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I have to admit, sloppy joes always take me back to school lunch days — but this version is way better than anything from a cafeteria tray. My keto sloppy joes are sweet, saucy, smoky, and totally satisfying… all without any sugar. I tested the recipe on my kids and a few picky eaters (you know the type), and they all cleaned their plates. It’s one of those dinners that feels nostalgic, but actually tastes amazing. Make them with me!
Why You Need My Keto Sloppy Joes Recipe
- Tastes like the real deal – Thanks to Besti Brown, it has that deep, sweet brown sugar flavor that gives regular sloppy joes their signature taste — and honestly, it reminds me a lot of my keto pork chops (in the best way!).
- Thick and saucy – I tweaked the ingredients until the meat was perfectly saucy without being watery — thick enough to pile high on a bun and not fall apart.
- Simple Ingredients – Nothing fancy here — just everyday staples you probably already have. No obscure sauces or specialty items required.
- Fast and easy – These low carb sloppy joes come together in one pan and about 20 minutes. On busy nights, this is one of my favorite go-to keto dinners.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my healthy sloppy joes recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground beef – I usually make these with ground beef, but ground pork or ground turkey work great too if that’s what you have. Just use whatever you like best — I’ve tried them all and they still turn out delicious.
- Sugar-Free Ketchup – I like to make my own to keep the ingredients super clean, but store-bought works too! Just double-check the label — you’ll want one that’s sugar-free and has 2g net carbs or less per serving.
- Besti Brown Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I really recommend using Besti Brown here — it has that rich brown sugar flavor and blends so smoothly into the sauce. I’ve tested other brown or golden sweeteners, and honestly, they just don’t melt in the same way or taste as deep. If you have to use something else, go for a powdered sweetener to keep the texture right, but just know it won’t have quite the same flavor. You can always check my keto sweetener guide if you need help picking one.
- Yellow Mustard – I add a splash of yellow mustard for a little tang to balance the sweetness — it gives the sauce that classic sloppy joe flavor. If you don’t have any, Dijon or spicy brown mustard will work too, just know they’ll add a bit more bite.
- Spices – I used garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder to give the keto sloppy joes a smoky, savory kick. You can swap chili powder for paprika or add cayenne for heat.
- Sea Salt
- Water
VARIATION: Want it chunkier?
If you like your sloppy joes with more texture, try adding some diced tomatoes and bell peppers when you cook the beef. It gives the sauce a heartier feel and adds a little extra flavor and color to every bite.
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How To Make Keto Sloppy Joes
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Brown the beef. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Season it with a little salt and cook, breaking it apart as you go, until it’s nicely browned.
- Make the sauce. Stir in the ketchup, a splash of water, sweetener, mustard, and all the spices.
- Simmer & thicken. Let it bubble for a bit, then turn the heat down and let it simmer until the sauce thickens up. Enjoy your keto sloppy joes on bun or in a lettuce wrap!
My Recipe Tips
- Make the buns first (if you’re using them). If you’re making my keto buns, start with those since they take the longest. I’ve made the mistake of timing it wrong and ended up with cold meat and warm buns — not ideal. 😅
- Nonstick skillet = less mess. I love using this nonstick fry pan for this recipe. It makes cleanup easy and the beef browns evenly without sticking.
- I recommend using a meat chopper. This one breaks up the beef perfectly so you don’t end up with a mix of big chunks and tiny bits — just the even, crumbled texture you want in a sloppy joe.
- Don’t rush the simmering step! Letting the sauce reduce a bit helps it cling to the meat better and keeps it from being too runny.
- I always give the sloppy joe mixture a taste at the end. If it’s not sweet enough, I just add a little more Besti Brown and stir until it melts in. If it’s too sweet, a splash of mustard helps balance it out. It’s all about finding the flavor that works for you!
- Double the batch for meal prep. These reheat so well. I often double it and use the leftovers in lettuce wraps, over roasted veggies, or even stuffed into keto cabbage rolls.
Serving Ideas
Wondering what to serve with this keto sloppy joe recipe? Here are some of my favorite sides to round out the meal:
- Buns – I used my keto hot dog buns shaped like burgers for this, but my keto hamburger buns work just as well if you want that classic look.
- Salads – I usually serve these with my keto coleslaw — it’s great on the side or piled right on top. Cauliflower potato salad also makes a super easy, refreshing match.
- Starches – Cauliflower mac and cheese adds a creamy contrast to the smoky meat, but sometimes I go full burger mode with rutabaga fries or mashed cauliflower instead.
- Veggies – Air fryer brussels sprouts add the perfect crispy contrast, and if I have extra sauce, I love soaking it up with a side of sauteed cabbage.
Keto Sloppy Joes
By
My keto sloppy joes are saucy, sweet, and super easy to make — all the flavor you love, without the sugar or carbs.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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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Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef. Season with salt. Cook, breaking apart with a spatula, for 8-10 minutes, until browned.
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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.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 lb beef, or 1/4 entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you avoid soggy buns, get that perfect saucy texture, and make dinner even easier (and tastier) the next day.
- Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge — they’ll stay good for 2–3 days.
- Meal prep: This is one of those recipes that gets even better the next day. I like to make a full batch (or double it!) and keep extras in the fridge or freezer for easy meals later.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave or a hot skillet until heated through.
- Freeze: Let it cool, then stash it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. I thaw it in the fridge overnight when I’m ready to use it.
- Note on nutrition info: I use my homemade sugar-free ketchup in these keto sloppy joes, which has just 2g net carbs per serving. If you’re using a different brand, the carb count might vary a bit.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Keto Sloppy Joes
86 Comments
mmacaroni
0I love this recipe. It’s not overly sweet like manwich. Soooo much healthier! I use it on gluten free pizza crust to make sloppy Joe pizza.
Wholesome Yum D
0Sloppy Joe pizza sounds so good! I love that idea, and I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe. Thanks for sharing another fun way to use it!
Patty Armstrong
0Made this sloppy Joe recipe for my picky family last night and it was delicious! They didn’t even realize it was keto. I will definitely be making this one again.😋
Wholesome Yum D
0Getting the approval of a picky family is always a good feeling, Patty! I’m so happy everyone enjoyed the sloppy joes, and even better that no one noticed they were keto. Hope they’re just as big a hit next time!
Chrisie
0This was amazing! I made this for my husband who is on keto. Instead of beef I used ground pork and I added some bell peppers, onions and chopped up some cherry tomatoes that’s the only difference from original recipe. My daughter and I were shocked how good it was. We don’t even like sloppy joes and we were ready to steal daddys vittles lol These Texas girls 100% approve and say its a keeper.
Wholesome Yum D
0I love hearing that, Chrisie! How funny that you and your daughter ended up wanting to steal your husband’s dinner! I’m so glad it’s keeper in your house.
Debbi
0My husband’s friend asked when was the last time he had Sloppy Joes & he said before Keto (almost 9 years!) so I said I’d find a Keto recipe & tried yours, Maya. My husband raved over it and told his friend I made the best Sloppy Joes. I used Grass-Fed beef, Swerve Brown Sugar, Yo’ Mama’s Ketchup with Monk Fruit & added a few things to spice it up! I LOVE Sloppy Joes & thankful to find a recipe we can enjoy without guilt! Thank YOU!!!
Wholesome Yum D
0I love to hear stories like that, Debbi! So glad you found a way to bring Sloppy Joes back after all that time! Love the tweaks you made too. Sounds like a total win!
Debbie
0My husband loves this. I’ve been making it for a couple years now. It’s great to know we can have our cake and eat it (in a way).
Wholesome Yum D
0That’s wonderful to hear, Debbie! I love that it’s become a go-to for you both. Always nice to enjoy a treat that fits your lifestyle!
Melissa M
0This was delicious. Thank you so much for posting this super easy recipe. I added more mustard to cut the sweetness a little and it was perfect.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Melissa! I’m so glad you liked these.
Rebekah Collins
0I made this as the recipe directed and it was delicious. I used the mission zero tortillas for the bread. Next time I will add onions and green peppers and eliminate the chili powder.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked these, Rebekah! Thanks for sharing the variation you plan to try.
Joe D.
0Why is there 8 G of carbs in the nutritional facts when in your ingredients I don’t see anything that would be carbohydrates?
Thank You
Melissa M
0If you use Hughes SF ketchup it’d be 4g of carbs. That ketchup has 1g carbs per 1 tbsp serving. 1c=16tbsp 16tbsp÷4 (this recipe is for 4 servings) servings= 4g carbs per serving.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Joe, Sugar-free ketchup adds carbs from the tomatoes in it. You can read more about how I calculate nutrition facts in my nutrition policy.
Debbie
0Love this. My husband asks me to make it all the time
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you and your husband love it, Debbie! Thank you.
Angie
0Soooo good! We needed a keto BBQ recipe that would mimic my MIL’s and this did that and MORE! I may be switching to this one for all my BBQ needs!
Linda Dreher
0Excellent flavorful recipe. I used a sandwich thin for my bun. Wasn’t sure how it would taste but it tastes like the original recipe.
I like that it was keto approved.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Linda! I’m happy you liked this recipe.
Stephanie
0I have been craving sloppy Joe’s, but didn’t want all the sugar. This recipe is perfect!!! I added a little onion and Bell pepper. This is a quick easy and delicious meal. Thank you for the recipe!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked these, Stephanie, and you’re very welcome! Those sound like yummy additions.
Jill
0Best recipe!! I used less ketchup because I ran out and added bell peppers and onions so we’d have some veggie content. The whole family loves it and I’ll be making this regularly.
Donna Woods
0We camp and wanted an easy keto recipe! Well this one is so good! We will use keto buns! I did add half an onion and bell pepper because I grew up with those in them. Thanks so much!
Debbie
0Very good! I’ve made this several times & served on keto hamburger buns. This time I added a little Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes! This was perfect! My husband will eat this once a month with leftovers for lunch another day! Thank you!
Jeannette
0Loved the Sloppy Joe recipe. I will try it again with a few adjustments. I would like more Chili powder and less brown sugar. Will let you know how it works out.
gubisehayala
0Haven’t made it yet, but it sounds so Keto that I want to make it soon. Thank you for this recipe.
Debbie
0Super easy and quick. I omitted the brown sweetener at first, as the sugar free ketchup I use makes things really sweet. I tasted it as I made it. Glad I didn’t add the brown sweetener as it was plenty sweet. But I think it needed more depth (which the brown sweetener would’ve given me) so I added some soy sauce. Perfect! Thanks for a great quick recipe!!
Janet Murray
0Coconut flour hamburger bun recipe says 2 Cups egg whites. I think they mean 2 egg whites? your friend’s recipe.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Janet, 2 cups is correct.
Kimberly Szalay-Mowery
0I am re-entering my opinion. Yesterday i said the recipe was *okay*. I let it sit overnight and ate the rest today. It was fantastic! I just had to let the flavors come together! I now give this a 5-star rating!
Kim
0I used ground pork. Recipe was okay bit it was missing something to give it more depth.