef 80/20
1 small sweet onion small diced
1 small green bell pepper small diced
1 ounce packet taco seasoning (or make Homemade Taco Seasoning)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup canned whole kernel corn drained
4 ounces diced green chiles drained
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Buns and toppings of your choice

Instructions

Add the ground beef, onion, and bell peppers in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the beef into crumbles and cook, stirring occasionally, until there is no pink left, about 8-10 minutes.
1 pound ground beef, 1 small sweet onion, 1 small green bell pepper
Drain any excess fat from the mix and add the taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin, stirring to combine well. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
1 ounce packet taco seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Add the tomato sauce, salsa, black beans, corn, and green chilies, and stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly but still saucy.
8 ounces tomato sauce, 1/2 cup salsa, 1 cup canned black beans, 1 cup canned whole kernel corn, 4 ounces diced green chiles
Stir in the fresh cilantro and serve on your favorite burger buns with your favorite taco toppings.
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, Buns and toppings of your choice

Notes

Recipe Tips:

Corn – Either fresh or frozen corn can be used in place of canned.
Spice Level – This recipe makes a mildly spicy Sloppy Joe. To reduce the level of spiciness, use a mild taco seasoning packet and do not add the green chilies.
Leftovers – If there are any leftovers, I suggest reheating the sloppy Joe meat in a pan with a little beef stock or water to help loosen it up.
Variations
- Also excellent with ground pork, turkey, or chicken!
- This would also be great for a filling for tacos, or topping for taco salad.
Storage – Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition