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Take a trip back to your childhood to sloppy joes, but make them way better! These vegan sloppy joes are protein packed and taste just like what you remember!
I'm sure you guessed it, I did grow up eating sloppy joes, the ones from the can. They were one of my favorite meals and I loved topping the sandwich with extra mustard and pickles. Yummm.
But we don't consume animals anymore, so I wanted to re-create that meal. And I loooove serving sloppy joes with some creamy mac and cheese!
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🥘Ingredients
You can totally substitute the bell peppers for onions for this recipe. I can't have onions, so I do not cook with them.
TVP is optional here, you can double the lentils if you want.
I do also like to add a dash of smoked paprika for a little extra flavor.
I like using red lentils because they cook faster, I'm all about saving time, but you can use other lentils if that's what is available to you. Just keep in mind that the cooking process will be slightly longer.
Please see recipe card for exact quantities
🔪Instructions
Step One - Dice up bell peppers and add them to your pan. If you need some oil, go ahead and add some, but a little water should do if using a good non-stick pan.
Step Two - Once your bell peppers are starting to soften, add rinsed lentils and water and bring to a boil. Let the lentils cook for about 5 minutes before moving on.
If you are using other colors of lentils, you may need to let them cook 10-15 minutes.
Step Three - Add in all of your seasonings: veggie bouillon, paprika, chili powder, sugar, etc.
Step Four - Mix everything together well.
Step Five - Add in the TVP (if using).
Step Six - Once the TVP is mixed in, add in the relish, ketchup and mustard and mix all of that in as well.
👩🏻🍳Cook's Top Tip
Make absolutely sure you rinse your lentils well before adding them. Grains like rice and beans do not get washed when processed. They're picked straight from the fields and put into the bag that is sold to us. Always wash your grains.
📖Substitutions & Variations
There are a few changes you can make to better serve your tastebuds!
- If you'd rather not use ketchup and mustard, you're welcome to make your own sauce using tomato paste and seasonings.
- TVP is not needed for this recipe, you can simply double the lentils and even do a mix of lentil colors for different textures. I just like a more 'meaty" type of sloppy joe.
- Skip the sugar and use sweet relish rather than dill relish.
- Trade the water for veggie stock when boiling the lentils for even more flavor.
- If you want to make this super easy, you could get a can of Manwich (which is accidentally vegan) and combine that with some store-bought plant-based ground and call it a day!
- You may use canned lentils, just keep in mind that 1 cup of dry lentils = 2 cups canned. And you will not need to boil them.
Why stop at just the slop? Add some more toppings!
- I love adding extra mustard and pickles to my sandwich.
- Get spicy and add some jalapeno's to the mix.
- This sloppy joe mixture is also fantastic for topping tator tots to mimic chili tots!
🍱Storage
Refrigerator - Store in an airtight container for up to 6 days. Do not store on buns for more than a day.
Freezer - Store for up to 3 months. Thaw naturally in the fridge or via cold water bath. Could also defrost in the microwave.
Reheat - Via microwave in 1 minute increments, or via oven at 350F / 180C for 10 minutes.
Looking for other sandwich recipes?
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❓FAQ
Typically, the lentils should soak up most if not all of the liquid, with a meaty addition like textured vegetable protein which would thicken it even more. Aside from those two options, you could use a little bit of tomato paste, or maybe even make a tiny bit of corn starch slurry.
If you try the recipe, don't forget to rate it and leave a comment! Thank you so much!
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- 1 saute pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup red lentils
- ½ cup TVP
- 1 cup water or veggie broth
- 1 bell pepper - any color is fine
- 1 cube veggie bouillon - skip if using veggie broth
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup mustard
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons dill relish
- 1 package hamburger buns
Instructions
- Rinse your lentils well, and set aside.
- Dice up 1 bell pepper into small bits, then add to a non-stick pan and saute until soft. You can add a little bit of oil if your bell peppers do or will stick.
- Once the bell pepper is soft, add in the lentils and water or veggie stock and bring to a boil. Allow the lentils to cook for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add in the TVP, mix, and then add all of your seasonings.
- Mix everything well, then add dill relish, mustard and ketchup and mix well again.
- Place onto buns and serve!
Notes
- Can exchange the water for veggie broth for extra flavor
- For Gluten-free use gluten free buns, and make sure the veggie bouillon is also GF (some are not).
- Storage - Store in the refrigerator (without bun) in an airtight container for up to 6 days. Can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat via microwave or in an oven for 10 minutes at 350F / 180C.
This recipe belongs to Planty Of Eats
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