This simple homemade recipe for keto sloppy joes is made with unsweetened ketchup. Ready in 20 minutes, it's the perfect meal to serve on busy weeknights.
Cook, breaking up the beef into small pieces, until the beef is no longer raw and the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. There's no need to drain the mixture, but feel free to drain it if you wish.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
1 tablespoon fresh garlic
Stir in the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, and sweetener.
½ cup unsweetened ketchup, ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ¼ teaspoon stevia glycerite
Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, for 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Saltiness and sweetness preferences are highly personal. Adjust to taste.
While you definitely want ground beef to be fully cooked, you don't want it overcooked because then it turns dry and mealy instead of juicy. So, in the first step of cooking the beef with the onions, you should only cook it until it's no longer raw - it's OK if it's still slightly pink. It will cook further during the following stages.
This is one of those dishes that tastes better the next day. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power.
You can also divide the leftovers into servings and freeze them in freezer-safe containers. Thaw them as needed overnight in the fridge or reheat them in the microwave if your container is microwave-safe.