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Sweet, saucy, and smoky keto sloppy joes are an easy meal that everyone loves. No one will be able to tell that this sugar-free sloppy joe meat is keto friendly. Thanks to Besti Brown Sweetener, it has that sweet brown sugar flavor!
I have to admit, sloppy joes remind me of childhood school lunches. But don’t worry – I set a higher bar than that. After testing this low carb sloppy joe recipe on my kids and friends, I can confidently say that it’s worth it. Serve it up with some keto potato salad or easy coleslaw for a quick and easy dinner – and see my options below on what buns to put the meat on, too.
What Are Sloppy Joes?
If you’ve never heard of sloppy joes, you’re in for a treat! Unlike regular burgers, sloppy joes aren’t formed into full patties.
Instead, they include cooking up loose ground meat with spices, onions, and ketchup, and serving the saucy mixture on a bun.
And the best part? This simple keto sloppy joe recipe is ready in 20 minutes flat.
How To Make Keto Sloppy Joes
This keto sloppy joes recipe takes just 20 minutes to make:
- Brown ground beef. Heat a large skillet and add ground beef to pan. Season with salt and cook until browned.
- Simmer sugar-free sloppy joe sauce. Stir ketchup, water, Besti Brown Sweetener, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder into the browned ground beef. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened.
What buns to serve with sugar-free sloppy joes?
I highly recommend serving the sloppy joe meat on a keto bun. Here are some bun options to choose from:
- Keto Hot Dog Buns – Turn them into hamburger shapes instead. These are my favorite, and pictured in the photos in this post!
- Coconut Flour Hamburger Buns – My friend came up with these, and they’re really good.
- Keto Burger Buns – Find the recipe in my Easy Keto Cookbook.
Keto Sloppy Joe Recipe FAQs
Are sloppy joes keto?
Yes, these easy low carb sloppy joes are keto. Traditional recipes are made with lots of ketchup and sugar, and are definitely not keto.
This version has just 8.9 grams net carbs per serving.
Can I use a different sweetener?
This keto diet sloppy joe recipe works best with Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend because of its rich flavor. In my experience, other brown or golden sweeteners don’t have the same rich flavor, or don’t blend as smoothly into sauces.
If you really need to use something else, opt for a powdered sweetener to ensure the best texture, but know that you won’t get that brown sugar flavor. See my keto sweetener guide for suggestions.
Can I use a different ground meat?
Yes! This sloppy joe recipe calls for ground beef, but you could also substitute ground pork or ground turkey.
Low Carb Sloppy Joe Storage Instructions
Can you make them ahead?
Yes, sloppy joes are a great meal to make ahead as they store and reheat very well. They might even taste a little better the next day, so if you can make them ahead, do.
How to store keto friendly sloppy joes
Store these sloppy joes in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Can you freeze sloppy joes?
You can also freeze thiseketo sloppy joe recipe for 2-3 months.
How to reheat sloppy joes
Reheat your low carb sloppy joe in the microwave or a hot skillet until heated through.
What To Serve With Keto Sloppy Joes
If you’re wondering what pairs well with sloppy joes, try these easy sides:
- Keto Coleslaw – This is pictured above! The ultimate sugar-free sloppy joe pairing.
- Mashed Cauliflower – Gives this dish a “meat and potatoes” feel!
- Rutabaga Fries – Skip the utensils altogether for this meal. 🙂 Plus, they go great with the same sugar-free ketchup you’re using for the sloppy joes.
- Cauliflower Mac And Cheese – The perfect contrast for smoky sloppy joes.
- Keto Cornbread – Great for soaking up extra sauce, with a secret ingredient that makes it taste like real cornbread – without corn.
More Keto Ground Beef Recipes
If you like this keto sloppy joes recipe, you might also like some of these other keto ground beef recipes:
- Keto Chili – So flavorful, and mostly hands-off. Easy comfort food, just add your favorite toppings.
- Mexican Ground Beef Casserole – All the Mexican flavors you love, in one simple casserole dish.
- Ground Beef Zucchini Stir Fry – This flavorful meal is made with ground beef, zucchini, pesto, and goat cheese. Ready in 20 minutes.
- Ground Beef Stroganoff – This hearty, but healthy dinner is ready in 30 minutes and made with common ingredients.
- Keto Cabbage Rolls – This classic is made without rice, making it whole30, low carb, and keto. Comfort food reimagined!
Tools To Make Sugar-Free Sloppy Joes
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Meat Chopper – This tool makes it simple to break up the ground beef for this low carb sloppy joe recipe. I use it for all of my ground meat recipes.
- Nonstick Fry Pan – These pans are great for everything from perfect omelettes to this keto sloppy joe recipe.
- Glass Storage Containers – Store any leftover low carb sloppy joe recipe in these, safe to reheat in, too.
Low Carb Keto Sloppy Joes Recipe
Get Besti Brown Keto Sweetener For Your Keto Sloppy Joe Recipe!
Meet Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, the brown sugar replacement that has the moisture, color and flavor of brown sugar - with NO aftertaste & 0 net carbs!
GET IT HERE
Low Carb Keto Sloppy Joes Recipe
This easy keto sloppy joes recipe is ready in 20 minutes, with simple ingredients. Serve up the sugar-free low carb sloppy joe meat on keto buns for a classic meal.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Optional step: If you want the buns pictured, make this keto hot dog bun recipe in burger shapes. (Do this first as it takes the longest.)
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Stir in sugar-free ketchup, water, Besti Brown Sweetener, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
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Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until thickened. Adjust sweetener to taste if desired.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Readers Who Liked This Easy Recipe Also Made:
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 lb beef, or 1/4 entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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47 Comments
Elyce
0Oh My Goodness!!!!
This was absolutely delicious. Here in Australia, we don’t really have Sloppy Joe’s but I have always wanted to try them. Now that I am on a low carb diet, as I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, this was the perfect recipe. I did substitute some of the ketchup (tomato sauce as we call it here in Aus) with Tomato Paste and it was perfect. I also made my own buns using the Keto Fathead Dough. *Chef’s Kiss* .Thank you for this recipe. I will 100% be making these again.
Gabriele
0Hello Maya! Can I make that recipe (Keto Sloppyjoe) with out the sweetener? This be my next recipe I will try. I cooked the other day out of your Cookbooks, the Cauliflower “Potato ” Salad. It was so delicious and good. Thanks for you all great recipes. Sincerely, Gabriele
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Gabriele, Yes, you could omit the sweetener.
Lynn
0Hard to believe this is low carb keto while being so hearty and flavorful. I decided to add a bit of green and red pepper for a dash of color and crunch. Yum. Going to try your keto bun with it next time to actually enjoy a sandwich. Thank you for all your hard work and sharing it. Time to make another of your recipes.
Bob
0It is good but I would shorten up on the sweetener. It gets a little bit overbearing and begins to give that cheap taste that too sweet food does. Great though for quick dinner and like anything you can try it and adjust to what you like.
Betsy
0My whole family really likes this recipe. I have made it a number of times this year.
Michael
0This is the bomb! Great taste and low carb!!! Made twice now
Niki
0This was absolutely delicious!! Used some toasted “cauliflower thins”…. so pretty sloppy..but it sure tasted good!
Julia
0Loved it, made a 3 lb batch, and did add a small can of diced green chiles and a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce!
MOD
0This recipe was so delicious! My husband has been keto for over 15yrs and hasn’t had a sloppy joe in that time. It tasted just like Mamwhich! He was like a kid in a candy shop! Even my 11yr old son LOVED it!!
Jamie G
0Very good! We scaled up for 25 people (8lbs of meat) and it was amazing. I used store-bought no sugar added ketchup and needed only about 1/2 to 2/3 of the recommended sugar. No one could tell it was keto!
(By the way, the Best Brown Sugar is the best brown sugar ‘substitute’ I’ve tasted!)
Karen
0Loved this recipe! Easy to follow- had all ingredients at home. Keto (me) and non-keto (husband) loved it! A new favorite!
Arden Vaughn
0I just saw this recipe and would like to try it but I have a question about the nutritional breakdown. One serving would mean consuming 4 tbsp of ketchup. The French’s no sugar added ketchup I use has only 1 gram of carbs per tbsp. Where would the other 5 grams of carbs per serving come from? Certainly mustard and seasonings wouldn’t account for that much!! I’d appreciate hearing back from you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Arden, This recipe calls for the Wholesome Yum ketchup recipe that has 2g net carbs per tablespoon.
Teresa
0Just tried this recipe. Thumbs Up! We love it. Found Keto Burger buns at the store to serve them on. YUM!
Linda
0So delicious! Wish I had found your recipe sooner! Hubby loved it also!
Donna
0I have made this a number of times and absolutely love it!! The only change I make is to lessen the chili powder and use just a pinch of chipotle powder. But it’s excellent as written. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!!
Jeanette
0I made this for the second time today. It is delicious. Everyone in the house, even the non-keto eaters love this sloppy Joe recipe. Thanks for all the help in the kitchen. You make my life so much easier.
Jan
0I didn’t have any of the Besti Brown sweeteners so I used a Monk Fruit blend and it came out great. Hubby loved it too so another yummy recipe to add to my list!
Jan
0The BESTI Brown Keto Sweetener has been out of stock for a bit. Is there something else I can use to make this recipe?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jan, Besti Brown is now in stock with limited quantities available.
Gina
0EXCELLENT! I can always gauge a recipe by how my family responds to it. Two thumbs up!
I did use SWERVE brown sugar (still 2 tbls). Also, I use 2 lbs. of ground beef but there’s enough sauce from the 1lb recipe. I don’t have to double it.
Emily Garrett
0Does the recipe account for the roll or is it just the amount of Ketchup that is making the carbs that high?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Emily, This recipe is just for the sloppy joe filling, it does not include the nutrition from keto burger buns. Yes, the carb count comes mostly from the ketchup. Tomatoes are naturally sweet, so even sugar-free ketchup will have carbs.
Melanie
0This is such a good recipe! I use an 8 ounce can of tomato sauce (no sugar in the brand I use) instead of sugar free ketchup. It tastes almost like ketchup and it’s less expensive, and lets me save my ketchup for hot dogs and burgers. The Besti Brown Sweetener, which I bought specifically to use for this recipe is perfect for it. It smells and tastes just like real brown sugar. The sloppy joes taste so yummy!
Debby
0I did not care for it. Too much brown sugar.i followed recipe to a T. Ended up adding more ketchup, mustard and onion powder. I wint make again. Ty
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Debby, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. Feel free to scale back or omit the brown sweetener if the recipe was too sweet.
Phyllis Dufrene
0Debbie. I’m wondering what kind of SF ketchup you used. I made sloppy Joe’s one time and used Heinz SF and it tasted awful, way too sweet. Most ketchups put artificial sweeteners, like Sucralose, in it. I now use a keto ketchup and it comes out great.
Phyllis Dufrene
0Love love love. By far the best Keto sloppy joe recipe I have cooked to date. Delish.
Larry
0This recipe was delicious. I didn’t change one thing with this other then I used ground turkey. I can’t wait to make it again.
Teri
0How would it be without ketchup? What would be a good substitute that would give it some sweetness but more savory than sweet? ALSO tomatoey?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Teri, I don’t recommend skipping the ketchup in this recipe. The ketchup provides a lot of flavor to this recipe. If you don’t have sugar-free ketchup on hand, you can try using a small amount of tomato paste and water, or canned tomato sauce. Just double-check the canned tomatoes don’t have any added sugars.
Teri
0Thanks. I am not a cook so would you be able to recommend quantities of tomato paste/sauce? Appreciate it
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Teri, Here is a recipe for Sugar-Free Ketchup. It will include the amounts you are looking for, even if just wanting to use tomato paste. This will just take a few minutes to whip up, then you can add it to your Sloppy Joes recipe.
Melanie
0I used an 8 ounce can of Hunts Tomato Sauce in my batch and it tastes almost like ketchup right out of the can. The ingredients just show tomato paste, water, salt , onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper.
Eileen J Turner
0I enjoyed this recipe very much. It was delicious. My husband even commented to me, “Is this really sugar-free?” I also made the keto fathead rolls. What a great combination. Give it a try!
Elaine
0This was the first time trying a Keto/low carb sloppy joe recipe. It is super good. I used Swerve brown sugar as that is what I had. I used Heinz sugar free catsup. Thank you for the receipe that I will me making for many years to come.
Melanie
0Delicious!! Me and my hubby both loved it!
Melanie Adair
0This is so good! It really nails the flavor of sloppy joes. I ladled it over a cheddar almond flour chaffle, and it was so satisfying!
Rayna Jenkins
0I haven’t had a sloppy joe in years. Stumbled across this recipe & sure glad I did. My husband, who is not keto loved it as much as I did. Told me to keep the recipe around for future dinners! Thanks for sharing.
Whitney
0I tweaked this recipe a little to make it vegan and used canned crushed tomatoes instead of ketchup- it was STILL delicious so I can’t imagine how much better the unmodified recipe is! Yummm.
Coralie
0Really good!!!! I added onions, bacon bits. The buns are also good.
Thanks for the recipe
Wanda
0Sloppy Joes is one of those recipes I totally forget about! This recipe looks so flavourful and delicious, yum!
Renee
0So many amazing keto options available now! Sloppy Joes are just too good to give up!
Angela
0This is a great recipe. I love that with just a little tweaking a regular recipe can be low carb!
Stephanie
0Yum! I haven’t had a sloppy joe in so long. It was definitely time to introduce them to my boys and they loved it!
Cindy
0This was so delicious. I made it today! It was approved by my entire family! I am adding it to the rotation! YUMMMM