This easy Whole30 friendly and Paleo Sloppy Joe Casserole is a perfect weeknight family dinner recipe, and it’s great for leftover as well! It’s a delicious twist on a childhood favorite.

Oh boy. I made a new recipe that I’m probably going to make over and over again. I don’t know if I can even describe this Paleo Sloppy Joe Casserole in a way that’s accurate enough to justify how tasty it is. It’s basically sloppy joes in a casserole form (duh), baked with extra sauce to coat the spaghetti squash that it’s cooked with. The concept is so simple, but the flavors are so comforting and takes me back to my childhood home cooked meals.

I’ve been loving getting creative in the kitchen lately ever since I handed in my manuscript for my Korean Paleo cookbook, now that most of my energy isn’t spent on creating and perfecting recipes for the cookbook. Also, I’ve been eating SO MUCH Korean food during the cookbook writing process, so all-American dishes like this Paleo Sloppy Joe Casserole is such a welcome change in the kitchen.

This recipe is pretty dang easy on its own, but becomes even easier if you own an Instant Pot. The first thing you are going to have to do is cook your spaghetti squash, and if you use the Instant Pot method, you don’t even have to cut the squash before cooking it. I love that because cutting a whole squash is always a pain in the butt involving a lot of arm muscles, the ones I don’t have. Time to fit in some arm workouts.

The rest of the steps are pretty straightforward, and you’ll glad to hear that the leftovers are delicious as well. I’ve tried reheating it in the oven and in the microwave, and they both tasted great and retained moisture well. It’s a great weeknight meal to feed a family, and if you have a busy week coming up, double up the recipe and cook it in a 9×13 baking dish to enjoy the leftovers for days!

Paleo Sloppy Joe Casserole

Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 334 kcal

Author: Jean Choi

This easy Whole30 friendly and Paleo Sloppy Joe Casserole is a perfect weeknight family dinner recipe, and it's great for leftover as well! It's a delicious twist on a childhood favorite.

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Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup paleo ketchup or your favorite Whole30 ketchup if on a sugar detox
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 eggs whisked

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the squash is cooked through and the skin is soft when you press on it.

2. OR, use the Instant Pot method to cook the spaghetti squash: Place the steamer rack that came with the Instant Pot in the pot, and pour in 1 cup of water. Place the whole spaghetti squash, uncut, on the rack. Screw on the lid, make sure the pressure valve is closed, then cook for 20 minutes on manual. Release the pressure immediately and open the lid. Cut the squash in half.

3. Remove and discard the seeds, then transfer the threads of the spaghetti squash to an 10x10 baking dish. 

4. Lower or preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

5. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

6. Add ground beef, onion, and garlic, and cook stirring until the beef is browned, about 5-7 minutes. 

7. Drain the liquid from the skillet. 

8. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and sea salt, and stir together. Remove from heat.

9. Pour the sloppy joes mixture over the spaghetti squash and stir together with a fork. Let it cool for 10 minutes. 

10. Mix in whisked eggs until well combined. 

11. Bake in the oven for 1 hour. 

12. Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Paleo Sloppy Joe Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 334 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 22g 34%

Saturated Fat 9g 45%

Cholesterol 129mg 43%

Sodium 1128mg 47%

Potassium 546mg 16%

Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 8g

Protein 19g 38%

Vitamin A 8.6%

Vitamin C 8%

Calcium 4.5%

Iron 15.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.