An easy recipe for healthy sloppy joes that are keto and paleo. A simple homemade recipe, made without brown sugar and with unsweetened ketchup.
This super easy recipe for healthy keto sloppy joes is just as good as those sugary recipes that call for lots of sweet ketchup and brown sugar. I make it often for my family because it’s one of those dishes that everyone loves.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty beef recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Butter: For cooking the meat. You can use salted or unsalted. And you can use oil instead.
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef (85% lean and 15% fat).
- Onion and garlic: Did you know that garlic has several health benefits?
- Unsweetened ketchup: I get it at Whole Foods or on Amazon. Regular ketchup is too sugary.
- Balsamic vinegar: Just a little, as it’s very flavorful but also very potent.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use. A teaspoon of kosher salt weighs less than a teaspoon of regular salt.
- Sweetener: This is optional. I use stevia to equal 1 tablespoon of a granulated sweetener (or honey/maple syrup).
A few comments on the ingredients I use and why I use them
I use unsweetened ketchup in this recipe (link provided in the recipe card) and completely omit the sugar.
When I make this recipe for just my husband and myself, I don’t add any additional sweetener. But when I make it for my teenage kids, I add a bit of stevia.
I also add a touch of balsamic vinegar for its tangy flavor, a hint of sweetness, and a gorgeous color.
How to make keto sloppy joes
It’s a truly quick and easy recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
- Cook the beef and onion in butter.
- Next, add the garlic and cook it briefly.
- Now add the remaining ingredients.
- Lower the heat and cook just five more minutes. That’s it! Dinner is served.
How to serve healthy keto sloppy joes
Instead of using hamburger buns, I serve them in bowls with spoons, just as I serve no bean chili. Another option is to serve them on a bed of cauliflower rice, or to use cloud bread or 90-second bread as a keto bun.
The true test for this recipe is my kids. They eat a higher carb diet than my husband and I, so they expect sweeter tastes. And yet, they LOVE this recipe.
They do request that I serve it on a bun, so when I make it for them, I either use a gluten-free bun, or I make one of the low carb buns mentioned above.
What about leftovers?
Sloppy joes are one of those dishes that actually taste better the next day. You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
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Healthy Sloppy Joes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (85/15)
- 1 small onion, chopped (4 oz)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup unsweetened ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia glycerite (optional, equals 1 tablespoon sweetener)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add the beef and the onions and cook, breaking up the beef into small pieces, until beef is no longer raw and onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, 1 more minute, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, 5 more minutes.
- Remove the sloppy joes from the heat. Serve immediately.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
