Korean Turkey Sloppy Joe Sliders (Printable)

Sweet and spicy ground turkey with gochujang piled onto soft slider buns with tangy, crunchy slaw for a delicious Korean-American fusion.

# What You Need:

→ Turkey Filling

01 - 1 pound ground turkey
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1/4 cup gochujang
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon ketchup
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Slaw

14 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
15 - 1/2 cup shredded carrots
16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
18 - 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
19 - 1 teaspoon sugar
20 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
21 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Assembly

22 - 8 slider buns
23 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional

# Directions:

01 - Combine shredded cabbage, carrots, and green onions in a large bowl. Whisk together rice vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Toss vegetables with dressing until evenly coated. Refrigerate until assembly.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground turkey to the skillet and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until completely browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Stir gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, sesame oil, and black pepper into the cooked turkey. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Add sliced green onions and remove from heat.
05 - Toast slider buns if desired. Distribute turkey filling evenly onto bottom halves of each bun. Top with generous portion of prepared slaw and sesame seeds if using. Cover with top bun and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between soft, pillowy buns and crisp slaw creates texture that keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • Gochujang brings a depth that regular ketchup never could, making this feel like an upgrade rather than a gimmick.
  • Twenty minutes from start to finish means you can satisfy cravings without the commitment of a proper dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the turkey properly, or the filling tastes steamed rather than developed and rich.
  • Make the slaw ahead and refrigerate it, because the cold crunch against hot filling is exactly what makes these sliders special.
03 -
  • Grate your ginger on a microplane or the finest side of a box grater so it distributes evenly instead of clumping.
  • Taste the sauce before finishing, because gochujang brands vary in saltiness, and you might need less soy sauce than the recipe calls for.
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