How to Make Vegan Sloppy Joes with Lentils

If you grew up eating sloppy joes as a kid, chances are, they’re still a beloved comfort food. The messiness of eating with your hands, plus that irresistibly savory sauce… they’re hard not to love! This plant-based take on the classic calls for red lentils instead of ground beef. Turns out, vegan sloppy joes are every bit as satisfying as the original sloppy joes.

How to Make Vegan Sloppy Joes

These delightfully messy sandwiches were brought to us by Taste of Home contributor Christina Rock.

Ingredients

Lentil Sloppy Joes ingredients arranged on kitchen counter top

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
6 garlic cloves, minced
2-1/2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
4-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
14 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
Vegan coleslaw, optional

Tools

Le Creuset skillet: This skillet is roomy enough for the sizable amount of filling this recipe makes.
Slotted wooden spatula: A wooden spatula is ideal for stirring the lentils while they simmer.
Prep bowls: These bowls’ modest size makes them perfect for measuring out spices and seasonings.

Directions

Step 1: Saute the vegetables

hands sautéing the vegetables for lentil sloppy joes

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and carrot, and cook until crisp-tender, six to eight minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. These sauteed veggies will form the foundational flavor of the vegan sloppy joes.

Step 2: Add the lentils

simmer the mixture after adding the broth and lentils

Add the broth and lentils, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Finish the sloppy joes

adding the chopped tomatoes into the vegan sloppy joes mixture

Lastly, stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, syrup, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes more.

Step 4: Serve on toasted buns

Divide the lentil mixture among buns and top with coleslaw, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tips for Making Vegan Sloppy Joes

Use red lentils

You’ll find several types of lentils on supermarket shelves and they all yield slightly different results. We prefer red lentils here because they cook the fastest and break down almost completely during cooking, which helps them mimic that messy sloppy joe texture.

Store leftovers in an airtight container

Store leftover vegan sloppy joe filling in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving. For longer-term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

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