These Korean Sloppy Joes are the perfect spicy twist on the traditional sloppy joe. Made with Korean spicy flavors and topped with a quick and yummy pickle topping. These are perfect for sliders, burger buns, lettuce wraps, or rice bowls.

 

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

I love Korean flavors and love incorporating them into my favorite meals. Like these Korean Chicken Wings made in my air fryer and this Kimchi Fried Rice. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw Rachel Ray making these Korean Inspired Sloppy Joes on her tv show, 30-minute meals. Let me just say, I was dying to try out the recipe and it became an instant hit in our house. 

I’ve adapted it to fit our taste, using fish sauce where Rachel uses Worchestire and some other tweaks and changes. Either way, this recipe is straight genius and a perfect twist on a traditional American classic. 

Be warned, this recipe is spicy, depending on the spiciness of the gochujang (Korean red chili paste) you use in the recipe. The pickle topping helps quite a bit but this recipe is definitely more for the grown-ups.

How to Make Korean Sloppy Joes

This is a two-part recipe where you will need to start by making a quick pickle and then head over to the stove to make the meat mixture. This recipe needs the pickles on top to bring out the dynamic flavor of the beef and pork mixture. We left off the pickles once and realized how necessary they are for this recipe. 

First, use a mandolin and slice your cucumbers thinly and place them in a bowl or mason jar. Add rice vinegar, granulated sugar, chili flakes, salt, and sesame oil and pour over the pickles. Shake or stir until the mixture is combined and the pickles are covered. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.

Next, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. I like to use my 12 inch cast iron as it's large enough to easily hold all the meat in this recipe. Add your ground beef, ground pork, onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until the meat has browned and is no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.

Then add your soy sauce, fish sauce, grated pear, gochujang, chicken broth, brown sugar, and sesame oil and stir. Cook for about 2-3 more minutes until the sauce is heated through.

Place on sliders, hamburger buns, or in lettuce wraps. Top with pickled cucumbers and enjoy. 

Recipe Notes

• An apple can be subbed for the pear if you can’t seem to find one.
• If you have leftover meat, freeze it for later.
• The pickles can last on the fridge for a few weeks. It's great on salads, sandwiches, or on their own as a snack.

Looking for more quick weeknight meals? Try these out:

• Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry
• Balsamic Shrimp and Sausage Skillet
• Zucchini Mushroom Chicken

Watch this video tutorial and see how I make these sloppy joes from start to finish.

Recipe Adapted from Rachel Ray.