Paleo Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
One of my favorite meals growing up was Sloppy Joes. If you didn’t eat these amazingly messy sandwiches as a kid, did you even have a childhood? My mom always made the canned Manwich kind and served it over hamburger buns slathered in Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise. Coming home from school to a Sloppy Joe sandwich and a bag of Lay’s sour cream and cheddar chips was about the best meal any 8 year old could hope to eat. I’m telling ya, I could put away some Sloppy Joes and Lay’s Potato Chips! These Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes bring back all of those wonderful childhood memories – and they’re healthy.
That’s right, you can feed these Paleo Sloppy Joes to your kids without wondering if they’re consuming high fructose corn syrup or some other sneaky unhealthy ingredients. These Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are pure comfort food bliss, made with all fresh, whole ingredients that you can be proud of. When I made these for our house, my husband loved them so much he ate two stuffed potatoes in one setting – that’s saying something because he’s a picky eater! So just trust me on this when I tell you these Sloppy Joe Sweet Potatoes will be on repeat. Even if you don’t eat Paleo or Whole30, you’re still going to love this Homemade Sloppy Joe mix.
The Best Homemade Sloppy Joe Mix
Remember what I said about loving this Sloppy Joe mix no matter what your diet is? Back when I lived at home my mom created the most amazing Sloppy Joe Burritos using her Sloppy Joe mix. If you’re Paleo, that’s probably not something you want to try, however, if you’re not, let’s just chat about this for a minute, okay? Imagine this Sloppy Joe mix in a burrito shell topped with sour cream, guacamole, and shredded cheddar cheese. Are you drooling yet? Because I think I am! Anywho, that was a combination that made a big impression on me as a kid.
Pop that bad boy in the oven to crisp up a little and you’ve got one amazing meal any kid would give their right toe for. Here’s an idea for ya. Worried the kiddos won’t eat a Paleo Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potato? Serve theirs up in a burrito and eat yours in the sweet potato or russet potato. Boom. You’ve got two different, equally amazing meals and you didn’t have to break a sweat over it.
Healthy Sloppy Joes
To start off making our Healthy Sloppy Joes, we’re going to add in some fresh veggies. Hey Mommas and Dads out there – this is a great way to sneak some veggies in your kiddos! I sauted diced onion, celery, and bell pepper in a skillet with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. These fresh veggies give your Paleo Sloppy Joes an extra flavor punch that is just fantastic!
Saute Fresh Vegetables for Paleo Sloppy Joes
Once the onion is translucent and the other veggies are becoming tender, add in one tablespoon of fresh minced garlic. I always wait to add in the garlic because it cooks quickly and will become burned if you add it in with the other veggies.
Grain-Free and Gluten-Free Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If you’re grain-free and gluten-free like we are, you’ll want to use lean, grass-fed ground beef for this recipe. Add one pound of your ground beef to the skillet along with your cooked veggies. Use a meat masher or spatula to break the meat into smaller crumbles as it cooks.
How to Make Homemade Sloppy Joes
Once the meat is completely browned and cooked through, add in one 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. I used the mild version and didn’t drain the liquid. You’ll also want to add in chili powder, paprika, cumin, and ground pink Himalayan salt. Exact measurements for the seasonings are listed in the recipe card below.
Homemade Manwich Sauce Recipe
Now for the Homemade Manwich Sauce Recipe that really just makes these Paleo Sloppy Joes the best you’ve ever tasted. Add one, 6 ounce can of tomato paste and 3 tablespoon of amber agave nectar to the cooked meat and veggies in your skillet.
Whole30 Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Stir the tomato paste and the agave nectar into the meat and veggies until well combined. Simmer for a few additional minutes to get those flavors combined and then, you’re ready to serve this Whole30 Sloppy Joe mix right up!
How to make Super Fast “Baked” Sweet Potatoes
Okay, it’s not the healthiest advice (radiation and whatnot) but its fast and practical for an easy week-night dinner. Cook your sweet potatoes in the microwave unless you want to sit in front of the oven for an hour waiting for them to bake. I always cook mine in the microwave, and while it’s not the most healthy, it is the most effective. Just rinse them in some water, scrub off any dirt, and poke all over with a fork. Pop in the microwave on a plate or bowl with 1/2 cup water and zap away. Your microwave should have a pre-programmed potato function, so use that to cook em’ up.
Meal-Prep Paleo Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If you’re a family of two or three, then you’ve got leftovers after making these Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Do you know what that means? You get to enjoy some amazing lunches! If you’re a meal-prep fan, these Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes make amazing take-to-work lunches too. I put our leftovers in individual sectioned off lunch containers and added some green beans (not Paleo but still delicious) to go with them. Made the best gran-and-go lunch for a busy week!
I hope you have enjoyed cooking these Paleo Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes as much as I have. I’m always happy to have you here with me, visiting and cooking up something delicious! Don’t be a stranger, ya hear? Come back soon and we’ll chat and cook some more.
Other Recipes You’ll Like:
PALEO TERIYAKI CHICKEN MEATBALLS
PALEO SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
CHICKEN SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS RECIPE
Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
These Paleo/Whole30 Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect fast and easy week-night meal. Hearty, filling, and delicious, the entire family will love these!
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean grass fed ground beef
- 1/2 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground pink Himalayan salt
- 14 oz canned mild diced tomatoes with green chilies with juice
- 6 oz canned tomato paste
- 3 tbsp amber agave nectar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 small sweet potatoes baked
Instructions
Super Fast "Baked" Sweet Potatoes:
Scrub the sweet potatoes under warm water, removing any dirt.
Pierce all over with a fork and place the sweet potatoes on a plate or in a bowl with 1/2 cup water.
Microwave for 10-15 minutes on high (or 6 minutes for one potato at a time). Check the potatoes half-way through for tenderness and continue cooking if needed.
Sloppy Joes:
Place the oil in a large skillet and heat on medium heat until hot but not smoking.
Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the oil and cook until the onion is translucent and tender.
Add the ground beef, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt.
Stir to combine and use a meat masher or spatula to break the meat into small crumbles.
Continue cooking until the meat is fully browned and cooked through.
Add in the tomatoes with green chilies, tomato paste, and the agave. Stir well to combine.
Simmer the sloppy joe mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring to combine all ingredients.
Serve hot over baked sweet potatoes or russet potatoes and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Calories and nutrition facts calculated to include one small sweet potato and 3-4 large tablespoons of the meat mixture per serving.
These look so delicious, and I love that they are gluten free!
Thank you! I have recently discovered I’m gluten intolerant so I’m having fun creating recipes now that are gluten-free. Thank you for stopping by!