Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes

Last Updated on July 8, 2026

These Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes are healthy, simple, and very inexpensive.

A sandwich that is full of fiber, protein, a smokey sweet flavor with the tenderness of a barbecue sandwich, and it’s all made with lentils!

Why lentils?

Lentils are a great meat alternative because they are high in protein and fiber.

They are satisfying and filling which is perfect for vegans and vegetarians.

Add in the benefit of how inexpensive and how easy lentils are to find, they are Everywhere.

This makes them the perfect meatless menu option!

Lentils are available in so many different sizes and colors, such as green, brown, black, and red.

And because of these varying sizes and colors, they are better suited for certain dishes.

The brown and green lentils are medium sized and tend to hold the shape better when cooked, which makes them perfect for these sloppy joes.

Black lentils are a smaller sized lentil and are incredibly sturdy, but not my favorite for a sloppy joe.

The red lentils are small in size and quickly break down making them a creamy texture which are perfect for soups, stews, and curries, but not the best for sloppy joes.

Lentils cook very quickly, any where from 10 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the lentil.

But in this recipe I use a slow cooker to make the Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes.

The reason I do this is because I want the lentils to break down while cooking all day, giving the sloppy joes texture and a thicker sauce.

This will help to keep the sloppiness to a minimum, but remember these are sloppy joes, so they have to be a little sloppy.

Ingredients for the sloppy joes

• Lentils – Any size or color of lentil will work great in these sandwiches. I prefer the brown or green lentils because of the size, they seem to stay together better while cooking, and they are much easier to find in the stores.
• Onion – Any variety of onion or powdered onion will work, optional.
• Minced Garlic – For much needed flavor.
• Peppers – I used a bell pepper in this recipe. Mix it up by trying the different colors of bell peppers or add a little heat with the hot peppers of your choice.
• Carrots – Carrots add more texture and a little sweetness to the sloppy joes.
• Oil– Any oil can be used in the recipe. I use olive or avocado oil.
• Ketchup and Tomato Sauce – These both are added to help brake down the lentils and thicken the sauce. If you want to cut out the extra sugar from the ketchup, this can be substituted with tomato sauce.
• Mustard – Mustard gives the sloppy joes that much needed tang.
• Real Maple Syrup – This is optional. I personally like my sloppy joes a little sweet, this is why I add maple syrup.
• Spices – In this recipe I used smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. If you would like a little more heat, add some pepper flakes, a Tabasco sauce, or even a sriracha. Have fun experimenting!

How to make the Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes

Clean and chop the onion, carrots, and peppers.

In a medium sized skillet, add and saute the onion, carrots, peppers, and garlic all in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until tender, once done add to the slow cooker.

Rinse the lentils and add to the slow cooker.

Pour 5 cups of water over the lentils and vegetables.

Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.

Set the temperature to high and watch through out the day.

As the day goes on, stir and check to see if you need to turn down the temperature or add more liquid.

Estimated time of cooking is 6 to 8 hours.

How to serve the Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes

Serve on a bun with vegan mayo, cheese or vegan cheese, and pickles.

Or make it a sloppy joe bowl with rice or pasta, garnish with diced avocado, pickles, and aioli.

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