I have lots of memories of eating sloppy joes as a kid, but I knew I needed a healthier version, so I decided to make sloppy joe sweet potato bowls. Ready in 30 minutes and made with a homemade sloppy joe sauce without ketchup or refined sugars. The sloppy joe mix pairs so well with roasted sweet potatoes, and I added coleslaw for extra veggies and a tangy crunch.
Reasons to Love these Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
- Easy, homemade sloppy Joe sauce. This healthier take on sloppy joes uses a homemade sauce that uses just tomato sauce, coconut sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and a few spices.
- No ketchup. So many homemade sauces use ketchup, but it's really not needed and this recipe proves that. You can get the classic sloppy joe flavor without needing ketchup.
- Sweet potatoes and coleslaw. The roasted sweet potatoes pair so well with the sloppy joe, but I'm using my easy Paleo coleslaw recipe to add more veggies and something tangy to bring balance to these bowls.
- You can use the mix for sandwiches. If the kids (or adults, too) aren't digging the idea of the bowls, you can scoop the sloppy joe mix onto buns. These easy air-fryer turkey burgers are also great on a bun.
I can almost taste the Manwich from my youth. Ground beef mixed with a can of Manwich... brings back fond memories. Ha! I actually liked sloppy joes growing up, so I wanted to bring back the classic flavor, but without all the ingredients that come along with the canned stuff (like high-fructose corn syrup - no thank you).
These sloppy joe sweet potato bowls do just that. The homemade sauce is even better than the can, and combined with ground meat, roasted sweet potatoes and coleslaw, you've got a hearty bowl that's the perfect way to enjoy sloppy joes the clean eating (healthy) way.
And I have a soft spot for bowls. They are so easy to pull off on an easy weeknight and if I'm lucky enough, we'll have leftovers for me to enjoy for lunch the next day (sorry, Sean, leftovers are for me). I also love turning my one-pan fajitas into an easy bowl recipe as well as using Paleo pulled pork in place of the sloppy joes in this bowl.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Ground beef - I typically use lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7), but any percentage can be used. You'll just want to drain any excess liquid from the pan after cooking the meat.
- Coleslaw mix - Any coleslaw mix can be used. You could even use broccoli slaw or finely slice a head of green cabbage.
- Green pepper - Green pepper is pretty standard in sloppy Joes, but any bell pepper can be used.
- Pickles - Totally optional if you want to add pickles, but I love pickles in this bowl. I always use Grillo's. They taste the best and are super clean.
- Coconut sugar - I like using coconut sugar since it's a natural sugar. Honey (also a natural sweetener) or even brown sugar can be used in its place.
A complete list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below. The above are some specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.
🤍 Sara's clean food tips: I recommend, at a minimum, organic ground beef. Grass-fed and pasture-raised is even better. Look for mayonnaise made with 100% avocado oil and no seed oils.
Take the guesswork out of clean eating! My free Clean Eating Guide shows you exactly what to look for when you're at the store."
Variations
- Make it spicy. Add some chopped jalepeno in with the sauce, or add some to your bowl if you don't want the entire batch spicy. Red pepper flakes also work.
- Add more veggies. I kept it simple with chopped green peppers in the sauce, but you could add chopped carrots, mushrooms, or zucchini.
- Use raw cabbage instead of coleslaw. The coleslaw is totally optional, but I like the creamy, tangy flavor from the coleslaw, plus it adds more veggies. If you don't want to mix up the coleslaw, just use raw cabbage.
- Swap the sweet potatoes. Baby red, Yukon gold, Fingerling potatoes are all great options. Or, try with garlic and rosemary roasted potatoes or air-fryer crispy smashed potatoes.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
- Step 1: Mix the chopped sweet potatoes with oil, paprika, and salt.
- Step 2: Bake sweet potatoe cubes at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Step 3: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, add the ground beef, salt, pepper, onions, and green peppers to a medium skillet and cook over medium-high heat.
- Step 4: Cook meat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink and veggies are soft. Drain any excess liquid if needed.
- Step 5: Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, coconut sugar, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Step 6: Mix together all sloppy Joe ingredients and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Step 7: Make the coleslaw by mixing together the coleslaw mix, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, and salt.
- Step 8: Assemble the sloppy joe sweet potato bowls by adding sloppy joe mix, roasted sweet potatoes, coleslaw, and pickles to individual bowls.
Sara's Tips and Notes for Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
- You do not need to peel the sweet potatoes. In fact, I prefer you don't peel them. It's one less step and more of the nutrients live in the skin, including fiber and antioxidants.
- Let the sloppy joe mixture simmer. Those 5-10 minutes of simmering allow the sauce to thicken and the flavors to come together. Don't skip it.
- I like my sloppy joe sauce on the thicker side. If you prefer yours to be a little more "sloppy," slowly add some beef broth (or chicken broth), 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Water also works, but may dilute the flavor. If so, add more paprika, garlic, salt and pepper if needed (tip: I keep frozen cubes of broth in my freezer so I have small portions available when needed).
- The coleslaw is optional. While the coleslaw is an extra step, it's definitely worth it! I really like that it balances out the richness from the sloppy joe mix as well as the crunch and texture from the cabbage. If you don't want to mix up the coleslaw, you can just use raw cabbage.
How to Store
To store: Keep leftovers in separate airtight containers in the fridge. You can store the sloppy joe mix and sweet potatoes together and these will stay fresh for up to 3 days. The coleslaw is best within 3 days as well.
To reheat: Reheat the sweet potatoes and sloppy joe mix in the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Note the sweet potatoes won't be as crisp as they are straight from the oven. Add coleslaw on top after reheating.
To freeze: The sloppy joe mix freezes well! Allow it to cool completely and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove. Sweet potatoes can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Do not freeze the coleslaw.
Recipe FAQs
You can, but I'd encourage you to try this homemade version first. Most canned sloppy joe sauces contain high-fructose corn syrup and a list of ingredients you don't need. This sauce requires just a few simple ingredients and is so much better.
Absolutely. Honey would be my first choice, but you can also use brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar if you don't have honey on hand.
Yes, either ground chicken or ground turkey would work well in this recipe.
Yes! All 3 components store well. You can store the sweet potatoes and sloppy joe mix together in an airtight container and store the coleslaw in a separate airtight container. Reheat the sloppy joe mix and sweet potatoes and add the coleslaw right before eating.
More Easy 30-minute Dinners
Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
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Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Ingredients for the Sloppy Joe Mix
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 15oz can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Ingredients for the Coleslaw
- 5 cups coleslaw, or finely sliced cabbage (roughly 8-10oz bag)
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Additional Toppings
- sliced pickles (I highly recommend Grillo pickles)
- sliced red onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Toss chopped sweet potatoes with oil, salt, and paprika. Spread onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are lightly browned and can easily be pierced with a fork.2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon paprika
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, make the sloppy joe mix and coleslaw. Start by adding the ground beef, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, salt, and pepper to a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink and veggies are beginning to soften. Stir frequently.1 pound ground beef, 1 small sweet onion, chopped, 1 green pepper, chopped, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- After meat is fully cooked, drain any excess liquid if needed. To the ground beef mix, add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, coconut sugar, Dijon, garlic, and paprika. Mix until combined and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes before serving.1 15oz can tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce , 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika
- Make the coleslaw by mixing all coleslaw ingredients together in a medium bowl. Place in fridge if you aren't ready to use the coleslaw right away.5 cups coleslaw, or finely sliced cabbage , ⅓ cup mayonnaise , 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey , ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Assemble the bowls by adding roasted sweet potatoes, sloppy Joe mix, coleslaw, pickles and/or sliced onions.
Notes
- There is no need to peel the sweet potatoes, unless you prefer them peeled.
- Don't skim simmering the sloppy joe mixture. Those 5-10 minutes of simmering allows the sauce to thicken and the flavors to come together.
- I like my sloppy joe sauce on the thicker side. If you prefer yours to be a little more "sloppy," slowly add some beef broth (or chicken broth), 1-2 tablespoons at time. Water also works, but may dilute the flavor. If so, add more paprika, garlic, salt and pepper if needed.
Nutrition
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Sara Ecklin says
I love how. much this reminds me of sloppy joes from a kid, but made with simple, real food ingredients.