Give Sloppy Joes A Korean-Style Twist With A Few Simple Swaps

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A Sloppy Joe is a comfort food that's as delicious as it is customizable. A basic pairing of sauced ground beef on a bun never fails to impress, but you can always try a few simple swaps to level up the flavor. The next time you're preparing these sandwiches, try bulgogi marinade in place of standard sloppy Joe sauce for a Korean-style spin.

While a can of Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce or a homemade four-ingredient version provides familiar tangy sweetness, a jar of Wang Bulgogi Sauce or a scratch-made Korean-style bulgogi marinade has slightly sweeter, saltier notes. With ingredients that typically include soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, toasted sesame oil, garlic, and sometimes spicy gochujang, bulgogi is similar to sloppy Joe sauce, albeit with a deeper complexity. 

To make this simple swap, use one sauce in place of the other. Much like a Korean barbecue beef recipe utilizes the marinade to enhance strips of steak, so too will it elevate ground beef for sloppy Joes. This also opens up possibilities for other Korean-style additions to make your sloppy Joes even more satisfying.

While changing up your sloppy Joe sauce for bulgogi marinade is an easy upgrade to your next batch of sandwiches, there are other simple swaps that you can try to give your food even more Korean-style taste. Take a cue from the many different Korean dishes everyone needs to try once, such as the variety of banchan sides that typically accompany a Korean barbecue spread.

Adding a topping of zesty pickled vegetables, like radishes, cucumbers, or bean sprouts, to your bulgogi marinade-sauced sloppy Joe provides a tangy counter to the sweetness of the beef and sauce. If you want to get creative, try using scallion pancakes instead of a traditional bun for a sandwich that's better consumed with a knife and fork. Serve this with a side of japchae noodles or cheesy corn to lean into the comforting vibes of this fun fusion food.

Though bulgogi marinade is typically used with beef, consider trying alternative ground meat for a more accessible sloppy Joe with plenty of enjoyable Korean-style flavor. Use ground turkey or chicken for a lean poultry twist or ground pork for a more affordable meal. Prepare a homemade vegan bulgogi with plant-based crumbles like Gardein Ground Be'f if you're adhering to a vegetarian or vegan diet. These sloppy Joes will quickly become a new favorite.