Your favorite meal as a kid just got a healthier upgrade! These sloppy joes stuffed sweet potatoes are a savory blend of juicy sloppy joe mixed, stuffed into a tender, seasoned sweet potato, and topped with your favorite fixings. The perfect Sunday night dinner that the whole family loves.
Traditional sloppy Joe’s may not seem like a healthy dinner recipe, but this stuffed sweet potato variation sure is! Loaded with protein, a starchy carb, and tones of flavor, you can enjoy them all on their own or with a side of roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach and busy mom, I’m always striving to find meals my kids will actually eat that also suit the nourishing standards I try to meet. These sweet potato sloppy Joe’s give a great balance of both worlds.
They’re naturally dairy and gluten-free, but can even be made paleo if you need them to be. And the best part? They’re a tasty way to use leftover baked sweet potatoes!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Delicious: Pan-fried ground beef seasoned with your favorite flavors to create a juicy and savory mixture on top of roasted sweet potatoes.
Versatile: You can easily make this recipe dairy-free, gluten-free, or paleo-friendly depending on your substitutions and add-ons.
Make in advance: Both the sweet potatoes and the sloppy joe mix can be made the night before to make this a great weeknight dinner.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Peek the photo to see the basics you need for the sloppy Joe stuffed sweet potatoes. Make sure to triple-check your Worcestershire sauce and ensure it’s gluten-free, as it’s one of the main hidden sources of gluten. From there, below are a few variations you can use to make this recipe allergy-friendly.
Dairy-free: Use your favorite vegan cheese and cashew sour cream or omit them altogether. It’s delicious either way. Learn more about the best dairy-free alternatives.
Paleo: Use a homemade Worcestershire sauce in place of the original and make sure to omit the shredded cheese. If you enjoy a cheesier taste, use a bit of nutritional yeast instead.
Toppings and Variations
There are so many fun ways to make these gluten-free sloppy joes unique! Below are a few of our favorites.
Toppings: Make a spread on the table and have out some sour cream (cashew sour cream if needed!), sliced green onions, fresh parsley, and diced jalapenos.
Protein: Though ground beef is classic, ground turkey or venison will work as well and gives a tasty new protein source.
Heat: If you like a kick of heat in your meals, add in some red pepper flakes to the sloppy joe mix or a tablespoon of diced jalapenos for a fun flavor.
Expert Tips To Make It
Though the recipe calls for coconut palm sugar (which is paleo-friendly), I omit it most of the time for a beefier taste. Adjust this as per your personal likes and dislikes.
The dairy-free cheese and cashew sour cream are variable. Use what your diet allows, and your taste preferences.
If you want a more savory flavor in the beef, add a splash of smoked paprika and apple cider vinegar to the beef while you’re cooking.
Try to choose sweet potatoes that are the same size roughly so that they bake evenly.
How To Make Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Step 1: If you haven’t already, poke holes in your sweet potatoes, rub them oil, and bake them until tender.
Step 2: Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain grease.
Step 3: Mix the ketchup, Worcestershire and seasonings with ¼ cup of water and pour it into the beef. Bring it to a boil and cook until thickened.
Step 4: Slice the potatoes lengthwise about ¾ way through and mash the inside with a fork.
Step 5: Spoon in the sloppy joe mixture and sprinkle with dairy-free cheese (if using). Bake a few minutes.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and top with your add-ons and enjoy!
How To Meal Prep It and Store Leftovers
Meal prep: These sweet potato sloppy joes can be turned into a 20-minute weeknight dinner if you’re on top of your meal prep game just like this sheet pan mini meatloaf dinner. The night before, roast the sweet potatoes until cooked through and then store them in foil in the fridge. Likewise, brown the beef and make the sloppy joe mixture. Let it cool before storing.
When you’re ready for it, warm the sweet potatoes in the oven, slice them, and continue with the directions. Know that you may need to add a splash of water to the sloppy joe mix to get the desired consistency. You’ll have dinner on the table in no time.
Leftovers: Let everything cool before you store the sweet potatoes and sloppy joe mixture in glass containers (separately). It will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you’re storing the complete meal, store the entire thing in a glass container.
You can reheat the sweet potato sloppy joes in the microwave (though you may need to slice them into chunks so that they heat evenly) or in the oven at a low-ish temperature.
Freezing: I haven’t tried freezing baked potatoes, but you can freeze the sloppy joe mix in a freezer-safe bag once cooled for up to 2 months. When you need it, let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
- Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas
- Sheet pan Hawaiian chicken
- 33 Gluten and dairy-free dinners
- Slow cooker Tuscan chicken
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Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Video
Equipment
- 1 Large sheet pan
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes
- 4 Sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
For the sloppy Joe mix
- 1.5 pounds Ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Onion powder
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Coconut palm sugar
- 2 tablespoon Mustard
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce gluten-free
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Toppings
- 1 cup Dairy-free cheese shredded, optional
- Green onions optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Thoroughly wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Poke them on all sides with a fork. Rub with oil and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through. Check by inserting a knife to see if they are tender.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and break it apart. Cook until browned, for about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the grease.
- Stir in the ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and mustard. Add ¼ cup of water to thin the sauce slightly, if needed. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and cut them down the middle about ¾ of the way through. Mash the inside slightly with a fork.
- Spoon in the sloppy joe filling until full, then sprinkle with cheese.
- Place the potatoes back in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish with green onion and dollop with sour cream. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Shelby S says
Though they do take a bit more work, this dinner is totally worth it. My kids devour it and I actually have to make extra now!