Description
Delicious and wholesome Sloppy Joes served on baked sweet potatoes instead of traditional bread, offering a healthier, gluten-free, and nutrient-packed alternative packed with savory ground beef and vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 medium (7 oz each) sweet potatoes, washed and dried
Sloppy Joe Filling
- 1/2 lb 93% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Montreal Steak)
- 1/3 cup chopped carrot
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup water
Garnish
- 1 chopped scallion
Instructions
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Poke holes all over each sweet potato with a fork. Microwave on high for 7 to 10 minutes until tender. Alternatively, slow cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or bake in an oven preheated to 425°F (220°C) for about 45 minutes until soft.
- Brown Ground Beef: Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and sprinkle in the seasoned salt. Cook while breaking up the meat into small pieces until no longer pink.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add chopped onion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and red bell pepper to the skillet with the beef. Reduce heat to medium and stir in red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes to soften the vegetables.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour in tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Stir to combine, then cover the skillet. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and flavors are melded.
- Assemble and Serve: Slice each sweet potato open lengthwise and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Spoon approximately 1/2 cup of the Sloppy Joe meat mixture onto each potato. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve warm.
Notes
- Using baked sweet potatoes instead of bread makes this dish gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30, and Paleo-friendly.
- The slow cooker option for the sweet potatoes is excellent for hands-off cooking and adds flexibility to your meal prep.
- If you want more heat, consider adding a pinch of chili flakes to the meat mixture while cooking.
- Leftover Sloppy Joe mix can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7 oz potato, 1/2 cup meat
- Calories: 259
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 586 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 15.5 g
- Cholesterol: 35.5 mg
