Weird But it Works: Slow-Cooker Enchilada Sloppy Joes

Confession: I didn’t grow up eating sloppy joes. I know, I know, so weird, right? For whatever reason, sloppy joes never made it into my parents’ regular dinner rotation when I was young. Now that I’m grown and spend my days creating delicious recipes, I decided it was time to end a lifetime of depravation and dive into the wide wonderful world of sloppy joes.

To make them mine, and to make sure they’d be a hit with my family, I decided to give them a Mexican spin, as those flavors are much beloved in our home. The resulting dish, which I’ll show you how to make below, was a sure-fire hit. There was not one family member (and I have nine!) who didn’t devour these sandwiches with relish. Best part is, they are beyond easy to make. I just know you will love them! 

Let’s get started by gathering our starring ingredients: Old El Paso mild enchilada sauce and whole green chiles. (You’ll find the complete list of ingredients below!)

Next, brown up your pound of ground beef and chopped onion.

Then transfer the meat to the liner of your slow cooker (I recommend spraying it with non-stick cooking spray to avoid stick-age). Add a packet of Old El Paso taco seasoning, the cans of enchilada sauce and chiles, juice and all. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Just before serving, stir in ½ cup shredded Mexican cheese blend and chopped cilantro. If the meat is a little too saucy for your liking, cook uncovered for about 30 minutes more to thicken it up.

Serve the meat piled thickly on a bun. Top with additional shredded cheese and a side of chips and slices of cool avocado, if desired. And don’t forget to have extra napkins on hand to pass; these saucy sammies live up to their sloppy namesake.