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.
If you’re craving classic sloppy joes but want a healthier, real-food version, these paleo sloppy joes are exactly what you need. They’re rich, saucy, slightly sweet, and packed with flavor, everything you love about traditional sloppy joes, made with simple, wholesome ingredients!
This easy recipe is also Whole30 compliant with a few simple swaps, making it perfect for anyone looking for a quick weeknight dinner that doesn’t sacrifice comfort or flavor.
Serve them on your favorite buns, in lettuce wraps, or over roasted sweet potatoes for a delicious meal the whole family will love!
Why You’ll Love These Paleo Sloppy Joes
These sloppy joes are the perfect balance of classic comfort food and clean ingredients.
- Made with simple, real-food ingredients
- Naturally sweetened with no refined sugar
- Easy to make in one skillet in under 30 minutes
- Whole30 compliant with simple swaps
- Perfect for meal prep and leftovers
They’re hearty, satisfying, and just messy enough in the best way!
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
Are Sloppy Joes Whole30 Compliant?
Traditional sloppy joes usually contain ketchup and sugar, which aren’t Whole30 approved.
This version is made with simple swaps like:
- Coconut aminos instead of Worcestershire or soy sauce
- No added sugar or refined sweeteners
- Whole30-friendly tomato ingredients
- Sweet potato buns or bowls instead of bread (see below!)
The result is a flavorful, slightly sweet and tangy sauce that fits perfectly into a Whole30 meal plan.
How to Make Sweet Potato Buns {for Whole30 Compliant}
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.
How to Make Paleo Sloppy Joes
These sloppy joes come together quickly in one pan, making them perfect for busy weeknights.
Start by browning the ground beef, then add the onion and peppers and cook until softened. Stir in the sauce ingredients and let everything simmer until thick, rich, and perfectly saucy.
The key is letting the mixture cook down just enough so it’s thick, not watery, so it piles perfectly onto your buns or bowls!
How to Serve Paleo Sloppy Joes
There are so many ways to enjoy these, depending on your preferences:
- On toasted buns for a classic sloppy joe
- In lettuce wraps for a low-carb option
- Over roasted sweet potatoes or regular potatoes
- On sweet potato “buns”
- As a sloppy joe bowl with veggies and greens
If you’re serving a mix of eaters, offering both buns and Whole30-friendly options works really well.
Tips for the Best Sloppy Joes
A few simple tips make a big difference:
- Let the sauce simmer long enough to thicken
- Don’t skip sautéing the vegetables—they add flavor and texture
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end
- For the best texture, use ground beef that isn’t too lean
You want the mixture to be rich and saucy—but not soupy.
Storage and Meal Prep
These sloppy joes store really well, making them perfect for leftovers.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave
- The flavor actually improves after a day
You can also freeze the mixture for an easy dinner later on.
FAQs
Can I make these sloppy joes Whole30?
Yes! This recipe is easily Whole30 compliant as written (or with minor swaps depending on your ingredients).
What’s the best meat to use?
Ground beef gives the best flavor, but ground turkey works well too.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely. This recipe reheats beautifully and is great for meal prep.
How do I make the sauce thicker?
Let it simmer longer uncovered so excess liquid cooks off.
Can I serve this without buns?
Yes, try lettuce wraps, bowls, or sweet potato buns!
Has this recipe been updated?
Yes, this recipe originally used homemade date paste for Whole30 compliance. In the recent years there are many options for store bought Whole30 compliant date syrup which I love using in Whole30 recipes! I love this brand. Feel free to make your own homemade date paste by soaking and then blending dates and water.
How to Make Homemade Date Paste
If you prefer to make your own date paste for this recipe, you’ll need:
3 large medjool dates, pitted and soaked in very hot water for 5 minutes to soften
1/4 cup water (you can use the soaking water plus more if you need).
Blend the mixture until very smooth, then use in place of the date syrup or maple syrup.
These paleo sloppy joes are proof that you don’t have to give up comfort food to eat clean. They’re rich, saucy, and incredibly satisfying, with all the classic flavor you expect, just made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
Whether you serve them on buns, in lettuce wraps, or over roasted potatoes, this is one of those easy dinners you’ll come back to again and again. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, and feeding a crowd with minimal effort.
If you’re looking for more easy, family-friendly dinners, be sure to try my other favorites like burger bowls, healthy taco bowls, and Whole30 meatloaf all packed with flavor and made with real ingredients.
Scroll down for the full recipe and get ready to make a healthier version of a classic that everyone will love.
Want More Paleo Comfort Food Dinners? Try One of These!
Garlic Butter Chicken Potato Skillet
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
-
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.
-
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.
This recipe has been updated from it's original version to reflect the availability of store bought date syrup that is Whole30 friendly! You are still welcome to make your own date paste to use in this recipe, however I am a big fan of date syrup for a Whole30 shortcut!
To Make Your Own Date Paste:
3 large medjool dates, pitted and soaked in very hot water for 5 minutes to soften
1/4 cup water (you can use the soaking water plus more if you need).
Blend the mixture until very smooth, then use in place of the date syrup or maple syrup.
Nutrition
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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. 🙌🏼