These sloppy joe tacos have the perfect sweet and spicy taco meat when you’re looking for maximum flavor. An ample, robust sweet taco seasoning with spicy kick comes from chili sauce, ancho chile powder, and unique baking method for maximum infusion. Top it all with the lime cilantro sour cream for a cool and creamy finish.
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Shake Up Taco Tuesdays with Sloppy Joe Tacos
It’s easy to throw a packet of taco seasoning mix on ground beef and call it taco night. However, if you want to enjoy some freakin’ extraordinary tacos on your next Taco Tuesday, spend a few extra minutes making this sweet and spicy version of sloppy joe tacos.
Intense flavor from sweet, spicy ground beef comes from ample spices and the added twist of baking it at the end. Use the 30 minute baking time to make the easy lime sour cream and get all the taco fixings ready. The make-ahead option also makes it great for entertaining, and for us, is right up there with this crazy-good stuffed pepper soup as one of our most requested recipes!
The sweet taco sauce is a similar to the tangy seasoning of sloppy joe meat. Heinz chili sauce and brown sugar adds a nice flavoring to balance out the heat, which comes from ancho chile powder. This is spicier than the regular chili powder and can be found in the international section of your grocery store or at a Mexican food market.
If you don’t love a spicy taco seasoning, omit the ancho chile powder and use all regular chili powder instead. Or if you have some spice-averse dining companions (*cough, cough, kids*), try this old school tamale pie or just whip up a batch of stuffed churros as the dangling carrot. Hey, it works. 🤷♀️
This is the type of recipe I love for entertaining – all prep ahead so I can fully enjoy the party and my guests! Made it for a game day and everyone raved about it. It will be a repeater!
—Molly
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Brown the beef
For best flavor use ground chuck because it has a good combo of fat for moist juiciness and doesn’t get tough after baking. Brown the beef and then drain off the excess grease. Transfer the cooked beef to a bowl.
Add the stewed tomatoes and onions
In the same skillet sauté the onion with garlic. Pour in stewed tomatoes, breaking up with a spoon, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
Time for sloppy joe flavor
Return the ground beef back to the skillet, along with chili sauce and yummy seasonings. Stir and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Give a quick taste and know it gets even better after baking!
Bake and set in that flavor
Transfer the meat to a 9X13 baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes to intensify and meld flavors. An almost black crust forms on top, especially around the edges. Dig in with taco fixings!
Don’t forget the perfect flavor compliment on top! Cool and creamy cilantro lime sour cream tames the heat and offers a great fresh flavor next to the robust sweet, spiciness of the tacos.
Top Tips To Remember
- The lime sour cream can be made up to two days ahead of time. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Sloppy joe tacos are the perfect make-ahead meal because it tastes even better after the seasoned beef sits and melds. Make it the day before or earlier in the day and bake right before serving.
- Baking taco meat helps develop the flavors even more. I find this taco recipe even better when reheated the next day.
- Entertaining? Make a day or two beforehand and save the baking step for right before guests arrive.
- Since this recipe uses 2 pounds of ground beef, we usually have leftovers. Freeze the rest for another dinner or use in quesadillas, taco salads, or a taco pasta casserole.
- To tone down the spice, use less or no ancho chile powder and make up the difference with regular chili powder.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Sweet & Spicy Sloppy Joe Tacos (Lime Sour Cream)
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 pounds ground chuck
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 14 ounce can stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 12 ounce bottle chili sauce, such as Heinz
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, read label for gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder*
- 2 tablespoons chili powder*
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- For serving: taco shells, cheddar cheese, lettuce, cilantro, and lime wedges
Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ tablespoon finely grated lime zest, from 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Taco Meat
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large nonstick skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until cooked through and no longer pink. Drain off grease and transfer cooked beef to a bowl.2 pounds ground chuck
- Reduce heat to medium and add oil to the pan, if necessary. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.1 small onion, 6 garlic cloves
- Add the stewed tomatoes, with juice, to the skillet. Break up tomatoes with wooden spoon. Simmer, uncovered, until liquid mostly evaporates and sauce slightly thickens, about 8 minutes.14 ounce can stewed tomatoes
- Add cooked ground beef, chili sauce, Worcestershire, ancho chile powder, chili powder, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and cumin to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 5-10 minutes.12 ounce bottle chili sauce, ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder*, 2 tablespoons chili powder*, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cumin
- Spread taco meat into a grease 9X13" pan. Bake until an almost black crust forms around edges, about 30-40 minutes. (I know this sounds unconventional, but it develops the flavor more. This step can be skipped if you are in a time crunch.)
Cilantro Lime Sour Cream
- For the sour cream, mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Add salt to taste. Serve with taco meat and fixings.½ cup sour cream, ½ tablespoon finely grated lime zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, ⅛ teaspoon salt
Notes
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Could you use chicken instead of hamburger????
If you mean ground chicken, I don’t see why not.
Best,
Melissa
Wow. My new go to Taco recipe!!
yay! So glad 🙂
These spicy and sweet tacos look fantastic and that cilantro lime sour cream sounds so good! can’t wait to try the recipe!
We love american tacos around here for a quick easy everyone’s happy meal (except the Mexican hubby) but I love this twist because it sounds so much more flavorful and I love the baked part of it! I can’t wait to try it out this week.
I hope you love it. Tacos are always a guaranteed family hit, but it’s great to switch up the flavors and make it more exciting for everyone!
Absolutely delicious exactly what I was looking for ….thank you
Your welcome! We just had these for dinner the other night. It’s one of our favorites!
Made this tonight and really enjoyed it! However, it reminded my husband and myself both of sloppy joes! No problem since we both love them, just a surprise lol Loved the lime sour cream as well…didn’t use cilantro though due to detesting the flavor of it! Thanks for He great flavorful dish!
Hi Becca, I’m so glad you liked it! I just read Ina Garten also detests the taste of cilantro, so you are in good company!
I didn’t have enough ground beef so I added a can of black beans. YUM!
Fantastic idea and makes it a whole lot healthier!
The ingredients didn’t list tomatoes but the recipe does?? Are we shooosed to be baking the meat mixture for 30-40min??
Hello! The tomatoes are listed in the ingredients as 14 oz.can of stewed tomatoes. As far as baking…I know it sounds unconventional, but it develops the flavor more and gives bits a nice crispy texture, similar to carnitas. This step can be skipped if you are in a time crunch. (I added this note in the recipe now, because it throws lots of people off.) Thanks for writing!
I am a little confused. What are you supposed to bake for 30 to 40 minutes?!
Yep, I know…a little unconventional. You can definitely skip the baking part, but it develops the flavors more and makes a crust on top, similar to carnitas. Hope that helps!
Hi Melissa, you can also sub ketchup for the chili sauce, but great to know you can use salsa in a pinch too. So glad you enjoyed it😊
This is the type of recipe I love for entertaining – all prep ahead so I can fully enjoy the party and my guests! Made it for a game day and everyone raved about it. It will be a repeater!
Hi Molly, This is the perfect entertaining recipe. You’re right, would be great for game days…
These sound delish! Can this recipe be halved?
It certainly can, and I would probably recommend doing that if you are making it just for your family. Otherwise, I have made the whole recipe and just froze the other half to have on hand for a quick dinner.
I made these tonight for my family and they were absolutely delicious!!! Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!!!
I am following you on Pinterest too 🙂
Hey MaryEllen, thanks so much for letting me know! I make them all the time for my family and for parties because it makes so much. I am never disappointed about having the leftovers, though.