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Bison sloppy joes on a bun with chips on the side.
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4.63 from 8 votes

30-Minute Bison Sloppy Joes Recipe (a bite of nostalgia!)

Our 30-Minute Bison Sloppy Joes are a messy and delightful twist on a timeless favorite. They're made with simple ingredients, are naturally sweetened, and use an easy and sneaky tip that gives these Sloppy Joes a flavor better than you can imagine. Taste the nostalgia without the hassle!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, bison, burger, sandwich, sloppy joes
Servings: 4
Calories: 310kcal
Author: Mika Kinney

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet or heavy bottom stock pot
  • or crock pot for an alternative method

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground bison or lean ground beef, turkey, or meatless crumbles
  • 1 yellow onion medium, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 green bell pepper red or yellow will work too
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ tablespoon chili powder see notes for adjusting spice level
  • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika sweet paprika will work too
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cup tomato sauce unflavored, 1 can
  • 1 tablespoon pickling liquid liquid from pickles, pickled jalapenos, banana peppers, or other
  • 2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tablespoon honey mustard or yellow or dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoon maple syrup 100% pure or 2 tablespoon brown sugar, see notes for adjusting sweetness

Serving Suggestions

Instructions

  • Brown the bison over medium-high heat in a large saute pan or heavy bottom pot (like a Dutch oven) for 5-7 minutes until mostly cooked through.
  • Add the chopped onion, green peppers, and minced garlic to the pan. Saute until softened (about 3 minutes).
    A skillet with browned bison and the vegetables.
  • Add the remaining spices, tomato sauce, paste, pickling liquid, and other sauces. Mix to combine.
    At this point, you can also add everything to a slow cooker and cook on high 4 hours or low 6-8 hours (more is fine or set it to go to warm if you won’t be home for 10+ hours).
    A skillet on the stovetop contains ground beef, chopped green bell peppers, and onions. The mixture, perfect for Bison Sloppy Joes, is topped with tomato sauce, mustard, and spices, ready for mixing and cooking.
  • Reduce to low heat and let this mixture simmer for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld. Then plate up the sloppy joe mixture on your favorite hamburger bun and enjoy!
    A skillet with the sloppy joe mixture in it after simmering.

Video

Notes

Helpful Tips
  • Dice the vegetables small: It really helps to finely chop the onions and bell pepper and mince the garlic (with a knife or food processor). This ensures they incorporate fully into the meat and makes it so people won’t even realize they are in the meat. This is especially great when trying to get the kids to eat more vegetables.
  • Preparing to make these: Bison meat browns very quickly so I find it very helpful to Measure out and mix the sauces and spices before I start the bison. Then while the bison cooks, I finely chop the vegetables. 
  • Speed them up: If you're worried you won’t have the time, energy, or mental capacity to make these during busy weeknights, try this prepping tip. 
Storage tips and How to meal prep this
To meal prep: Sloppy joes only get better with time so they make great meal prep! Simply make them as described and store them in the fridge. 
Fridge: These sloppy joes will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 5 days.
Freezer: To freeze these, place them in a zip-top freezer bag or freezer-safe tupperware. Store for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To reheat from the fridge, use the microwave or add to a saucepan to heat through on the stove. To reheat from frozen, let them thaw overnight in the fridge the day before. Or use the defrost setting on the microwave to use low power to thaw them quickly. 
Common Questions
How can I adjust the spice level of these sloppy joes?
These sloppy joes aren't very spicy but if you're concerned about spice level, start by not using the chili powder. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then taste the mixture and add chili powder 1 tablespoon at a time until you have reached the desired spice level.
How can I adjust the sweetness level of these sloppy joes?
Sloppy joes are kind of sweet for a savory dish (that’s why they're so great). But, if you do not like sweetness as much, start with half the amount of maple syrup. Let it simmer for 5 minutes and then taste and adjust, adding 1 tablespoon of maple syrup at a time until you reach the desired sweetness level. You can also use yellow mustard instead of honey mustard to reduce the sweetness.
How do I make these with ground beef?
If using ground beef instead of bison, make these as the recipe describes. Except, you'll need to drain any excess fat from the pan prior to adding the vegetables and after browning the beef. The leaner the beef (and 90/10 ratio or greater is the best option), the less fat you'll have to drain.
Can I make sloppy joes in the crock pot?
Yes, bison sloppy joes are awesome for the crockpot or slow cooker. Just brown the bison first and then transfer to the slow cooker with all the other ingredients. Mix to combine and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Can I make these sloppy joes vegetarian?
You can definitely make these easy sloppy joes vegetarian by swapping the bison for cooked lentils and adding in some additional veggies like spinach and carrots.
See the post for additional substitution options and notes.
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only and does not include the buns or any toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Potassium: 914mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2429IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg