Sloppy Joes

The day I created my Paleo English Muffins was the day I knew I wanted to make sloppy Joes, only Paleo-ized! Because, let’s face it—while a hamburger without a bun is fine, a Sloppy Joe without a bun is just a pile of saucy meat: tasty, but far from memorable. So, if it has been years since your last real Sloppy Joe, I suggest making a batch of English muffins and hoppin’ to it! You can thank me later.

1 TBSP (15 ml) coconut oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ pounds ground beef
2 TBSP (30 ml) honey
1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated garlic
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated onion
1 tsp (5 ml) Italian seasoning
1 tsp dry mustard
1 TBSP (15 ml) red wine vinegar
1 TBSP (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 can (15-ounce) tomato sauce
2 TBSP (30 ml) tomato paste
Serves 4

Prep Day:

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the coconut oil.
Add the onion, and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, and sauté for 1 minute.
Stir in the garlic, beef, honey, sea salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Italian seasoning, and dry mustard.
When the meat has mostly browned but isn’t quite cooked through, reduce the heat to low.
Add the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine.
Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste, and stir well. Cook until heated through, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a freezer container, and let cool completely in the refrigerator. Cover and freeze until needed.
Serving Day:

Thaw the filling in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, reheat the filling in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Serve the filling in a bowl or as a sandwich with a toasted Paleo English Muffin (see here).

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Paleo Sloppy Joes deliver that tangy-sweet, spoonable comfort with none of the canned sauce. Ground beef simmers with onion, red pepper, honey, tomato sauce and paste, and a savoury hit of red wine vinegar and Worcestershire — perfect piled onto sweet potato rounds or lettuce wraps.

Pro Tips

• Brown the beef mostly but not quite through before lowering the heat and adding the liquids — finishing in the sauce keeps the meat tender rather than crumbly-dry.
• The honey balances the tomato's acidity, while granulated garlic and onion build the classic Sloppy Joe savoury backbone alongside the Italian seasoning.
• Add the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire before the tomato sauce so the acidity cooks into the meat instead of tasting sharp at the end.
• Tomato paste plus tomato sauce gives the right saucy-but-thick consistency — it should mound on a fork, not run off it.
• This filling is a freezer star: cool completely, freeze flat in a container, and thaw overnight for instant weeknight dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I serve Sloppy Joes on without a bun?

Sweet potato rounds, roasted potato halves, or big lettuce leaves all make great paleo vehicles. The filling is also excellent over a baked potato-style sweet potato.

Is this Sloppy Joe recipe paleo?

Yes: beef, vegetables, honey, tomato products, and seasonings with red wine vinegar and Worcestershire. Check your Worcestershire label for a clean version or substitute coconut aminos.

Can I freeze the filling?

Definitely — it's designed for it. Cool the cooked filling completely, freeze in a flat container, and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Can I use ground turkey?

Ground turkey works with the same sauce and seasonings; add a touch more coconut oil to the pan since turkey is leaner than beef.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

Sloppy Joes

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Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 TBSP coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 TBSP honey
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can (15-oz) tomato sauce
• 2 TBSP tomato paste

Method

 

1. Serves 4 Prep Day: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the coconut oil.
2. Add the onion, and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the bell pepper, and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the garlic, beef, honey, sea salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, Italian seasoning, and dry mustard.
5. When the meat has mostly browned but isn’t quite cooked through, reduce the heat to low.
6. Add the red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and stir to combine.
7. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste, and stir well.
8. Cook until heated through, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Remove the skillet from the heat.
10. Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
11. Transfer the mixture to a freezer container, and let cool completely in the refrigerator.
12. Cover and freeze until needed.
13. Thaw the filling in the refrigerator overnight.
14. When ready to cook, reheat the filling in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
15. Serve the filling in a bowl or as a sandwich with a toasted Paleo English Muffin (see here).

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