Sloppy Joe Sweet Potatoes (Printable)
Spiced beef Sloppy Joe filling piled over roasted sweet potatoes for a wholesome, comforting dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Meats
05 - 1 lb ground beef (ground turkey or plant-based mince may be substituted)
→ Sauces & Liquids
06 - 1 cup tomato sauce
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free if needed)
09 - 2 tbsp ketchup
10 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
11 - 1/2 cup beef or vegetable broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
14 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
15 - 1/2 tsp salt
16 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ Optional Toppings
17 - Chopped fresh parsley
18 - Shredded cheddar cheese
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick each sweet potato several times with a fork and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 40–45 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
02 - While the sweet potatoes bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until evenly browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet with the beef. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
04 - Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar. Season with smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pour in the broth, stir well, and simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
05 - Once baked, split each sweet potato open lengthwise and fluff the interior flesh with a fork.
06 - Spoon the Sloppy Joe mixture generously over each sweet potato. Garnish with chopped parsley or shredded cheddar cheese if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sweet potato naturally balances the savory tang of the Sloppy Joe sauce in a way bread never could.
- It reheats brilliantly the next day for lunch, maybe even better than the first night.
- Everything cooks in one skillet and one baking sheet, which means cleanup is almost painless.
02 -
- Underbaked sweet potatoes will feel firm and fibrous inside, so always test with a knife rather than guessing by time alone.
- The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat, so pull it from the stove while it is still slightly looser than you think it should be.
03 -
- Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to catch the sticky juices that leak from the sweet potatoes as they bake.
- Let the sauce rest for five minutes off the heat before spooning, because it thickens and the flavors meld into something deeper.