Sloppy meets elegant in these keto sloppy joes that are so jam-packed with flavor they’ll make you want to sing! Serve them with my legit and fluffy keto hamburger buns for a new family favorite meal.
Looking for more keto dinners? Try these keto burgers, keto pulled pork, and keto turkey burgers.
Keto Sloppy Joes Video Tutorial
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Beauty Within Chaos
Homemade sloppy joes may not seem elegant. They definitely aren’t pretty to eat. And they probably aren’t the first meal that comes to mind when you want to WOW a hungry group of friends. But, they should be. Because everyone. Loves. Sloppy. Joes.
They’re that extra saucy, extra meaty, extra comforting dish. The dish your inner child and adult self can agree on. One of the few meals where a sauce-covered face is a socially accepted stamp of approval.
Each ingredient in the sauce comes together for an entrancingly delicious, complex, sloppy chaos of flavors that is nothing shy of pure elegance. So next time you’re looking for a reliable and easy meal to warm you from the inside out, look no further than these low carb sloppy joes!
Hope you enjoy these in all their sloppy glory! ❤️🍔 – Linds x
Ingredient Notes
Luckily, most ingredients for these keto sloppy joes are pantry staples. Guarantee you already have most of these waiting:
- Ground beef or turkey – this is a great recipe to sneak turkey into– the sauce has so much flavor, you won’t miss the beef.
- Mild tasting oil – I’m a big fan of avocado oil.
- Onion
- Green bell pepper – but really, any color will do.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Worcestershire sauce – This is a kitchen MUST! There’s a lot going on in this simple-looking bottle, which adds such depth of flavor. Don’t skip.
- Yellow mustard
- Golden Swerve/Lakanto – These keto sweeteners are my favorite brown sugar subs for sugar free sloppy joes. If you’re using a different brand of erythritol or allulose, know that they’re 70% as sweet, so you’ll want to add more to achieve the same flavor.
- Tomato paste
- Apple cider vinegar
Your Keto Bun Options
There are a handful of recipes and veggies that make delicious keto buns– finding the perfect taste and texture match for these low carb sloppy joes is important. Let our sloppy joe recipe do the work, and serve them over subtle buns that won’t steal the show. Here are my top picks:
- Roasted portobello mushrooms – simply remove the stems and brush with oil. Bake stem side down at 400 F for around 15 minutes, or until softened to your liking.
- Low carb hamburger buns – This recipe is AMAZING. I like to make a big batch and keep them in the freezer anytime buns are needed.
Other bunless sloppy joe options include tomato slices, eggplant slices, lettuce wraps, or halved bell peppers.
PRO TIP: Feeding a family of non-low-carb-ers? Serve their keto sloppy joes on traditional buns, and yours on whichever you choose.
🤔 Can You Freeze This?
YES! Make a big ole batch of keto sloppy joes and divide the servings into resealable baggies. Release as much air as possible before labeling and tossing it into the freezer. Make your buns fresh before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different kind of meat – this dish works with any ground protein you have like pork or chicken.
- Swap the buns for your favorite (ideas above).
- Make a low carb sloppy joes bowl, or salad by scooping the meat and sauce over sauteed veggies or a bed of lettuce.
More Keto Beef Recipes
Keto Sloppy Joes
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper chopped - any color will do!
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons golden Swerve/Lakanto (note 1)
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup water
Serving Recommendations:
- Portobello mushrooms roasted (note 2)
- Keto Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- Saute. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add oil (1 tablespoon). Once shimmering, add the beef or turkey (1 pound), and cook until no longer pink, breaking up with the back of your spoon as it cooks. Remove meat to a paper towel lined plate. If no oil is left in the pan, add an additional tablespoon, along with the onions (1/4 cup) and bell peppers (1/4 cup). Saute until soft -- about 7 minutes. Add meat back to the skillet.
- Simmer. Add salt (1 teaspoon), pepper (1 1/2 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 1/2 teaspoon), onion powder (1 teaspoon), worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon), mustard (1 teaspoon), golden Lakanto/Swerve (3 tablespoons), tomato paste (4 ounces), apple cider vinegar (1/4 cup) and water (1 1/4 cup). Stir until well combined and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat of the pan so the sauce simmers, and continue to cook this way for 30 minutes, or until it has thickened to your liking.
- Enjoy! Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve over hamburger buns or veggies, and enjoy!
Fans Also Made These Low Carb Recipes:
Lindsey's Tips
- Lakanto, Swerve, vs. Erythritol. This recipe was tested using Swerve/Lakanto. If using a different brand of erythritol or allulose, know that they’re 70% as sweet, so you’ll want to add more to achieve the same flavor.
- If using portobello mushrooms, you'll want to remove the stems and brush each side with oil. Then bake (stem side down) at 400 F for around 15 minutes, or until softened to your liking.
- Nutritional information is for 1/6th of the filling only: