Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Ground Beef

Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Whole baked sweet potatoes make soft, skin-on boats for a tangy beef sloppy joe filling. Diced green pepper and onion keep the filling chunky, while a short uncovered simmer thickens the tomato sauce enough to mound inside each potato.

Bake four similarly sized potatoes on a rimmed sheet and make the filling while they cook. Check the thickest part of each potato before opening it: a tender center presses easily into a pocket that holds the filling.

Servings: 4, one stuffed potato each. Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 40–55 minutes, with the filling cooked during the bake. Total time: About 60–70 minutes, depending on potato size.

Ingredients for Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, about 8–10 ounces each and similar in size (about 1kg total)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 lb lean ground beef (450g)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 140g)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced (about 150g)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup (120g)
• 1/2 cup plain tomato sauce (about 120g)
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

How to Make Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

1. Bake the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes, then prick each several times with a fork. Rub with about 2 teaspoons of the oil and space them apart on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 40–55 minutes, starting to check at 40 minutes. A knife should slide easily through the thickest part with no firm center.
2. Soften the vegetables: While the potatoes bake, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to turn translucent and the pepper softens but remains in visible pieces.
3. Cook the beef: Add the ground beef and break it into small, irregular crumbles. Cook over medium heat for 7–9 minutes, until fully cooked and no longer pink, adding the garlic for the final minute. If using a thermometer, ground beef should reach 160°F (70°C). Spoon off excess rendered fat before adding the sauce ingredients so the filling does not turn greasy.
4. Simmer the filling: Stir in the ketchup, tomato sauce, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the crumbles and a spoonful holds a loose mound. Taste and adjust the salt. If the filling becomes dry, stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. Open and fill: Let the tender potatoes stand on the sheet for about 5 minutes. Slit each lengthwise without cutting through the bottom skin. Gently push the ends inward to open the potato, then press the flesh inward with a fork to make a shallow pocket. Spoon one-quarter of the filling into each, leaving orange flesh visible around the mound.

How to Make a Potato Pocket

Keep the bottom skin intact so each potato holds together. Press the tender flesh inward rather than scooping it out; the shallow well gives the filling room to sit while leaving a border of sweet potato around it. If the center resists the fork, bake the potato longer before filling.

How Thick Should the Filling Be?

The filling should be moist and glossy, with sauce clinging to the beef and vegetables. If a spoonful spreads flat, simmer it uncovered a little longer. If it looks dry, add water a tablespoon at a time. A spoonable mound is easier to keep inside the potato than a runny sauce.

Microwave Option for the Sweet Potatoes

For a faster potato method, prick the whole potatoes and place them on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on High in a short interval, then turn or reposition them and continue in 2–3-minute intervals until a knife passes easily through the thickest part. Total time depends on potato size, how many are in the microwave, and microwave power. The skins will have a different texture from oven-baked skins; make the filling and assemble the potatoes the same way.

Make-Ahead and Reheating

Refrigerate the cooked potatoes and cooled beef filling separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat the filling on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot, and warm the potatoes separately until hot. Split or reopen the potatoes and add the filling just before serving.

Serve the four stuffed potatoes directly from the baking sheet. Chopped dill pickles or sliced green onions can be offered at the table, but neither is needed on the potatoes.

For another beef-and-sweet-potato dinner in a different format, try the Southwestern ground beef sweet potato skillet.

Nutrition

Approximate per serving (1 stuffed potato): 520 calories, 28g protein, 15g fat, and 68g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of finished dish: 115 calories, 6g protein, 3g fat, and 15g carbohydrates. Values are estimates based on four servings and will vary with potato size, beef leanness, and moisture lost during cooking.