Last Updated on March 17, 2023
These Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes are healthy, simple, and very inexpensive.
A sandwich that is full of fiber, protein, with a smokey sweet flavor and 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’re 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 sloppy joes.
The black and red lentils are a small size and when they are cooked they become more mushy, perfect for soups, stews, and curries.
Lentils cook very quickly, 45 to 30 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 resaon I do this is because I do want the lentil to become a little mushy to thicken the sauce.
This will help to keep the sloppiness to a minimum, but after all these are sloppy joes, so they have to be a little sloppy.
Ingredients for these 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, but this also can be eliminated.
- 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 to these sloppy joes.
- Oil– Olive oil was used in this recipe.
- 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 the 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. 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 these Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes
Note: You will need a slow cooker for this recipe.
Clean and chop up the onion, carrots, and peppers.
In a medium sized fry pan, add and saute the onion, carrots, peppers, and garlic 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 these 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.
Related Posts
Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
Start by sauteing these ingredients, then add to slow cooker
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil- 1 Tbsp in the slow cooker and 1 Tbsp a frying pan
- 1 Large Onion Diced.
- 1 Large Carrot Diced.
- 1 Red or Green Bell Pepper Diced.
- 1 Tbsp minced Garlic
Add these ingredients to the slow cooker
- 1 package of Green dried lentils-rinsed Try different colors, so many to try!
- 1/2 cup Ketchup
- 2 cups Tomato sauce or any pasta sauce Or 15oz. can of tomato sauce.
- 2 to 3 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup- Optional We like to have a little sweetness to our Sloppy Joes, so that is why I add Maple Syrup. This is optional.
- 5 to 6 cups of Water Add 5 Cups at the beginning, add another cup if needed.
- 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- Clean and chop up the onion, carrots, and peppers.
- In a medium sized fry pan, add and saute the onion, carrots, peppers, and garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until tender, once done add to the slow cooker.
- Rinse the lentils and add to 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 these Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes
- Serve on a bun with mayo, cheese, and pickles.
- Or make it a sloppy joe bowl with rice or pasta.
