Michael Symon’s Sloppy Joe Tacos

I love Sloppy Joes and I love tacos, so why not marry them together in (un)holy matrimony? This is just a fun, easy, and easy-to-enjoy recipe that could easily be bumped up to feed a crowd. You can set up a little “sloppy taco” bar, loaded with warm tortillas, a mix of fresh toppings, lime wedges, and hot sauces. Who knows, maybe we can start a Sloppy Joe Taco Tuesday trend?

Sloppy Joe Tacos

Serves 6

Ingredients  

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds ground meat (turkey, lamb, pork, beef, or chicken)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped (about ½ cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

¼ cup yellow mustard

¼ cup packed light brown sugar (optional)

6 corn or flour tortillas

Optional toppings

Diced avocado

Chopped tomatoes

Fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Sliced radishes

Shaved cabbage

Sliced jalapeños

Directions 

Prepare and preheat a charcoal grill for indirect cooking, with one hot side and one hold (unheated) side.

Set a large cast-iron skillet on the hot side of the grill. Add the olive oil and heat to shimmering. Add the ground meat, smoked paprika, cumin, a pinch of salt, and twist of pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, mustard, and brown sugar (if using) and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and place on the hold side of the grill to warm for 5 minutes.

Transfer the Sloppy Joe mixture to a bowl and serve with warm tortillas and toppings.

Excerpted from Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out Copyright © 2025 by Michael Symon Photographs copyright © 2025 by Ed Anderson. Published in the United States by CLARKSON POTTER/PUBLISHERS. An imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.