Whole30 Sloppy Joes In A Bowl (Paleo, Gluten Free)
A healthier twist on the childhood classic – These Whole30 Paleo Sloppy Joes in A Bowl come together in 30 minutes or less. It’s a delicious meal the entire family will love! Gluten free, dairy free, grain free.Â
*This post was updated with new photos on 8/10/21 and new copy on 11/2/21!
I absolutely love re-creating childhood favorites and giving them a Whole30/real food spin! Sloppy Joes used to be one of my favorite things when I was little. The sweet and savory combination of hearty meat & sauce served on a nice soft bun was just TOO GOOD. Turns out it’s still pretty good when you remove the crap ingredients and serve it with some nutrient dense veggies, too! I like these homemade sloppy joes because it is a simple ground beef recipe that uses ingredients that you most likely already have in your fridge and pantry. These sloppy joes are also so EASY to make, and you’ll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.
This Whole30 sloppy Joes recipe is also a great meal for this crazy back to school season we are about to enter. It comes together in 30 minutes or less, so you can easily make it on busy weeknights.
You can feel free to get creative with this recipe. Serve them like I did here with some spaghetti squash and roasted broccoli, or you can omit the squash (or add zoodles) for Keto. You can also serve this over regular or gluten free pasta (but obviously it will no longer be Whole30 friendly.) Jovial Foods gluten free or grain free pasta is my favorite. Basically what I’m saying is that you can choose your own adventure! You can’t go wrong with these Paleo Sloppy Joes!
What Ingredients do I need to make these Healthy Sloppy Joes in a Bowl?
- Ground beef
- Red onion
- tomato paste
- tomato or marinara sauce – I like to get Rao’s Homemade brand from Costco.
- coconut aminos
- dijon mustard
- hot sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- 1 large spaghetti squash or two smaller ones
- 16 oz package broccoli florets
That’s it! You probably have most of these ingredients in your fridge and pantry already.
How do you bake spaghetti squash?
This is my tried and true method for making spaghetti squash in the oven. It always turned out perfect without being overcooked or mushy. You can use an Instant Pot or another method if you want – totally up to you!
I cut the squash in half horizontally (not long ways as it’s traditionally cut), and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 for 35 minutes. That’s it!
How do I roast the broccoli?
For the broccoli, I tossed 16 oz of florets with 1 tbsp olive oil + some sea salt and pepper. Use your fingertips to rub the oil into the florets. Spread out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast at 415 for 12 minutes. Perfect every time!
Can I use another type of meat?
You can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef, if you would like! All three work well in this easy sloppy joes recipe. I prefer to get all of my meat from Butcher Box. They deliver grass-fed, grass-finished beef, organic chicken, and heritage breed pork (and ground turkey) right to your doorstep! Click here to get their current offer!
Are These Sloppy Joes Keto Friendly?
Yes! These have just 25 carbs per serving. You could also serve over a lower carb veggie like zucchini noodles or hearts of palm pasta, if you prefer.
Can I freeze sloppy joe meat?
Yes! But only freeze the Sloppy Joe meat portion – not the spaghetti squash or the broccoli. You can make those whenever you’re ready to serve the sloppy joes!
What other recipes can I make with ground beef or ground pork?
Looking for some other easy recipes using ground beef and pork? Check out my Unstuffed Pepper Skillet, Unstuffed Cabbage Soup, or Tuscan Spaghetti Squash Casserole!
Ok, let’s get cookin’! I hope you love this homemade sloppy joes recipe!
*This post contains affiliate links. This means if you use my link to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Mary’s Whole Life!
Recipe by Mary’s Whole Life, Photos by Casey Colodny with The Mindful Hapa.
Whole30 Sloppy Joe Bowls
Ingredients
Sloppy Joes
- 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 1 lb grassfed ground beef
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- â…” cup compliant tomato or marinara sauce , I like Rao's Homemade
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp dijon or yellow mustard
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
Spaghetti Squash
- 1 large spaghetti squash
Broccoli
- 1 16 oz package broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Spaghetti Squash
- Preheat oven to 400. Cut a large spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake at for 35 minutes. Use a fork to remove the spaghetti strands and serve with the Sloppy Joe mixture and broccoli.
Sloppy Joes
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in onion and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add in ground beef and stir until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in remaining Sloppy Joe ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until ready to serve.
Roasted Broccoli
- Mix the florets, oil, and salt well with your hands. Spread out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet and add to the oven when the squash has about 13-14 minutes left. Serve with the Sloppy Joe mixture and squash! Enjoy!
82 Comments on “Whole30 Sloppy Joes In A Bowl (Paleo, Gluten Free)”
This recipe is very forgiving! I didn’t have red onion or tomato paste, so I just left out the paste and used yellow onion. I added a yellow pepper and 3/4 of a big carrot, both finely diced, because they were in my fridge asking to be used 🙂 I also added about 1 tsp of paprika. Then I put it all over air fried sweet potato, and omg it was so yummy and satisfying! It had a nice kick to it but my toddler still took a few bites (he had a separate dinner earlier).Â
I’m adding this to the regular rotation even when not on Whole30!Â
So glad you made it work for you, Caitlin!
This is my new favorite dinner! Â So easy and so delicious.Â
Thanks Kris!
Even my picky eaters ate it!! So so good!
Yay!!
Sorry but these were terrible. I almost through it out. So salty- way too much salt and coconut aminos. Could use more tomato paste and vinegar.Â
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it! Curious what type of coconut aminos you used? The recipe has over 50 5-star reviews, so wondering if maybe the type of amninos you used was salty (the Coconut Secret brand one I use is not salty at all).
I have made this many times. The flavor is incredible! The spaghetti squash is the perfect compliment. A must try!
Thank you!!
Simple easy and tastes great!
Thanks Mollie!
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times and my family loves it! However, when I forget to omit the salt, there are complaints about how salty it is. I would suggest making without the added salt and then salt after if needed. Same with the broccoli; reduce the amount of salt.
Hi Tara! What kind of coconut aminos do you use? That could be affecting the saltiness factor depending on the type. Glad your family enjoys it!
This is not my mama’s sloppy joe (THANK GOODNESS!) Tasty and I love the veggies with it!
Easy peasy to put together — GREAT FOR MEAL PREP.
Thanks, Mary! xo
So glad you enjoyed it, Genevieve!
So good! I love that it’s not overly sweet like most sloppy
Joe recipesÂ
This sloppy joe recipe is so tasty and easy to make!
Absolutely amazing!!!! I left out the hot sauce and crushed red pepper (we don’t like spice)  and it was perfect!  My non gf/df husband said we should have this all the time!  So good!!Â
What a great dinner idea.
This had great flavor! Looking forward to the leftovers!
Thank you, Anne! So glad you enjoyed it!