Description
This Easy Gluten-Free Sloppy Joes recipe is a quick and delicious weeknight dinner option made with lean ground beef, flavorful veggies, and a tangy tomato-based sauce served on toasted gluten-free buns or as a bowl with sides. It's ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for satisfying the whole family while keeping it gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef (93-97% lean)
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper
- 1-2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
Seasonings and Sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2-1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup water (or more, if needed)
Instructions
- Toast The Buns: If you have a few minutes, toast gluten-free buns in the oven or in a pan until golden. For extra crispiness, brush them with butter or mist with olive oil spray before toasting.
- Brown The Beef: Heat the olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook 8-10 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Remove beef from pan and set aside, draining excess fat if necessary but leaving about 1 Tablespoon for cooking veggies.
- Cook The Veggies: In the same skillet, add onion and green bell pepper. Sauté on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until softened and onions are translucent.
- Mix In The Sauce: Return the browned beef along with any juices to the skillet. Add minced garlic, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and brown sugar if using. Stir in tomato paste, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and water until well combined.
- Cook To Thicken: Reduce heat to low and simmer the mixture for 5-8 minutes, stirring regularly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Add extra water if too thick or cook longer if too watery.
- Serve: Spoon the sloppy joe mixture onto toasted gluten-free buns, into baked potatoes, or serve as a bowl with sweet potatoes and coleslaw or other vegetables. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Notes
- This quick recipe can be ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for easy weeknight meals.
- Use lean ground beef for less grease and healthier results; if using fattier beef, drain excess fat before cooking vegetables.
- To make it vegetarian, substitute the ground beef with cooked lentils or plant-based ground meat alternatives.
- Adjust the amount of chili powder and brown sugar according to your preferred spice and sweetness levels.
- Toasting the gluten-free buns enhances flavor and texture but can be skipped for quicker serving.
- Leftover sloppy joe mixture freezes well and can be quickly reheated for future meals.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.5 cup
- Calories: 185 kcal
- Sugar: 8.8 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 7.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.2 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 16.2 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
