Easy vegan sloppy Joes is a one-pot vegan recipe with protein-packed lentils in a sweet, spicy sauce for a tasty plant-based take on a traditional family favorite.
Hearty sloppy joes take about 40 minutes using dry green lentils, and canned lentils are even quicker.
This post contains helpful tips and tricks to ensure success on your first attempt. Below, you'll find a handy table of contents with links. But if you're in a rush, please use the link at the top to jump to the recipe card at the end!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Simple, easy cooking. One-pot recipes make for easy cooking and less mess – a few reasons we love them. With a few minutes of initial sautéing, you’ll need about 30 minutes for the lentils to get tender and the sauce to reduce – and it’s all happening in one pot.
Economically healthy. Green lentils should be top 10 on anyone’s list. They are the heart of many delicious dinners and are inexpensive, plant-based protein and dietary fiber sources.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Lentils. We like vegan sloppy joes made with green lentils because they keep their shape and have more ground beef texture after cooking. Brown lentils or French lentils would yield similar results. Red lentils make a creamier sloppy joe with equally tasty results.
Yellow onion. Use a regular yellow onion that is small to medium. Red onion can also be used.
Garlic. I prefer Fresh garlic cloves, but you can use a teaspoon of garlic powder if necessary.
Red bell pepper. Red pepper has notes of sweetness and a mild peppery flavor. Use yellow, orange, or green pepper as a substitute.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce. Select vegan Worcestershire sauce. For a quick substitute, use 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of yellow mustard or Dijon mustard, and a dash of hot sauce.
Maple syrup. Traditional sloppy joes are on the sweet side. A liquid sweetener like maple syrup or date paste is easy to mix. You can also use date sugar or brown sugar. Just be sure to dissolve it.
Tomato sauce. Use 2 cups of tomato sauce or 1 can of crushed tomatoes with an added tablespoon of tomato paste if you are in a pinch.
Sriracha. Sriracha or another hot sauce or chili paste is optional, or just use a little if this sloppy joe recipe is for kids.
Ground cumin. Cumin lends an earthy, slight citrus flavor. Leave the cumin out if you substitute chili powder for the paprika. Most blends, particularly our homemade chili powder, already have cumin.
Smoked paprika. I used hot smoked paprika, meaning there’s a subtle hint of smoky flavor and spice. You can also get mild smoked paprika. If you use regular paprika and want a touch of smoke, consider adding ¼ a teaspoon of liquid smoke.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
Use the sloppy joe sauce with different meat alternatives such as bulgur, tvp (textured vegetable protein), or beyond meat.
You can also play with the sauce ingredients by substituting your favorite barbecue sauce (we like sriracha bbq sauce) for the sriracha.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers until soft and tender (2-3 minutes).
Step 2: Stir in the garlic, spices, and tomato paste. Cook for another 30 seconds.
Step 3: After adding the broth, tomato sauce, and the rest of the ingredients, stir the bottom of the pot to clear it.
Step 4: Stir in the lentils, bring the pot to boiling. Lower the heat to simmer, cover the pot, and cook the lentils until they are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
How to make this recipe with canned lentils
Use 2 cans of drained, cooked lentils and eliminate the vegetable broth. Once you add the ingredients and lentils, simmer the sauce for a few minutes until the sauce reduces. Stir it occasionally.
Pro Tips
The bottom of the pot should be hot before adding onions. The heat helps keep them from sticking. If they get too brown, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
The longer you simmer the sauce, the thicker it gets. If you still want a thicker sauce, add a little tomato paste.
Serving Suggestions
Lentil sloppy joe filling tucked into a sliced whole wheat vegan hamburger bun with a few sliced jalapenos, pickles, or sliced onions makes a delicious meal. You can also abandon the bun and go for a lettuce wrap. And just like a great vegan chili, you can use this sweet-savory sauce over a baked potato.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not necessary to soak lentils of any kind before cooking them. Be sure to rinse lentils and sort through them before cooking. Remove any stones or discolored lentils.
If you make this sloppy joes recipe in the Instant Pot, use 2 cups of vegetable broth. Turn the Instant Pot off before adding the tomato sauce and broth. Clear the bottom of the Instant Pot and then add the lentils. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes with 10 minutes of NPR (natural pressure release).
Store any leftover sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop. Add just a little broth or water and heat it over low heat so the lentils don’t scorch and stick to the bottom of the pan.
Leftover lentil sloppy Joes freeze well. Freeze the lentil mixture in a freezer container with a tight-fitting lid or a freezer bag.
Related Recipes
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Vegan Sloppy Joes
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Ingredients
- 1 medium onion - diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce - see notes for substitute
- 1-2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry green lentils - rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Preheat a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Then add the diced onions and peppers. Cook them for about 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and tomato paste. Mix them with the onions and peppers.
- Stir in the maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, sriracha, tomato sauce, and vegetable broth. Use a non-abrasive utensil to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any ingredients that are stuck to the bottom.
- Mix in the lentils and bring the ingredients to a slow simmer. Reduce the heat to low, then cover the pot, leaving a little air vent. Let the lentils and sauce simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are tender and the sauce is reduced.
- Stir the lentils a few times as they cook, and add ½ a cup more broth if needed.
- Taste the lentils to ensure that they are tender. Adjust the spices and add salt or black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Serve lentil sloppy joes with buns, bread, over rice. Add jalapenos, diced red onions, or shredded cabbage if desired. These also make delicious baked potato toppers or lettuce wraps.
- For a quick vegan Worcestershire sauce substitute, use 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of yellow or Dijon mustard, and a dash of hot sauce.
- If making Instant Pot sloppy joes, reduce the vegetable broth to 2 cups. Turn the Instant Pot off after adding the broth and clear the bottom. Add the lentils and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes with 10 minutes of NPR (natural pressure release).
- To make this recipe with canned lentils, omit the vegetable broth, and add 2 cans of cooked lentils, drained and rinsed. Simmer the sloppy joe sauce for a few minutes to combine the flavors and reduce the sauce.
- Store any leftover sloppy joe mixture in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop. Add just a little broth or water and heat it over low heat so the lentils don’t scorch and stick to the bottom of the pan.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Debra
Hi. Would this work with canned lentils?
Denise
Hi, if you use canned lentils, eliminate the veggie broth and just heat them with the sauce. Let them simmer a few minutes so the sauce can sook down. I should think 2 15-ounce cans would be about right. Cheers!
Debra
Thanks 😊
Denise
You are most welcome 🙂