These Paleo Sloppy Joes are the perfect healthy take on this classic comfort food. Made with lean beef, bell pepper, onion, and a sweet and tangy homemade sauce, this dish is a great addition to your weeknight meals.
Jump to:
- What I Love about these Paleo Sloppy Joes
- What is a Sloppy Joe?
- Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
- How to Make Sweet Potato Buns
- How to Make Paleo Sloppy Joes
- Storage
- Making This Recipe Whole30 Compliant
- Serving Ideas
- Dietitian Notes
- Recipe Tips
- Try These Other Great Healthy Dinners
- Did you try these Paleo Sloppy Joes?
- 📖 Recipe
Does anyone else remember the Manwich? Oh my gosh... the Manwich. If you're not old enough to remember, let me enlighten you. Manwich was (is?) a canned sloppy joe sauce that was created in the late 1960's. You would simply mix this sauce with ground meat and slap it on a bun. These sandwiches were the definition of sloppy.
In contrast, this sloppy joe recipe sauce is made from real foods, mixed with veggies, ground beef and a homemade paleo-friendly sauce for a healthier but still hearty -wich.
We skip the bun and top these on sweet potato rounds. This eliminates the processed carbs, and adds extra fiber, beta carotene and potassium to this meal.
If you need other paleo-friendly dinner ideas, try this Dairy-Free Zuppa Toscana, these Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Wings, this Curry Apple Butternut Squash Soup, or this Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup.
What I Love about these Paleo Sloppy Joes
This meal is a classic and can served a variety of ways. Here is why I love it:
- Hearty yet Healthy — Made with lean beef and loaded with veggies, this is a high-protein and nutrient-dense comfort food that is just as nutritious as is it satisfying.
- Quick & Easy — The sloppy joe meat can be made in under 30 minutes for an effortless weeknight meal.
What is a Sloppy Joe?
Sloppy joes originated in the U.S. during the early 20th century and have hung around ever since. This sandwich consists of ground beef, onion, Worcestershire sauce, seasonings, and a tomato-based sauce that usually includes ketchup or barbecue sauce. The meat mixture is traditionally served on a hamburger bun.
Sloppy Joes can be slightly sweet and tangy or more savory. Most commonly they are made with ground beef but ground pork can be found in some recipes.
Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
Olive Oil
Avocado oil, beef tallow, or another neutral flavored cooking oil may be used.
Onion
Sweet onion is my preference for this slightly sweet and tangy meat mixture. A regular brown onion or white onion may also be used.
Bell Peppers
I like using red and green bell peppers in this recipe, but any color will work.
Lean Beef
I recommend using 90-95% lean meat in this recipe because the fat is not drained off. A little fat helps keep the dish rich, but you do not want it to be greasy. You could go leaner if you generally cook with lean meat. If using ground beef with more than 10% fat, I would cook it in a separate pan and drain the grease before combining it with the veggies and making the sauce.
Beef Broth
I love using a flavorful beef bone broth for this recipe. Another type of broth will work fine, like chicken or vegetable.
Ketchup
I use unsweetened ketchup from Primal Kitchen to make this sauce. If you are using a naturally sweetened paleo-friendly ketchup, you may want to reduce the maple syrup slightly.
Maple Syrup
Honey or coconut sugar can also be used. For a Whole30 variation, scroll down to see how to make date paste. If you are thinking you want a more savory sauce, start with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup and adjust to taste after the meat is fully cooked and the seasonings are added.
Coconut Aminos
I don't recommend using soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. If you do not need to make this recipe paleo, substitute gluten-free worcestershire sauce instead.
Red Wine Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or white wine vinegar can all be used in this recipe.
Herbs & Spices
Sloppy joes can vary from sweet to smokey to more tangy or savory. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed so that the meat mixture meets your expectations.
How to Make Sweet Potato Buns
If using sweet potato rounds for buns, you will want to start them before making the meat mixture to ensure the timing works out.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Wash a large, round sweet potato. Leaving skin on, slice potatoes into ½-inch rounds.
- Place the rounds evenly space on baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Bake the sweet potato rounds for 30-35 minutes or until easily pierceable with fork. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
How to Make Paleo Sloppy Joes
Cook the Onions, Pepper & Garlic
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the finely diced onion and bell peppers. Saute for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minutes.
Brown & Season the Beef
- Move the veggies to side of the pan. Add the ground beef to the pan. Cook over medium heat, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spatula as it browns.
- Once the meat is fully cooked, add the oregano, black pepper, paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, and chili powder to the skillet and stir to distribute.
Make the Sauce
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened to desired. consistency, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Storage
Store leftover sloppy joe meat in an airtight container in the fridge and consume with 3-4 days. For longer storage you can freeze sloppy joe meat in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Simply thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave. If you reheat in a skillet, you can add some additional liquid to liven it up and make it saucy again.
Making This Recipe Whole30 Compliant
To make this recipe Whole30 complaint, you will either need to replace the maple syrup with date paste. While the recipe is great without the sweetener, some (including me) like their sloppy joes with a hint of sweetness to balance out the tangy and smokey flavors. Date paste is super easy to make and a Whole30-compliant solution.
How to Make Date Paste
To make date paste, simply pick out some super soft and gooey medjool dates. Choosing dates with the pit still in them is usually the best option because the tend to be fresher.
Remove the pits from 3-4 dates and place them in a small shallow dish. Flatten the pitted dates out and cover them with about ¼ cup of very hot water. Make sure your dish is small enough to allow the water to cover the dates fully.
Wait 10-20 minutes to allow dates to soften. Once dates are soft you can place them in a bullet blender along with the soaking liquid. Blend until smooth and set aside for the recipe. Sweeten the recipe to taste using the date paste.
Storing Date Paste
If you have extra date paste you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks You can also freeze date paste if you don't plan on using it within 2 weeks. Frozen date paste will maintain quality for 6 months when properly sealed and stored.
Serving Ideas
- Skip the sweet potato rounds and enjoy in a bowl with diced sweet potato hash or roasted spaghetti squash.
- Use sloppy joe mixture to throw on top of baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes.
- Enjoy sloppy joe mixture by itself or on lettuce leaves for a lower carb option.
- Top sloppy joes with jalapenos, green onions, red onions or avocado.
Dietitian Notes
- Each serving of these paleo sloppy joes contain 18 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.
- This recipe is rich in micronutrients like potassium, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
- Did you know bell peppers contain more than double the vitamin C that is found in oranges?
Recipe Tips
- If you prefer a more savory sauce, you can reduce the maple syrup. I would start with 1 tablespoon and adjust to your own taste preferences. The sauce would be quite tangy if the maple syrup is omitted entirely. Obviously, wait to taste and adjust the sweetness until the beef is fully cooked and all other ingredients have been added.
- Sloppy joes can be a great way to use odds and ends of veggies you have sitting in your fridge. Things like carrots and celery can be good additions. Finely dice a couple ribs of celery or grate carrots and add to pan when adding the onion and bell pepper in this recipe.
Try These Other Great Healthy Dinners
Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:
Did you try these Paleo Sloppy Joes?
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📖 Recipe
Paleo Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Baking sheet for sweet potato rounds
- Parchment paper for sweet potato rounds
- Basting brush for sweet potato rounds
- Large skillet
- Wooden spatula
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Rounds
- 1 Large sweet potato wide and round
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Sloppy Joes
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 cup Sweet onion finely diced (about ½ large onion)
- 2 Bell peppers (one red and one green) finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 1 lb Lean ground beef 90-95% lean
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Chili powder
- ½ cup Beef broth I used bone broth
- ½ cup Unsweetened ketchup I used Primal Kitchen
- ¼ cup Tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon Maple syrup use less if using sweetened ketchup (see notes for Whole30)
- 2 tablespoon Coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Red wine vinegar
Instructions
Sweet Potato "Buns"
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Wash a large, round sweet potato. Leaving skin on, slice potatoes into ½-inch rounds.
- Place the rounds evenly space on baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Bake the sweet potato rounds for 30-35 minutes or until easily pierceable with fork. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Sloppy Joes
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the finely diced onion and bell peppers. Saute for 5-6 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the bell peppers are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and saute for another minutes.
- Move the veggies to side of the pan. Add the ground beef to the pan. Cook over medium heat, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spatula as it browns.
- Once the meat is fully cooked, add the oregano, black pepper, paprika, sea salt, garlic powder, and chili powder to the skillet and stir to distribute.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened to desired. consistency, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Serve the sloppy joes on top of sweet potato rounds.
Morgan says
Sloppy Joe's are such a childhood classic for me, and I love how you used sweet potato as the bun! SO GOOD!
foodbornewellness.com says
Yes! The sweet potato and sloppy joe mixture makes such a good combo!