Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (2024)

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (1) Jessica Randhawa

4.87 from 22 votes


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Sloppy and delicious, these Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes are made using pantry essentials including meaty lentils and a tangy tomato sauce. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and ready in just 30 minutes, serve this lentil sloppy joe recipe sandwiched between a toasted bun with pickled red onions and a side of baked sweet potato fries.

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (2)

Why You’ll Love Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Sloppy joes always transport me right back to my childhood. They’re so delicious and comforting. After sharing my favorite meat-filled sloppy joe recipe with you guys last week, I realized that I should probably share this vegetarian version, too.

So what makes these vegetarian sloppy joes so fabulous?

  • They’re made with pantry essentials, like lentils.
  • Perfect for those families looking to eat less meat.
  • They’re protein-packed and fiber-filled.
  • A great base recipe. Make your joes spicy, season with taco seasoning, mix with cheese, add some bacon.
  • Freeze leftovers for later!
  • Simple substitutions to make vegan and gluten-free.

Hearty and easy, lentil sloppy joes are a perfect meal to throw together for family and friends.

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (3)

Ingredients in Lentil Sloppy Joes

  • Lentils – brown or green
  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Bell pepper – any color (I used red)
  • Garlic
  • Italian seasoning
  • Tomato sauce – not jarred pasta sauce. You wantplain canned tomato sauce.
  • Worcestershire sauce – to make this recipe vegan and gluten-free, substitute regular Worcestershire sauce with Vegan Worcestershire sauce.
  • Soy sauce– to make this recipe vegan and gluten-free, substitute with tamari or liquid aminos.
  • Dijon mustard
  • Ketchup
  • Hamburger buns

For a sweeter sauce, add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar or honey. Additional sugar is popular in classic beef sloppy joes, but I chose to leave it out of this recipe on purpose as

For the full list and amounts of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (4)

How to Make Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Lentil sloppy joes are super simple to make. Thay should take approximately 30 minutes to make and will feed between 6-8 people.

Love Lentils? Read all about them in this post (including tons of delicious recipes).

1. Start your lentils. Yep, before you start making your sauce, get your lentils going. Keep an eye on them though- you only want them cooked to al dente.

2. As your lentils cook, start the sauce. Saute the onions and bell pepper, then add the garlic and seasoning. Finally, stir in the canned tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and ketchup.

3. Add the lentils, heat, and serve. Dump your cooked and drained lentils into the sauce and season with additional salt, pepper, ketchup or mustard, to taste. Allow your lentil mixture to cook for a few minutes before plopping a huge spoonful onto a large bun.

Can you freeze leftovers?

Yes, leftover lentil sloppy joe filling freezes really well. As always, allow the mixture to cool completely before transferring to freezer-friendly bags or containers. Freeze for up to 4 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving (you may need to add a few tablespoons of water or broth to help loosen it up).

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (5)

Serve these lentil sloppy joes topped with crispy white onions or quick-pickled red onions, pickles, or pickled jalapeñ0s. Serve sandwiched between your favorite hamburger bun, wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, or skip the carbs altogether and add top with poached eggs instead. Or, just add some delicious sides like,

  • The BEST Guacamole
  • Chips and Salsa
  • Crispy, fresh green salad
  • Seasonal fruit salad

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (6)

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (7)

More Vegetarian Recipes,

Vegetarian Cauliflower Tikka Masala Recipe (Instant Pot)

Tomato Baked Vegetarian Beans with Tangy Feta

Vegetarian Beet Burgers with Avocado

Chinese Broccoli Recipe with Garlic (Stir-Fried Gai Lan)

If you try making this Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!I always love to hear your thoughts.

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (8)

RECIPE CARD

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe

4.87 from 22 votes

AuthorAuthor: Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (10)Jessica Randhawa

Sloppy and delicious, these Vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes are made using pantry essentials including meaty lentils and a tangy tomato sauce. Easy to make, freezer-friendly, and ready in just 30 minutes, serve these vegetarian sloppy joes sandwiched between a toasted bun with pickled red onions and a side of baked sweet potato fries.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Sandwich

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Sloppy Joes

Calories 215 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dry brown or green lentils
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions - minced
  • 1 red bell pepper - stemmed, seeded and minced
  • 5 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard - (more or less to taste)
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • salt and pepper - to season
  • Hamburger buns - for serving

Instructions

For the Lentils

  • Add lentils to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove any dust and dirt. Transfer to a medium-sized pot. Fill with 6 cups of water (or vegetable broth).

  • Bring water to a boil over high heat. As soon as it starts to boil, immediately reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or al dente.

  • Drain the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.

For the Lentil Sloppy Joes

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring often, until soft - approximately 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and season with Italian seasoning. Continue to cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.

  • Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and ketchup to the onions. Mix well and add the lentils to the sauce. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

  • Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste, and serve on your favorite toasted hamburger bun.

Jessica's Notes

Nutritional information does not include the hamburger bun.

  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • This vegetarian lentil sloppy joe mixture can be frozen! Allow mixture to cool completely before transferring to freezer-friendly bags or containers. Freeze for up to 4 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 568IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 4mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Lentil Sloppy Joes, Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

Lentil Sloppy Joes - Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to Sloppy Joe to make it taste better? ›

Add Veggies: Diced bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, or shredded carrot, can easily be added to this recipe and your kids won't even notice a difference. Hawaiian Sloppy Joes: Substitute more BBQ sauce for the ketchup and add 8 oz., drained crushed pineapple.

What are the ingredients in Sloppy Joe? ›

It's made with ketchup, brown sugar, tomato paste, Worcestershire, chili powder, garlic, dry mustard, and a little Tobasco (if you want). That sauce coats the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to make the filling. What's a good side dish with sloppy joes?

How do you thicken up sloppy joe sauce? ›

  1. Flour can be used similar to corn starch.
  2. Other thickeners used are bread crumbs, potato flakes and oats. ...
  3. Go gradually with these. ...
  4. Use oats to thicken sloppy-joes as to absorb the excess but it will be thicker the next day.
  5. Barley can be used but is more expensive.
Oct 29, 2021

Why do you put baking soda in sloppy joes? ›

Why Use These for Sloppy Joes? Baking soda helps keep the ground beef moist and tender, and incorporating baking soda into the finely chopped onion causes the onion to soften rapidly so it nearly melts into the sauce.

What can I use instead of tomato paste for sloppy joes? ›

How to Substitute Tomato Sauce or Puree for Tomato Paste. You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

What's the difference between a Sloppy Joe and a sloppy Jane? ›

The stuffed pepper sloppy joe is another combo that mixes the sandwich with another popular dish, swapping buns for bell peppers. If you're aiming to eat a lower-fat diet, then consider fixing yourself a sloppy jane. This variant on the sloppy joe swaps out regular ground beef for leaner beef.

What is the best side dish for sloppy joes? ›

Roasted vegetables are the best thing to serve with sloppy joes. Choose from options such as a light and refreshing lemon parmesan zucchini to a colourful Grilled Succotash for the perfect sloppy joe pairing.

What is Sloppy Joe's famous for? ›

Sloppy Joe's opened in 1933 and is famous for being Hemingway's favorite watering hole. These days it's more famous for its good music, cold drinks and the dropping of the Conch on New Year's Eve.

How do you doctor up Sloppy Joe mix? ›

In addition to sweetness, the diced Gala apple also contributes some textural variety to the recipe.
  1. Spice Your Sloppy Joe Up With Chile Flakes Or Canned Chiles. ...
  2. Sneak Extra Veggies Into Your Sloppy Joes. ...
  3. Throw In Some Liquid Smoke. ...
  4. Deglaze Your Sloppy Joes With Beer. ...
  5. Add Salsa To The Mix.
Feb 28, 2024

How do you thicken sloppy joes without cornstarch or flour? ›

This old-fashioned sloppy Joes recipe is pretty thick, but some people like to thicken it up so it's a little less “sloppy.” And many of my readers try to avoid flour or cornstarch. The easiest way to thicken it up is to let it simmer on medium-low heat with the lid off until it reduces to the desired thickness.

What if my sloppy joes are too sweet? ›

Balance Out the Flavors

If your dish is a little too sweet, try rounding out the sweetness by adding flavors or ingredients that are sour, bitter, or spicy. It may be obvious not to add more sweet ingredients, but you should also stay away from salty ones since they actually bring out the sweetness in food.

What is a Sloppy Joe slang? ›

or sloppy Joe

a man or youth whose appearance is habitually slovenly.

What will thicken sloppy joes? ›

If you follow this homemade Sloppy Joe recipe, you should have the perfect consistency, but if it comes out too watery, try adding a small slurry of cornstarch with water.

Do you drain hamburger grease for sloppy joes? ›

Sloppy Joe Tips

We suggest draining the browned beef, because excess grease serves as a barrier to sloppy joe seasonings.

How do you tone down sweetness in Sloppy Joes? ›

If you like Sloppy Joes a little less sweet, you can reduce the brown sugar to 1 teaspoon. If you keep the mustard at 2 teaspoons, the result will be a tangier Sloppy Joe. Add a piece of sliced American cheese for over-the-top comfort food creaminess.

What is Sloppy Joe supposed to taste like? ›

Once you've gathered the ingredients, it's basically like making Bolognese. And the flavour is somewhat reminiscent of it too, except Sloppy Joes taste a bit more like BBQ Sauce. The one big difference is that the sauce is cooked right down so it's really thick and not saucy at all.

Is mayo good on a Sloppy Joe? ›

Happy thoughts: You CAN apply mayonnaise in copious amounts to your sloppy Joe!

How are you supposed to eat Sloppy Joes? ›

There are so many different ways to enjoy a sloppy joe. You'll make to try them all: Classic – Serve this with toasted hamburger buns for the classic sloppy joe recipe. Grilled Cheese – Add the meat mixture when making a Grilled Cheese for a hearty sandwich.

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