Description
These Healthy Sloppy Joes combine ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, and a tangy tomato-based sauce with maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder. Serve the saucy filling on gluten-free buns or baked sweet potatoes for an easy, satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ medium yellow onion, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ cup tomato sauce
- ¼ cup unsweetened Primal Kitchen ketchup
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional)
- For serving: 4 gluten free buns or baked sweet potatoes
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced yellow onion and finely chopped green bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the ground beef. Break it apart as it cooks, then season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook until the beef is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the minced garlic and stir into the beef and vegetables. Cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add the tomato sauce, unsweetened ketchup, water, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder. Add 1–2 teaspoons hot sauce if desired.
- Stir well and simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the beef. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve the sloppy joe mixture on 4 gluten-free buns or spoon it over baked sweet potatoes.
Notes
- Leave out the optional hot sauce for a milder sloppy joe.
- For extra heat, add the hot sauce gradually and taste before adding more.
- The filling can be prepared ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container, then gently reheated before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
- Calories: 400–500 calories
Keywords: healthy sloppy joes, healthy sloppy joe recipe, ground beef sloppy joes, easy sloppy joes, gluten free sloppy joes, homemade sloppy joes