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Side view of 2 mini vegan sloppy joes with pickles on a slate plate. Potato chips are blurred in the foreground.

Sloppy Joes

These homemade quick and easy vegan sloppy joes are full of flavor thanks to the rich tomato sauce. With premade lentils, they are ready in 30 minutes!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 113
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil optional
  • ½ medium onion cut into small dice
  • 1 green bell pepper seeded and cut into small dice
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • ½ tablespoon paprika
  • ½ tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup

Equipment

  • Large cooking pot
  • Cooking spoon
  • knife
  • Cutting board
  • measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Mixing bowl

Method
 

Make the Lentils (Optional)
  1. Wash the lentils, removing any leaves or debris.
  2. Cook the lentils. Add lentils and 4 cups of water to a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and most of the water is absorbed and evaporated. Set aside.
Make the Sloppy Joes
  1. Saute the vegetables. Cook the onions and bell peppers. In a medium size saucepan saute the onions and bell peppers over medium heat for about 7 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
  2. Mix the Sauce. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper.
  3. Combine and Cook. Cook for about 10 minutes, adding a half cup of water if desired to make the sauce a bit saucier.
  4. Add the mustard and ketchup and rest. Add the mustard and ketchup and stir through. Turn off the heat and let the lentils rest for 10 minutes. Serve on toasted buns, on open faced sandwiches, or over top of baked sweet potatoes. Enjoy!

Notes

How to Serve
I love to serve my lentil sloppy joes on hamburger buns. Many times they will be open faced with a scoop of sloppy joe filling on each bun! You can also serve them over a baked potato, baked sweet potato, or even over rice. This recipe can also be a side dish at a BBQ.
How to Store
  • Fridge: Store any remaining lentil sloppy joes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat as needed, or enjoy them chilled.
  • Freezer: Let the sloppy joes cool, then transfer to a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Allow the sloppy joes to thaw in the fridge overnight and then gently heat over a low heat in a saucepan on the stove before serving.