I’ve got another easy, everything-in-a-bowl dinner for you that’s packed with protein, veggies, and sooo much flavor.
Today we’re taking the comforting sloppy joes of your childhood and turning them into the ultimate sloppy joe bowls! You’ll actually get a full serving of vegetables right in the meat mixture (love a sneaky veggie), plus a boost of vitamins from perfectly spiced sweet potatoes.
Scoop them up with your favorite chips, add extra protein with a little cottage cheese, and don’t forget the yummy, fresh toppings. This is one of those “IDK what to cook” meals that will save weeknights.
Everything you’ll need to make these sloppy joe bowls
We’re packing over 30g of protein and lots of veggies into these hearty, savory bowls you’ll love scooping up:
- Sweet potatoes: you’ll roast up cubed sweet potato with avocado oil, garlic powder, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Meat: we’re using lean ground beef to make these sloppy joe bowls.
- Veggies: the meat gets cooked with finely diced onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic.
- For the sauce: you’ll also add ketchup, BBQ sauce, tomato paste, coconut sugar or brown sugar, and yellow mustard to the sloppy joe mixture.
Don’t forget the toppings
The meat, veggies, and potatoes are delicious together, but I love jazzing up these bowls with:
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (I like Good Culture)
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled jalapeños or dill pickle slices
- Frito scoops or corn chips for scooping everything up!
Can I use a different meat?
Absolutely! I used lean ground beef in this recipe, but ground turkey and ground chicken would also be great. I recommend using 90-93% lean (not 99% lean) so that the mixture isn’t dry.
Make these bowls your own
There are plenty of easy ways to customize your sloppy joe bowls:
- Pick your veggies. Feel free to use an additional zucchini in place of the bell pepper and vice versa! You could also roast regular potatoes if you like them better than sweet potatoes. This recipe is a great way to dice up and use any veggies you have on hand.
- Customize your sauce. You can also use Worcestershire in place of the BBQ sauce, OR use a spicy BBQ sauce if you like a little heat!
- Add cheese. Get extra savory with a sprinkle of cheddar or pepper jack cheese. It will get deliciously melty!
Looking for another side?
The sloppy joe meat would also be delicious served with:
- The Best Fluffy Moist Cornbread Recipe Ever
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Chili Crisp
- My favorite Coconut Rice or Arroz con Gandules
- A veggie boost with a Manchego Apple Kale Farro Salad
Healthy sloppy joe bowls in 4 steps
- Roast the potatoes. Start by tossing your cubed sweet potatoes in the oil and spices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then roast them up.
- Cook the veggies. Cook down your diced vegetables in a large skillet, then push them to the sides of the pan.
- Cook the meat. Add your meat to the middle of the pan, cook, and break apart until no longer pink. Fold in the veggies, then add the sauce components and simmer together until it’s thick to your liking.
- Assemble the bowls. Divide the potatoes and meat mixture into 4 shallow bowls, then add your fav toppings and enjoy!
Storing & freezing tips
- To store: simply store the meat and sweet potatoes in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I recommend doubling this recipe if you want to feed a bigger family or have more meal prep dinners!
- To freeze: I recommend freezing the meat on its own for up to 2 months in an airtight container or bag. Thaw in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop and serving with your fav sides!
More dinner recipes you’ll love
- Chicken Shawarma Meatball Bowls
- Spiced Mediterranean Chicken Bowls
- One Pan Lightened Up Hamburger Helper
- Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Sandwiches
- Crispy Black Bean Tacos
Get all of my dinner recipes here!
I hope you love these sloppy joe bowls! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
The Ultimate Sloppy Joe Bowls
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- 2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Veggies and meat
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef (90 or 93% is great!)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or sub 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons bbq sauce (or sub Worcestershire)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons water
- Serving
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (I like Good Culture)*
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled jalapeños or dill pickle slices
- Handful of corn chips (I like Frito scoops), for scooping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Add the sweet potatoes to the baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Use clean hands to toss the sweet potatoes until they are well-coated with the oil and spices, then spread into a single layer. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes roast, cook your veggies: In a large, deep skillet, warm the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, zucchini, bell pepper, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Move the veggies to the outside edges of the pan.
- Cook the meat: Add the beef to the middle of the pan and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Break apart the meat with a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Mix the beef and veggies together. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Next, stir in the ketchup, BBQ sauce, coconut sugar, yellow mustard and water, and simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce slightly thickens to your liking.
- Assemble the bowls: Add a scoop of the sweet potatoes to one side of a shallow bowl, then add 1/4th of the sloppy joe mixture on the other side. Add ¼ cup of cottage cheese on top, then top with pickled jalapeños and pickled red onions. Top with a few corn chips, if desired. You can even crush some on top for a fun texture. Dig in!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
