Talk about throwing it back.
I have news. Serious, life-altering news. Hell-almost-froze-over news.
Ready?
I like bread and butter pickles now.
In fact, I love them.
In fact, I’m craving them.
(And no, I’m not pregnant.)
This is monumental for me because I’ve always been a devoted pickle person — tart, briny, vinegary, yes — but until recently I only accepted dill. I remember the first time I tried a bread and butter pickle at my cousin’s house when I was about ten and thought, what is this? Ever since, I reached into jars with caution, making sure every pickle that met my lips was dill and nothing else.
Are they called “bread and butter” because you’re supposed to put them on buttered bread? It certainly sounds delicious.
That early pickle experience stuck with me the way Twinkies or crispy fried wonton strips have — inexplicable food traumas. For years I avoided them entirely.
A few weeks ago, for no particular reason, bread and butter pickles sounded good. I bought a jar, tried one right before making these sloppy joes, and thought: hmm, not bad. Then I piled a few on top of the sandwich and that was it. I’m officially obsessed. They’ve been showing up on every sandwich I eat and will continue to do so.
Honestly, I regret spending decades turning my nose up at them.
Now for the throwback: the sloppy joe itself. We didn’t grow up on homemade sloppy joes, though I did make them once early in my marriage. Last year, heavily pregnant and craving comfort and nostalgia, I made them again and my mom and I devoured them in silence because they were that good. I’ve been making them ever since, and this version evolved into something I had to share.
I added a crunchy, tangy Greek yogurt slaw and — of course — bread and butter pickles. The sandwich became a mix of sweet, smoky, tangy, creamy, and crunchy in the best way.
Here’s the rundown:
- The sloppy joe filling is a blend of ground beef and turkey for balanced flavor and texture. It’s loaded with roasted green chiles and roasted red pepper for a bright, slightly smoky component.
- The sauce is tangy and slightly sweet, with tomato paste, tomato puree, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar, rounded out by smoked paprika.
- A crisp Napa and red cabbage slaw dressed in Greek yogurt, honey, apple cider vinegar and olive oil adds freshness and crunch.
- Soft buns are brushed with melted butter before toasting — a simple, indulgent step worth doing.
- And finally, bread and butter pickles finish the sandwich with sweet-tangy bites that tie everything together.
Smoky Sloppy Joes with Green Chiles
4 to 6
45 mins
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Ingredients
- 3 green chiles
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey (94% lean)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups tomato puree
- buttered buns for serving
- bread and butter pickles
tangy yogurt slaw
- 1 head napa cabbage, sliced
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Roast the green chiles and red pepper: preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub peppers with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until skins blister and char, about 30 minutes. Transfer peppers to a resealable plastic bag for 20 minutes to steam. Remove skins, slice off tops, remove seeds if desired, and dice the peppers.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low and add olive oil. Cook the onion, roasted peppers and garlic until the onion softens, about 5–6 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add turkey and beef with salt and pepper, breaking up the meat. Cook until browned. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika and brown sugar. Add tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Cover and simmer 15–20 minutes, stirring often. Adjust seasoning: more salt, sugar or vinegar to taste.
- To serve, brush and toast buns with melted butter. Spoon the meat mixture onto the buns, top with tangy yogurt slaw and bread and butter pickles.
tangy yogurt slaw
- In a large bowl, toss Napa and red cabbage, carrots and cilantro. Whisk yogurt, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl, then stream in olive oil while whisking until combined. Pour dressing over the slaw and toss to coat.
Did you make this recipe?
I appreciate you so much!
WORTH IT.