Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls are a hearty weeknight dinner with roasted sweet potatoes, saucy ground beef, and tangy toppings in every bite. They have the familiar flavor of sloppy joes, but served in a bowl instead of on a bun.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
🕒 Ready In: ~40 minutes
👪 Serves: 4 servings
🍽 Calories: ~450 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, ground beef, tomato sauce, ketchup, Dijon mustard, bell pepper
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; dairy-free
👌 Difficulty: Easy - roast, simmer, assemble
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The sweet potatoes make the base naturally filling, while the sloppy joe mixture adds that savory, slightly sweet tomato flavor everyone expects. Pickles and pickled red onions finish the bowls with crunch and acidity, which helps balance the richness of the beef.
If you enjoy hearty bowl meals like this one, you may also like our Chicken Burrito Bowl, Firecracker Meatballs, or Salmon Poke Bowl that are simple to assemble and easy to customize.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls FAQs:
- More Easy Dinner Recipes You'll Love
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- Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
Why You'll Love Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls:
Classic Sloppy Joe Flavor: The saucy ground beef filling has that familiar sweet and savory flavor, but served in a bowl instead of on a bun.
Naturally Filling: Roasted sweet potatoes make a hearty base that pairs perfectly with the beef mixture.
Easy Weeknight Dinner: The sweet potatoes roast while the filling simmers, so everything comes together simply.
Tangy Toppings: Dill pickles and pickled red onions add crunch and balance the richness of the sloppy joe filling.
Key Ingredients:
- sweet potatoes. Roasted sweet potatoes make a hearty base for the bowls and add natural sweetness that pairs well with the savory filling.
- ground beef. This gives the bowls a filling, protein-packed base. Use lean ground beef if you want less grease.
- onion and bell pepper. These cook with the beef and add flavor, texture, and a little sweetness to the sloppy joe mixture.
- tomato sauce. Acts as the base for the Sloppy Joe mixture, giving it a saucy texture. Choose no-sugar-added tomato sauce for a cleaner option.
- ketchup. Adds a touch of sweetness and tang to balance the flavors. Use a homemade ketchup or store bought version.
- Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Add tangy, savory flavor so the filling does not taste too sweet.
- dill pickles and pickled red onions. These add crunch and acidity, which helps balance the richness of the beef and sweet potatoes.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Use ground turkey: Ground turkey or ground chicken can be used instead of ground beef for a lighter option.
- Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and check the labels on the ketchup, Dijon mustard, and tomato sauce if needed.
- Use whole sweet potatoes: Instead of diced roasted sweet potatoes, bake whole sweet potatoes and spoon the sloppy joe filling over the top.
- Add more vegetables: Diced carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, or extra bell pepper can be cooked with the beef mixture.
- Change the toppings: Try shredded cheddar, avocado, green onions, jalapeños, sour cream, or extra pickles on top.
How to Make Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the diced sweet potatoes to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika and garlic powder. Toss until evenly coated, then spread into a single layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned.
- Step 2: While the sweet potatoes roast, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and diced bell pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened. Drain any excess grease if needed. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Step 3: Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder. Stir until well combined. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sloppy joe filling has slightly thickened.
- Step 4: Divide the roasted sweet potatoes between bowls, then spoon the sloppy joe mixture over the top. Finish with sliced dill pickles and pickled red onions. Serve warm.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly: Keeping the pieces close in size helps them roast evenly and finish at the same time.
- Spread the sweet potatoes out: Give them space on the baking sheet so they roast and brown instead of steaming.
- Drain the beef if needed: If your ground beef releases a lot of grease, drain it before adding the sauce ingredients.
- Let the filling simmer: Simmering helps the sloppy joe mixture thicken so it spoons nicely over the sweet potatoes.
- Do not skip the toppings: Pickles and pickled red onions add crunch and tang, which balance the sweet potatoes and savory beef.
How to Store:
Refrigerate: Store leftover Sloppy Joe mixture and roasted sweet potatoes separately in airtight containers. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze: The Sloppy Joe mixture freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Let it cool completely before freezing. The roasted sweet potatoes can be frozen but may become softer when reheated.
Reheating: Warm the Sloppy Joe mixture in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water if needed.
Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls FAQs:
Yes, they can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free Worcestershire sauce and checking the labels on the ketchup, Dijon mustard, and tomato sauce. Serve them as bowls instead of on buns for an easy gluten-free dinner.
Yes, the roasted sweet potatoes and sloppy joe filling can both be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Keep the pickles and pickled red onions separate until serving so they stay crisp.
Dill pickles and pickled red onions are great because they add crunch and tang. You can also add shredded cheddar, avocado, green onions, jalapeños, sour cream, or extra mustard.
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Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika and garlic powder.
- Toss until evenly coated, then spread into a single layer.
- Roast for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned.
- While the sweet potatoes roast, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and diced bell pepper.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened. Drain any excess grease if needed.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder. Stir until well combined.
- Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sloppy joe filling has slightly thickened.
- Divide the roasted sweet potatoes between bowls, then spoon the sloppy joe mixture over the top.
- Finish with sliced dill pickles and pickled red onions. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Notes
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly: Keeping the pieces close in size helps them roast evenly and finish at the same time.
- Spread the sweet potatoes out: Give them space on the baking sheet so they roast and brown instead of steaming.
- Drain the beef if needed: If your ground beef releases a lot of grease, drain it before adding the sauce ingredients.
- Let the filling simmer: Simmering helps the sloppy joe mixture thicken so it spoons nicely over the sweet potatoes.
- Do not skip the toppings: Pickles and pickled red onions add crunch and tang, which balance the sweet potatoes and savory beef.
Yvonne says
Really enjoyed this!
Kim says
Do you know how many net carbs this would be
VideoPortal says
Is the serving size just one half of the sweet potato with the sloppy joe topping? Or the whole sweet potato?
Emily says
OMG YUM!!!