Paleo and Whole30 Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes!! This is an easy weeknight dinner recipe your whole family will love, and it’s perfect for your gluten free, Paleo, and Whole30 eating plans. The first time I made these, my boys were dancing in their seats while we ate our dinner, they loved it so much!
I have to laugh when I remember their little bodies wriggling around in their chairs, shoveling food into their mouths faster than they could chew it. Up until now, my boys really haven’t been super picky about dinnertime, although they certainly have their moments.
They do have a few recipes they really love me to make, though, and this Sloppy Joe recipe is one of them!
In case you were wondering, some of my kids’ others favorites are my Orange Sesame Chicken, Classic Pot Roast,, Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs Marinara, and my Pepperoni Pizza Frittata.
Oh, and pretty much anything with bacon.
The Key to Healthy Sloppy Joes
When you use real vegetables like chopped bell red peppers, onions, tomatoes, and garlic, plenty of herbs and spices, and the best baked potatoes ever, these Whole30-fied Sloppy Joes are a far cry from what we had on our cafeteria trays! They’re squeaky clean and 100% delicious.
So with my boys in mind, I made the Whole30 and Paleo sloppy Joe recipe again last night. Cue more silly boys dancing in their seats, more giggles, and more warnings from me to stop, because…. choking hazard!
In any case, we all made it through dinner okay, and ended the night with requests for leftovers for breakfast tomorrow. That has literally never happened before, so I’m calling it a big win!
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground Beef (I used Pre-Brands)
- Russet Potatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Red Onion
- Garlic
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Ketchup: Or substitute tomato paste, dates, and a bit of beef broth
- Olive Oil
- Spices: Cumin, Salt, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder
Making Skillet Sloppy Joes
The really nice thing about this Sloppy Joe recipe really is that it’s made in just one skillet, using healthy ingredients you probably already have on hand like ground beef, onion, garlic, and cumin.
Today I used Whole30 compliant ketchup as the major flavor booster for the beef, but if you don’t have pre-made ketchup, I’ve got an adaptation for you: Substitute, tomato paste, a little extra beef stock, and dates.
To make the Beef:
- Finely dice the veggies, and then saute in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a dish and set them aside.
- Brown the beef in the same skillet, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks.
- Stir in the veggie mixture, ketchup, stock, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to all a simmer and cook together for about 5-8 more minutes or until thickened slightly. If you find it’s a little too thick, add a little liquid from the canned tomatoes or beef broth, one tablespoon at a time.
How to make the perfect baked potato
You can’t have perfect Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes without the perfect baked potato, of course! It will give you that delicious crispy skin on the outside with soft, steamy potatoes inside. These potatoes are THE BEST!
Here’s how to make them:
- Preheat your oven to 375.
- Wash and pat dry the potatoes, then poke each with a fork several times. This allows the steam to escape without a potato explosion happening in your oven.
- Rub 2 tbsp. olive oil all over the skins and sprinkle them with salt. I like to use flakey sea salt but whatever you have is fine!
- Place the potatoes directly onto the middle rack of the oven with a cookie sheet on the rack below it to catch any salt that falls off.
- Bake for about 1 hour or until completely softened through. To test, poke a potato with a steak knife. If it slides through easily, you’re good!
Once the potatoes are done, all you need to do is chop the veggies, then cook the Sloppy Joes in a skillet. There isn’t a ton of clean up, which is really nice!
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Making this recipe? I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!
Sloppy Joe Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
Sloppy Joes
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ red onion
- 1 tsp. Olive oil
- 1/4 cup compliant ketchup
- 1/4 cup diced canned tomatoes
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. Chili powder
- ¼ tsp. Garlic powder
- 1/8 cup beef stock
Baked Potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Sea salt
Paleo “sour cream”:
- ¼ cup full fat coconut milk chilled (use the creamy/thick part and save the liquid for another time)
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Bake the Potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 375. Wash and pat dry the potatoes, and poke each with a fork several times. Rub oil on the skins and sprinkle with salt. Place directly onto the middle rack of the oven with a cookie sheet below it to catch any salt that falls off. Bake for about 1 hour or until completely softened through.
Make the “Sour Cream”
- Mix together all ingredients. Cover and keep chilled until ready to serve.
Prepare the Sloppy Joes
- Finely dice the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet, then saute the vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer them to a dish and set them aside.
- Using the same pan, brown the beef, breaking it apart with a spatula.
- Stir in the pepper mixture, ketchup, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook together for about 5-8 more minutes or until thickened slightly. If you need to thin it out, you can add a little liquid from the canned tomatoes or beef broth, one tablespoon at a time.
Assemble the Sloppy Joe Potatoes
- Cut the baked potatoes in half, and top with generous portions of the Sloppy Joes. Serve with the sour cream.
