Sweet and Spicy Pork Sloppy Joes with Bulgogi Cucumber Salad

These sweet and spicy pork sloppy joes are a nostalgic comfort food with an upgrade. Ground pork is browned with scallions and garlic, then simmered in a sweet and spicy bulgogi sauce until thick and caramelized. The filling is piled into soft potato buns with a tangy cucumber and tomato salad sprinkled with sesame seeds.

This recipe comes together in just 15 minutes, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. The combination of savory pork, sweet and spicy sauce and fresh crunchy salad is irresistible.

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Ingredients

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit CucumberView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Bulgogi SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit KetchupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon SrirachaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Sesame SeedsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon Rice Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Potato BunsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and grate garlic. Trim and thinly slice cucumber. Halve tomato lengthwise; slice into ¼-inch-thick half-moons.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground pork, scallion whites, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until pork is browned and scallion whites are softened, 2-4 minutes. Add bulgogi sauce, ketchup, Sriracha and half the sesame seeds. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and pork is cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, scallion greens, rice wine vinegar, remaining sesame seeds, ¼ teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt.
4. Halve and toast potato buns. Fill buns with pork mixture and as much cucumber salad (draining first) as you like. Divide sloppy joes between plates and serve with any remaining cucumber salad on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground beef instead of pork?

Yes, ground beef works well as a substitute for ground pork in this recipe.

What can I use instead of bulgogi sauce?

You can substitute with a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and sesame oil, but the flavor will differ.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the pork mixture and cucumber salad separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the pork before serving.