These sloppy joe cups are the best combination of sweet and tangy with hot and spicy.  It's meaty, saucy, with a crisp finish of the lettuce cups.  The tangy and spicy sloppy joe sauce is thick and smooth (and a little bit sloppy) and smothers the beef and veggies and is tossed in crisp fresh lettuce cups.

This comfort food is easily transformed into a fun finger food for when you need an easy weeknight meal that the whole family can get into or a quick party food that your friends will fall in love with!

I don't know about you, but around here, it's been feeling a little bit like fall {okay, so it's been 80 degrees and 70% humidity instead of 90%.... but still, it feels chilly!}.  And what does one want once the weather starts to chill?

Well at least for me, it's hearty cheesy comfort foods (and sweatshirts.... and pumpkin everything.... and, well, you get what I'm trying to say.

So what could be more of a comfort food than smothering the smoothest sweet and spicy sloppy joe mix on top of crisp crunchy lettuce cups, and melting ooey gooey cheese on the very top?  What could be better?  Nothin'.  Absolutely nothing.

How to make Sloppy Joe Cups?

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add in the onion and bell pepper the last minute or two of browning and cook until the veggies become tender and fragrant (2-3 more minutes).
2. While browning the meat, combine the ketchup, mustard, sriracha, and brown sugar in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Once the meat and veggies have cooked completely, add the sauce to the skillet and mix together.
3. Add the sloppy joe meat, the rest of the cheese, and the green onion, to the lettuce cups. Enjoy!

What type of lettuce to use for the cups?

I really like to use cabbage when I want to have a strikingly colorful plate of food.  The vibrant purple color of the cabbage against the red of the sloppy joe mix and the complementary green of the other lettuce makes it so bright and colorful.

For the actual lettuce itself, I will usually use romaine lettuce leaves, or, like I did in these pictures, butter lettuce that is organically shaped into cute little cups.  The bright green leaves are always tender and have a sweet and mild taste.

Alternative ingredients for the sloppy joes?

• Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken.  I do this all the time.
• Swap the cute little lettuce cups for a handy dandy tortilla or wrap, just be conscious of any possible allergens in the tortilla.  You may want to check out our Almond Parmesan Tortillas!
• Spoon it over quinoa or brown rice!
• Place it on top of a plate of baby spinach leaves for a twist on your average salad.

How to make the Sloppy Joe Cups fancy?

Let me count the ways....

1. More of that beautiful purple color!  Just add in a bit more cabbage.... only this time chop it up into small pieces that you can easily sprinkle over your sloppy joe cups.
2. Chop up a bit of extra green bell pepper to toss on the top.
3. CHEESE!  Add more shredded cheese!
4. Grab some chopped onion slices for a beautiful garnish.
5. Add more colorful veggies to the mix!  Think carrots, tomatoes, jalapenos, etc.

How to store Sloppy Joe Cups?

• You will want to store the lettuce cups and the veggies separately from the sloppy joe mix itself.
• Ths sloppy joe mix will stay good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• To reheat the sloppy joe mix place your helping in a microwave-safe dish and microwave the leftovers covered, for 1-2 minutes ot until sufficiently warm.

Want more party finger food ideas?

• Garlic Basil Parmesan Crisps
• Healthy Caesar Salad Parmesan Cups
• Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Bites
• Pimento Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
• Caprese Tomato Bites
• Sweet and Spicy Honey + Sriracha Onion Rings