Looking for more vegan family dinner ideas? Try my Vegan Baked Ziti, Cheesy Broccoli Rice Vegan Casserole, One Pot Vegan Pasta, and Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Could you also not contain your excitement when you saw sloppy joes on the cafeteria menu at school? They were one of my all-time favorite childhood meals. Perfectly messy with crave-worthy flavors, I couldn’t get enough. Craving this childhood classic led me to create these best-ever Vegan Sloppy Joes. Meaty, filling, and perfectly seasoned, they may be even better than the version I ate as a kid! This lentil sloppy joe recipe is made with a hearty lentil and vegan ground beef filling that’s seasoned with simple smoky-savory spices, while a touch of maple syrup adds an irresistible sweetness. Bonus: They only take 30 minutes to put together, so I know you’ll love making them for simple family-friendly weeknight dinners!
Why you’ll love these vegan lentil sloppy joes
So nostalgic – Just because the days of cafeteria sloppy joes are behind us doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in this classic childhood meal. The homemade version is even better thanks to incredible vegan ingredients! Ready in 30 minutes – They take only 30 minutes to whip up from start to finish, making this a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Packed with protein – A can of lentils and a package of vegan ground beef jam pack these sandwiches with approximately 40 grams of plant-based protein. They always hit the spot! Versatile – Depending on your preferences, you can use all lentils, all vegan beef, or even soy curls/mushrooms/walnuts!
How to make vegan sloppy joes
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below. Cook the vegan beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s browned. Add in the diced onion and cook until it’s soft and translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir the lentils, chili powder, smoked paprika, tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup into the vegan beef mixture. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors mingle and turn down the heat if it’s boiling too much. Taste the sloppy joe mixture and adjust the flavors as needed. Add salt to balance the flavors, add hot sauce for more heat, or maple syrup for a sweeter filling. Serve the vegan sloppy joes in buns with or without toppings and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
*This recipe was first published in June 2018 and has been updated in 2024 with a slightly changed recipe and improvements.
title: “Vegan Sloppy Joes” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-03” author: “Carl Miller”
5 20 Published Mar 06, 2023, Updated Sep 05, 2023 What does appeal to me? A vegan version that’s made with protein-packed lentils and doesn’t come from a can! It’s similar to the sloppy joes you grew up with – still absolutely delicious, just a bit more sophisticated. The cooked lentils give the mix a perfect sloppy joe texture and the tomato-based sauce is flavorful, sweet and savory. And don’t you worry… they’re still just as messy to eat so be sure to grab a bunch of napkins before serving these up!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
They taste like regular sloppy joes… but they’re vegan! Loaded with plant-based protein! Cooks up in about 30 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight meal!
Ingredients Needed
lentils – the star of the show! Lentils are an excellent source of fiber and plant-based protein. They’re also low in calories and packed with antioxidants. I suggest using either brown or green lentils for this recipe as they hold their shape better. I love using Bob’s Red Mill lentils. olive oil – to sauté the vegetables. veggies – yellow onion, garlic, red bell pepper and mushrooms for flavor, texture and nutrition. tomato sauce – traditional sloppy joes are usually made with ketchup, but we’re just using plain tomato sauce for the base of the sauce. maple syrup – adds a nice touch of sweetness to the sauce! Make sure you’re using pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup as that is loaded with corn syrup and artificial flavors. vegan worcestershire sauce – adds a nice umami flavor to the sauce. Worcestershire is usually made with anchovies so make sure to grab a vegan worcestershire sauce to keep this recipe plant-based! spices & herbs – bay leaf, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, sea salt and ground black pepper. whole grain buns – can’t have sloppy joes without the buns! I prefer to use whole-grain buns, but feel free to use your favorite type of hamburger bun. You can also use a gluten-free bun if you need this recipe to be gluten-free. toppings – use your favorite toppings for this recipe, but I went with onions and pickles.
How to Make
Cook lentils: Prepare lentils by rinsing them and adding to a pot with water and a bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat down and simmer covered until most of the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat, discard the bay leaf, drain any excess liquid and set the lentils aside to cool. This step can be done in advance. Sauté veggies: Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 7-10 minutes, until softened. Simmer sauce: Add the cooked lentils, tomato sauce, maple syrup, worcestershire sauce, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Serve: Serve the sloppy joe mixture on toasted hamburger buns with toppings of choice. Enjoy!
What Variety of Lentils Are Best to Use
I recommend only using brown or green lentils for these vegan sloppy joes. These are the most common lentils you’ll find at a grocery store and they’re much denser than other varieties. Red lentils are rather fragile and won’t work well for this recipe as they’ll result in a mushier texture. Black lentils are really small and you’ll need a lot more of them. And all the other varieties of lentils are not commonly found at most grocery stores. I used dry lentils for this recipe and cooked them myself, but pre-cooked lentils will work just fine and make the process a lot quicker.
What to Serve With Vegan Sloppy Joes
I highly recommend eating these vegan sloppy joes on a bun, just like regular sloppy joes. Coleslaw, pickles and/or pickled onions make for a great crunchy topping! These sandwiches are filling on their own, but I love serving them with a side dish! Here are some of my favorites:
Sweet Potato Fries Vegan Macaroni and Cheese Vegan Cornbread Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Avocado Corn Salad Zoodle Salad w/ Italian Dressing Black Bean and Corn Salad Baked Sweet Potato Chips
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerator: Let the vegan sloppy joe mixture cool completely then store leftovers in an airtight sealed container for up to 5 days. Freezer: Let mixture cool completely then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Reheating: If sloppy joe mixture has been frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight. When ready to enjoy, reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop, until warm throughout. You might need to add a splash of water or tomato sauce to the mixture when reheating.
More Lentil Recipes to Try
Lentil Meatballs Vegan Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf) Vegan Lentil Soup Lentil Stew with Kale Butternut Squash Red Lentil Stew Mediterranean Lentil Salad
More Plant-Based Recipes to Try
BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches Hearts of Palm Vegan BBQ Sandwiches Black Bean Sweet Potato Burgers Easy Black Bean Burgers Vegan Enchiladas Falafel Bowls (Homemade Cava Bowls) Vegan Cobb Salad Maple Balsamic Tempeh Bowls
Be sure to check out all of the lentil recipes as well as the full collection of vegan recipes on EBF!
