These Paleo sloppy joes are classic comfort food made without the junk! The sauce is date sweetened to make it Whole30, and it’s quick and easy enough for weeknight dinners. Family approved and makes great leftovers, too! Serve on paleo rolls or on sweet potato “buns”!
Guys, we’re all in for a treat with this one! Who doesn’t love a good sloppy Joe?
Whether you put in on a grain free bun or sweet potato bun, it’s Paleo comfort food ALL THE WAY.
It all starts with the sauce, of course. Since I wanted to really replicate that sloppy joe flavor we all remember from childhood, I got the pickiest eater I could on board to test this one – Adam, AKA my husband.
Just my husband who is the pickiest eater in the house? Anyone else with me here?
What You Need to Make Paleo Sloppy Joes
To make this super-important sauce Whole30 friendly, I used date paste to sweeten it just enough.
You can also use date syrup for a Whole30 option, or maple syrup for paleo.
To balance out the sweetness of the dates, I used raw apple cider vinegar, mustard, tomato paste and sauce, and plenty of yummy spices!
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these sloppy joes:
- date paste or maple syrup
- tomato paste
- tomato sauce,
- apple cider vinegar
- coconut aminos
- mustard
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- smoked paprika
- ground beef
- olive oil
- green bell pepper
- red bell pepper
- Onion and garlic
- sea salt and black pepper
- paleo rolls or sweet potato buns
How to Make Sweet Potato Buns {for Whole30}
You can easily roast up some sweet potato “buns” in the oven in the time it takes to prepare the sloppy Joe mixture. This is a great Whole30 option!
If you don’t need to make this recipe Whole30, you can always use your favorite gluten free buns or make my one bowl hamburger buns.
Use sweet potatoes that are wide in the center so you can cut them into large 3/4″ rounds. I scrub the sweet potatoes for this instead of peeling.
Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle all over with olive oil or avocado oil, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like.
Bake at 425° F for about 20 minutes or until softened and the outsides are starting to caramelize.
I hope you’re ready for an easy dinner that’s you’ll want on repeat in your house!
Grab your ingredients and your favorite skillet because it’s time for dinner – let’s go!
Paleo Sloppy Joes {Whole30 Option}
Paleo Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes {Whole30}
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 15 oz can tomato sauce no salt added
- 3 Tablespoons date paste or syrup OR 2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Beef mixture:
- 1 lb grass fed ground beef
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- sea salt and black pepper
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
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Heat a large skillet over medium-hight heat and add the oil. Crumble in the beef and sprinkle all over with sea salt and pepper, then stir gently. Add the onions, peppers and garlic and cook until the meat is browned and veggies are softened, then remove from heat. I prefer not to drain liquid/fat but you can do this now if you prefer.
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Add all of the sauce to the skillet and stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until it begins to bubble, then lower the heat and allow to gently simmer, stirring occasionally (careful not to burn) for 10 minutes or so, then remove from heat.
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You can also serve the sloppy joes with oven baked sweet potato "buns" or baked sweet potatoes, on gluten free or paleo hamburger buns, or over veggie noodles, spaghetti squash or grain free pasta. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
For sweet potato "buns", use sweet potatoes that are wide in the center so you can cut them into large 3/4" rounds. I scrub the sweet potatoes for this instead of peeling.
Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle all over with olive oil or avocado oil, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like.
Bake at 425° F for about 20 minutes or until softened and the outsides are starting to caramelize.
Nutrition
Want More Paleo and Whole30 dinner ideas? Try One of These!
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker Meatballs in Marinara Sauce
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Favorite comfort food would have to be… mac n’ cheese or nachos or chicken soup! But I also love sloppy joes, and I love that you used dates to sweeten it. Those are such amazing powerhouses of sweetness. 🙂
I’ve never, ever eaten sloppy joes before and every time I look at recipes, I do get turned off by the “junk” that goes into them. However, these look and sound so clean and delicious -and stuffed into sweet potatoes… pass me a plate already! Saving this for when I need quick and easy comfort food!
I think you’ll love it 🙂
These were AWESOME! Best, healthy, fantastic. Sweetened with Dates?!! never would have thought of that. Have been trying to be sugar free, so thank you. Just a great recipe. Everyone in the family loved it.
So happy you enjoyed!
Hi all! I am running through this recipe and wondering why you have both an onion and onion powder? Is this a mistake, do you just like immense onion flavor, or is there reasoning behind this? Thanks in advance for the explanation
Hi! Do I need to use dates? I don’t have a food processor or a vitamix.
Thank you!
To keep it Whole30 and give it some sweetness dates are required, however I’m sure it would still be good without, and if you aren’t concerned with keeping it Whole30 you can use 1-2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup instead.
if sweetening with honey or maple sugar do I still need the apple cider vinegar?
Yup 🙂
Made this tonight. Delicious!! So happy to have fund your website. I’ve made 3 of your recipes this week. All have been easy and so good.
So happy you enjoyed this and the other recipes – woohoo!
Hey Michele, these look delicious! Just wondering, does the calorie count include the sweet potato or is that just the sloppy joe meat? Thanks!
Hi! It’s both – hope you enjoy!
This recipe is great! Husband eats his over regular baked potatoes, and I eat mine on sweet potatoes!
We love this recipe 🙂
Great recipe that will be enjoyed by the whole family! I’m going to make the sauce ahead of time and keep somein the refrigerator and freezer some. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Hope you all enjoy!
Had zero flavor. Def needs more seasoning
Can you brief me on what coconut aminos are and what purpose do they serve in this recipe? Where can I find them?
No complaints from the four of us. Everyone would eat it again. We top all sloppys with mustard, so maybe next time I’ll add more into the recipe. Great over potatoes.
Delicious recipe!!! Thank you so much, my picky husband&kids Loved it! They got seconds. 🙌🏼