It is impossible for me to think about Sloppy Joes without thinking about Adam Sandler and Chris Farley. If you don’t know this reference, give it a Google and add “lunch lady” to the search. I’ll wait. You’ll thank me later.
Anyway, all of our kiddos love Sloppy Joes, I love Sloppy Joes, everyone loves Sloppy Joes! They’re sweet and saucy. You can eat them on a sandwich, open-faced, on top of mashed potatoes, or just with a fork. Plus, with all that sauciness, you can easily hide lots of good-for-you veggies without any suspicion from picky eaters. Best of all, they’re so easy!
For this particular Sloppy Joe recipe, we stuck to sweeter veggies such bell peppers and carrots, but feel free to add whatever vegetables you have on hand. I’ve made these with sweet potato, mushroom, and even zucchini! And although we made this in an Instant Pot, it can easily be made in a skillet. Serve alongside (or on top of) smashed Yukon Gold potatoes (maybe sneak some cauliflower into the mash) and you’ve got a full meal in less than 45 minutes!
Get your napkins ready for sloppy faces! Friendly tip–you might want to make a double-batch!
Healthy Instant Pot Sloppy Joe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/3 cup sweet onion
- 1/3 cup carrots chopped
- 1/3 cup red pepper chopped
- 3 gloves garlic minced
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 tsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sweet barbeque sauce
- olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute, low (or a use a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat). Brown beef, drain grease, and place in a separate bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the Instant Pot or skillet and add carrots, garlic, onion and red pepper. Saute until soft. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and all remaining ingredients, as well as the cooked beef. Mix until combined well and let simmer for 30 min.