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.
*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!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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
- ⅔ 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!
111 Comments on “Whole30 Sloppy Joes In A Bowl (Paleo, Gluten Free)”
The sauce is SO yummy, i actually used on tofu scramble and loved it! The mustard and coconut aminos add SO much delish flavor!
I have never made sloppy Joe’s just because of using a packet with who knows what as ingredients scared me. I made your recipe for sloppy joes and it was delicious. So flavorful. I always feel like I am actually cooking with your recipes as it is no bottled sauces I have to look for and buy but actual spices and ingredients I have on had. And every meal is quick. Thank you for actually making me feel like a cook at age 69.
A seriously good recreation of a childhood favorite.
These are AMAZING!!!! So easy and delicious. They reheat really well too. We make these a few times a month in our house!
Made this again tonight, we love it! Our 6yo daughter even gave me a sticker for the ‘yummy dinner’ 🙂 Doubled the batch, going to use the rest to make zucchini boats later this week.
The sloppy joe was nothing short of amazing. Me, the wife and kids plowed it. This one is a keeper.
My favorite so far!
Incredible!
Made this tonight and was super good. thank you!
So glad I ran across this recipe and so glad I doubled it….over a asked sweet potato!! Yum! Will be making weekly for sure
Delicious! I built my bowl slightly different because I’m not doing W30, but the Sloppy Joe meat was really good – will definitely make again!
Made this recipe on Sunday and it was a Family HIT!! Everyone loved it.Even the picky little one. Made a meat and lentil version for the vegan of the house. Was delicious and no shortage of flavour! This has been added to the rotation for sure! Thank You!
I’ve made this every week for a couple of months. My picky kids love it! I love the roasted broccoli along with it too. Delicious!
Double the recipe – you won’t regret it!
We have made this a few times. My family eats it on buns and I eat over zuchinni with wome added vegggies. Its a staple in my home!
Thank you Lauren! So glad you enjoy it!
My daughter and husband wanted Sloppy Joe’s tonight and low and behold when I googled Whole 30 Sloppy Joe’s, Mary’s Whole Life came up. As always, it was delicious! I wish I had gluten free rolls for myself but it was scrumptious just on my plate with broccoli. We loved it and will definitely put this in our meal planning rotation!
I always hated sloppy joe day at school and would come up with excuses not to accept my friend’s dinner invitation the nights her mom would make sloppy joes…so honestly I’m not really sure why I even decided to try this recipe but HOT DAMN I’m glad I did. So good, not gross at all. Too bad I lost contact with that friend or else I’d send this recipe to her mom
I’ve been a big fan from afar, never taking the time to actually put together one of your recipes, but always admiring the simplicity of ingredients and concepts. I finally mustered up making these sloppy joe bowls and OMGOSH! The flavor is astounding. As a kid I wasn’t even that into sj’s but I love the sweet and savory and knowing it’s whole30 is the icing on the cake. Bravo Mary 🙂 I will be taking the time to make more recipes!
This is such a great sloppy joe recipe! You will not miss the added sugar and other garbage that “traditional” recipes have. This is the real deal! My husband and I both devoured it so now I will be making it regularly.
Thank you Brooke!!
These Sloppy Joe’s are so delicious you don’t even miss the bun! It’s become a staple recipe in my home. The recipe freezes really well so I always keep a few portions stashed away. 5 stars – one of my absolute favorites.