This healthy Sloppy Joe recipe is made with ground venison that is simmered in a sweet and tangy homemade sauce and is perfect for for picky eaters. With a short prep and cook time, this quick and easy dinner is ready in under 30 minutes and is perfect for busy weeknights.
Homemade venison sloppy joes are so easy to make, you will likely not want to buy canned sauce again. Unlike traditional sloppy joes, this recipe has zero sugar and is low in carbohydrates, making it perfect for low carb and keto dieters.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
✔️ This venison sloppy joes recipe is a healthy dinner idea that is low carb, sugar free, and keto friendly and will satisfy the entire family.
✔️ It can be on the table in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
✔️ These are the best sloppy joes and you can feel good about feeding this sugar-free version to the family.
🥘 Ingredients
Ground venison
Onion
Garlic cloves
Green bell pepper
Unsweetened ketchup
Golden Monkfruit
Dijon mustard
🔪 Instructions
Step 1:
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the onion, and ground venison.
- Using a flat head wooden spoon, cook and stir the venison for 6 minutes, or until the meat has browned.
Step 2:
- Add the green pepper, garlic, and ½ cup water to meat mixture. Stir to combine, and cook with the lid on skillet for 1 minutes.
- Stir in the ketchup, mustard, golden monk fruit, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper until combined. Add the remaining water.
Step 3:
- Bring the sloppy joe mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Serve over keto asiago bagels.
🥄 Equipment
Large skillet
Cutting board
Chef Knife
Wooden spoon with a flat head
🥫Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
💭 Tips
- To make the sauce a little tangier, add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to the sloppy joe sauce.
- Substitute ⅓ cup of tomato paste and 3 tablespoons of water for the ketchup, or use plain tomato sauce.
🙋 FAQ's
Yes, just crumble the ground venison and brown it in a skillet. Then add it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
📖 Variations
- If you want to add more fat to this recipe, use butter or olive oil to cook the venison, garlic, peppers, and onions.
- Use a sugar-free bbq sauce in place of ketchup.
- Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper,1 tablespoon, or 1 tablespoon of chili powder to spice the recipe up a little.
- Substitute ground chicken, lean ground turkey, or lean beef for the ground venison.
- Maple syrup can be substituted for the monk fruit
🍽 Serve with...
I always serve these healthy sloppy joes keto style on top of a Keto Asiago Bagels topped with this homemade coleslaw recipe. This recipe is also great for those who are not following low carb and can be enjoyed on regular whole wheat buns.
📚 Related Recipes
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When you make this healthy sloppy joe recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @honeybunchhunts or #honeybunchhunts so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Healthy Sloppy Joe Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces ground venison
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1½ cups water , divided
- ½ cup sugar-free ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Monkfruit Golden
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the onion, and ground venison.
- Using a flat head wooden spoon, cook and stir the venison for 6 minutes, or until the meat has browned.
- Add the green pepper, garlic, and ½ cup water to meat mixture. Stir to combine, and cook with the lid on skillet for 1 minutes.
- Stir in the ketchup, mustard, golden monk fruit, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper until combined. Add the remaining water.
- Bring the sloppy joe mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Serve over keto asiago bagels.
The instructions for the Venison Sloppy Joes says to “Add green pepper”. Green peppers are not listed in the Ingredients. How much green pepper is used for this recipe?
Hi Nancy, thanks for bringing that to my attention. I added the amount to the recipe card.
THIS RECIPE IS DELICIOUS!!! JUST TRY IT!!
I've made this so many times, it's a strong favorite in my home. I'm done it with ketchup and with bbq sauce, I like both but I think ketchup is a bit better, less sweet. I also have made a few tweaks since the first time I've made this. I only add about half the suggested water amount, I prefer my sloppy joes to be thicker and less runny. I also never add sugar, I don't have access to sugar-free ketchup where I live so I use what I have and eliminate that ingredient. Otherwise, I highly recommend this recipe! It's SO good!
Hi Ashley, thank you so much for rating the recipe and I am so happy you enjoyed it! Shelby
Tried the sloppy Joe's today - really good! This was the first recipe we used this year's venison. It's a keeper!
Hi Debi! That's great, happy you enjoyed the recipe! Shelby
Definitely 5 stars, this is so good! Only change was omitting green pepper because my guy can't eat them. Can't wait to make it again & I love them with the slaw.
My second post, because I didn't see the star rating at girst!
Hi Debi, thank you for coming back to rate the recipe! Shelby
Hi Shelly!
Can I make this in an instapot?
If so, do you have instructions?
Thanks!
Hi Allie, You probably can make it in the instant pot however I personally have not done it. Let me do some research and I'll get back to you. Shelby
Well I'm not sure if I can get my hands on venison but I do have bison! I'll give these a go with that. It's been years since we've had sloppy joes.
Hi Bernice, ground beef works great too! Hope you enjoy the recipe! Shelby
I really like venison and cook it whenever I can find it but mostly in a stew or in a pasta sauce and not ground meat. Love the idea of these sloppy joes. Definitely on my to-try list!
This recipe is definitely a keeper! Great flavor, easy to make, and kid-friendly too!
These sloppy joes take me back to my childhood! SO good and love how it's keto-friendly! Perfect dinner 🙂 thanks!
Can you believe that I have never tried sloppy joes before?? This needs to change! Making this ASAP, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
We've made this recipe 3 times in the past two weeks! It's so easy and honestly great not only on a burger, but sometimes we scoop it over rice or over some pasta! That's how great this is!
This is such a great idea! I'll have to try this as soon as I find venison around here. I haven't had sloppy joes since I was a kid!
My kid has never had sloppy joes. Perhaps it's time to change that! Your recipe looks so easy and full of flavor.
Mmmm.. I'm glad to find a way to enjoy one of my favorite childhood recipes while on a keto diet. These sloppy joes were full of flavor and so quick to make. The kids enjoyed it too!
Hi Anaiah, thanks you, happy the kids enjoyed it as well! Shelby
Awesome recipe. I don't have sugar free ketchup so I used small can of plain tomatoes sauce. I added butter and olive oil to my meat since we didn't add fat to our grind. Best sloppy Joe's I've had.
Hi Christine, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Hope you enjoy many more! Shelby