Korean Sloppy Joes

These Korean sloppy joes combine the nostalgic comfort of a classic American sandwich with a fun twist. Ready in just 30 minutes, these sandwiches are packed with bold Korean flavors for an exciting meal.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Persian cucumber: Their mild flavor and thin skin (which doesn't need peeling) make them perfect for quick, raw preparations, including the slaw in this dish.
• Daikon radish: Adds a peppery crunch and slight sweetness to the slaw. You can substitute it with regular radishes or even thinly sliced carrots for crunch. The flavor will be different, but it will still provide a fresh contrast to the rich meat.
• Fish sauce: Though used in a small amount, fish sauce is crucial for adding umami to the slaw dressing without tasting "fishy."
• Ground beef: Provides richness, hearty texture, and satisfying savoriness.
• Gochujang: Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste that's sweet, savory, and spicy. You can find it in Asian grocery stores, in the international aisle of many supermarkets, or online. If you can't find it, you could substitute it with sriracha.
• Rice vinegar: Adds necessary acidity to balance the rich, sweet, and spicy elements in the meat mixture. It's milder and slightly sweeter than other vinegars, making it perfect for this dish.
• Chinese mustard: Chinese mustard is a hot mustard paste. You can substitute with Dijon mustard or regular yellow mustard, though the flavor will be slightly different.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Swap out ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, pork, or crumbled tempeh for a vegetarian version.
• Gluten-free: Substitute soy sauce with gluten-free tamari, ensure your gochujang and fish sauce are gluten-free, and use your favorite gluten-free buns.

Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Korean Sloppy Joes

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Korean

Keyword: sandwich

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Cucumber daikon slaw

• 1 Persian cucumber thinly sliced
• ¾ cup julienned daikon radish
• 2 scallions chopped
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce

Korean sloppy joes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 6 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons gochujang
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Chinese mustard
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 4 toasted brioche buns or potato rolls

Instructions

• Prepare cucumber daikon slaw. Combine sliced cucumber, julienned daikon, and chopped scallions in a large bowl. Whisk together apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and fish sauce in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Pour dressing over cucumber mixture, tossing to coat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes, tossing after 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add ground beef and spread in a single layer. Let cook undisturbed for 3 minutes or until the bottom of the beef starts to brown. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon into small chunks.
• Add chopped onion and garlic, stirring to combine. Continue to saute until vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add water, ketchup, gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Chinese mustard, and sesame oil, stirring until well combined. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the water evaporates, about 5-6 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Assemble sandwiches. Pile ground beef on the bottom of the buns. Toss the cucumber slaw once more and top beef with slaw. Finish with remaining buns and serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the cucumber daikon slaw up to 24 hours in advance. The longer it sits, the more pickled it will taste.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare cucumber daikon slaw

To start, prepare the cucumber daikon slaw ,which will provide a refreshing crunch against the rich meat filling. In a large bowl, combine thinly sliced Persian cucumber, julienned daikon radish, and chopped scallions. The cucumber adds freshness while daikon contributes a mild peppery bite.

For the dressing, whisk together apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and fish sauce until the sugar dissolves completely - the fish sauce might seem unusual, but trust me, it adds an incredible depth of flavor without tasting fishy.

Pour this tangy dressing over your vegetables, give everything a good toss to coat evenly, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure the flavors are well distributed.

If you want a stronger flavor, you can let the vegetables sit in the brine overnight. It'll taste more like pickles but should still have that lovely crunch.

Step 2: Cook beef

For the sloppy joe filling, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add your ground beef in a single layer and - here's the key to developing deep flavor - resist the urge to stir it right away!

Let it cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes until the bottom develops a beautiful brown crust. This step is crucial for building flavor through the Maillard reaction.

Once browned, break the meat into small chunks with a wooden spoon, then add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Continue cooking until the vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes.

Next, add water, ketchup, gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, Chinese mustard, and a finishing touch of sesame oil. Stir everything until well combined, then reduce the heat to low.

Let it simmer until the mixture thickens and the water evaporates, about 5-6 minutes. The sauce should coat the meat beautifully without being too runny - remember, it's called a sloppy joe, not a soupy joe!

Step 3: Assemble sandwiches

To assemble these delicious sandwiches, start with lightly toasted brioche buns or potato rolls - the slight sweetness of these breads perfectly complements the savory-spicy filling.

Pile a generous portion of the beef mixture onto the bottom half of each bun. Give your cucumber daikon slaw one final toss to redistribute the dressing, then add a heap of the crisp slaw on top of the meat.

The cool, tangy crunch creates the perfect contrast to the warm, rich filling. Cap it all off with the top bun and serve immediately.

One bite of these Korean-inspired sloppy joes and I think you'll fall in love. If you were ever hesitant about fusion food, hopefully this sandwich will change your mind!

For another fun Korean fusion dish, check out these Korean spicy pork stuffed mushrooms!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: The meat mixture can be made 1-2 days ahead and reheated. The flavors often deepen overnight, making it even more delicious the next day. You can also make the cucumber daikon slaw up to 24 hours in advance.
• Store: Keep the filling, slaw, and buns in separate containers and assemble the sandwiches right before serving.

Frequently asked questions

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