Paleo Mango Turkey Sloppy Joe Salad Bowls are full of flavor and a fun twist on a classic Sloppy Joe! Plus eating Sloppy Joes as a salad makes them a little less sloppy.
There is a Costco located right across from where Mike works and he’s discovered the joy that is shopping there. (No joke.)
Some bargains are just too good to pass up, but the thing is, when you buy waaaaay more than you need of something, when does a bargain stop being a bargain? (Like how on earth do two people, one of whom doesn’t really eat bread, need a box of 12 super-sized croissants? He wouldn’t be dissuaded from that one though.)
Mike came home with two (three-pound) packs of ground turkey two weeks in a row. Between the two of us, I’m the only one who likes ground turkey, but at least it’s something that can be frozen. When a sweet neighbor dropped off a huge box of mangoes knowing that they’re my favorite, I decided to get creative and this recipe came about.
The average Sloppy Joes I remember as a kid (which were still great to me!) are given a major upgrade with the addition of fresh mango puree. If you’re doing the Whole30, there are just a couple easy adjustments you’ll need to make this meal compliant: omit the honey (and so you may want to reduce the vinegar by half or so), omit the Dijon, and add 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder.
I served these Sloppy Joes up as salads, but of course you can go the traditional route and use buns if you prefer. Or to keep them paleo, use paleo sandwich bread or paleo flatbread!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb (450 g) ground turkey
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¾ cup fresh mango puree (see Note)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or tamari sauce or soy sauce if not doing paleo/Whole30)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 cups fresh salad greens
- ½ medium-large red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, quartered
- 1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the turkey, onion, and garlic and cook (uncovered) until the meat is browned, about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the mango puree, vinegar, coconut aminos, tomato paste, honey, Dijon, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Bring up to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.
- To assemble the salads, arrange the greens in the bottom of 4 large bowls. Place ¼ of the meat mixture on top of each, and divide the red onion, avocado, and sliced mango between each salad. Serve immediately.
To Make Ahead: Make the meat mixture up to 3 days in advance and store it covered in the fridge until serving.
Whole30-Friendly: To make this recipe Whole30-compliant, omit the honey (and so you may want to reduce the vinegar by half or so), omit the Dijon, and add ½ teaspoon mustard powder.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
These salad bowls are such a smart way to reinvent the sloppy joe! And I love the fresh mango, one of my favorite salad toppers!
I’m cracking up that you and Kevin both reinvented the sloppy joe today. Love it!
I absolutely love the use of mango here – such a healthful way to get that sweet tangy flavor than the traditional. And creating it as a salad is such a great idea – much better than ending up with a mess on your shirt.
Have a wonderful weekend, beautiful friend!
Well I’m just going to say that we must be on the same wavelength. Ha! This salad with that mango puree, heaven! Have a great weekend.
Costco is a fav haunt over here as well. I have learned to have a list and stick to it or else it’s crazy. :)