Grab a fork, napkin and those tangy toppings, we’re getting sloppy y’all! These reader favorite, vegetarian and vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes are tender, slightly spicy, a little sweet and oh SO crave-worthy. They’re made on the stovetop with pantry ingredients making them a go-to for weeknight easy.
A Tasty Discovery: Vegetarian Sloppy Joes
Flashback to the 1980’s when Manwich was a weeknight staple. Ma would whip up homemade sloppy Joes in no time and she always served them with tater tots or potato salad, like my Texas Potato Salad. They were one of my favorite things. At the time, vegetarian sloppy joes were unheard of in our household.
I didn’t even know what a lentil was back in the day, let alone be able recognize it if it appeared on my sloppy joe. Never would I thought one day I’d be singing the praises of these veggie sloppy joes!
This Recipe Is
- bold and tangy
- weeknight friendly
- vegan and vegetarian
If you love homemade vegetarian sandwiches, you’re in for a treat!
About the Key Ingredients
Like my other easy vegetarian dinner recipes, this veggie sloppy joe recipe is all about pulling pantry staples together to make a delicious dinner. Here are a few of the ingredients that make this recipe pop!
- Dry French Lentils – also known as de puy lentils, find these in the bulk ssection for best value. They hold their shape well after cooking and have a chewy-firm texture.
- Pickle Juice – a flavor builder that adds a little tangy flavor and acidity.
- Smoked Paprika – offers a hint of spice and smoky flavor.
- Vegan Worcestershire – add saltiness, umami and a little spice. This ingredients is also made in a gluten free variety if needed.
- Prepared Yellow Mustard – adds richness, tangy flavor and a hint of acidity.
- Maple Syrup – this recipe isn’t sweet, howerver the maple adds just a bit of balance to the spicy and acidity and gives these lentil sloppy joes a BBQish edge.
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How to Make Veggie Sloppy Joes
step by step
It’s simple dinners like this that I like to keep in mind when I’m craving comfort food, yet need it quick. Vegetarian sloppy Joes deliver every time!
“WOW! A HOMERUN!!! What an amazing use of lentils! Beyond impressed with this version of healthy sloppy Jo’s that have an absolutely yummy recipe!!! On my rotation for this winters recipes!! GREAT JOB!!!”
Bertha
Traci’s Tips
- If you’re a sourdough baker, Sloppy Joes are delicious shared with Homemade Sourdough Burger Buns.
- Spoon onto soft burger buns and top with a tangy condiment like pickled red onions, Pickled Jalapeños, or dill pickles, and plenty of mustard.
- Sides to Share: this sammie is so good with your favorite coleslaw, prepared tater tots, onion rings or potato salad for the full experience!
- Adding a few onion rings on top offers a little crunch too.
30-Minute Tangy Lentil Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (215 grams) Dry French Lentils, *see note
- 4 cups (815 grams) Water
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil, I use coconut or olive
- 2 cups (245 grams) Yellow Onion, medium diced, about 1 medium onion
- 2 cups (230 grams) Green Bell Pepper, medium diced, about 1 large pepper
- 2 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Chili Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Smoky Paprika
- 3 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 1/2 cups (426 grams) Tomato Sauce, or 1 can
- 1 tablespoons Pickle Juice, or other pickling brine like olive
- 2 teaspoons Vegan Worcestershire
- 3 tablespoons Yellow Mustard
- 2-3 tablespoons Maple Syrup, or more to taste
Serve with (Optional):
- Hamburger Buns
- Pickles, Tabasco, quick pickled onions, jalapeños, extra mustard, coleslaw.
Instructions
- In a small sauce pot, add the lentils, water and 1/8 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low. Cook for about 20-22 minutes, or until tender. Drain the lentils. Set aside.
- While the lentils are cooking, add the oil to a large saute pan and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook on low with 1/8 tsp salt for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper during the last 7-8 minutes of cooking the onions and soften, stirring occasionally.
- To the onion/pepper mixture add the garlic, chili powder, paprika and 3/4 tsp salt continuing to cook on low. Stir to coat the veggies. Add the tomato paste, sauce, pickle juice, Worcestershire, mustard and maple syrup. Stir to incorporate. Add the cooked lentils and stir again cooking on low for 5-10 minutes to warm through and to thicken a bit. Serve with warmed buns and condiments.
- Store the sloppy joes in a lidded container for up to three days or freeze for up to two weeks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Made it? Leave a comment below!
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I frequently cook for the homeless in our community. I try to feed them healthy meals, but tasty. This recipe has it all. And best of all is that it’s inexpensive to make for a crowd. Thank you.
Hi Kim! So happy to read your note and that the recipe is doing good things. Thank you for sharing and your work.
are you sure its 2.5 tablespoons of chilli powder seems an awful lot and in video it certainly isn’t that amount ??
Hi Frank! The recipe is correct. Please feel free to add chili powder to taste after all the other ingredients are added. I’d start with one Tbs if concerned. If you like, see below regarding other comments on this as written recipe. Sometimes in my videos, for timing and continuity, not every step is shown. I’m thinking additional chili pow was added after the cut to stirring. I hope this helps!
THANKS FOR THIS RECIPE! I just find it, I’m going to make it! I was wondering if a veggie sloppy joe was possible… so Thanks again!!!
You got it Isabel! Let me know how it turns out for you!
has anyone frozen this mix before? does it do well?
Hi Suzi! Store the sloppy joes in a lidded container for up to three days or freeze for up to two weeks. I freeze it all the time and it’s fabulous!
Wow, this recipe did not disappoint. I followed your instructions and only made one change, I used a red bell pepper instead of green. My entire family raved about the flavor, I was thrilled with the meal.
This one will be going into our meal rotation, it was really easy & delicious. Thanks!
Hiii Kathleen! Hooray! SO happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the recipe. A WIN-WIN for easy and meal rotation!
AWESOME!!! My husband and I are looking to eat more meatless meals, and this was just the ticket! I might add that for anyone following a Weight Watchers plan, this recipe is only 2 points when you use liquid stevia drops as a sweetner (instead of the maple syrup). I used the stevia and it was a perfect balance of savory, sweet, smoky, and tangy! I am looking forward to making a huge batch of this for the week and use it as a stuffing inside sweet potatoes, or a topping for air fryer fries! Full of protein and flavor, we loved this so much. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hiii Ms. Lee…. !! Thank you for coming back, leaving a note and rating the recipe! So happy to hear y’all are enjoying the recipe! A huge batch for a stuffing or topping sounds perfect!
When I told my husband that I was making this tonight he was less then thrilled. Lentils? Not his thing. But he did help out and make a dill pickle cole slaw to go on top of the sloppy joes. We used potato buns.
He ended up eating two sandwiches. My five year old son almost finished an adult sized portion. It was definitely a restaurant quality dish. I will make a double batch next time. Thank you for the new and healthy take on a childhood staple.
Love, love, love (!!) reading your note, April! Thank you for coming back and sharing with us! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed these tangy sandwiches! Hooray!
My daughter had pulled pork sandwiches at her wedding reception but I insisted we have a vegan alternative that would fit in with the menu. I made this a month before the wedding and loved it. j(I am vegetarian). So, I made a huge batch of this up for the reception to serve on buns (also had some gluten-free buns available) and took care of the people who don’t eat meat, vegetarian, vegan (tamari), and gluten-free. I had a big trivet pan full and every last bit got eaten! Had so many compliments on this recipe. It was a big hit! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. Had no problem multiplying this recipe so made all at once.
SO happy to hear these were a hit and that you insisted a vegan option was available! Hooray! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note, Diane (!!). Day made!
This was absolutely fabulous! It’s been many years since I have eaten meat, but I still remember what it tastes like. Some vegetarian versions of meat dishes are just not worth the effort, but these are far better than the meat version. Made a creamy coleslaw with yogurt dressing and put it on top and it was so so good. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thank you for coming back and leaving a note Vivian! So happy you enjoyed the recipe… and I agree some vegetarian versions aren’t worth it… but hooray! Some are! Your coleslaw with yogurt dressing sounds fabulous!
Omg! This recipe is perfection. Seriously, thank you. I tried to make lentil sloppies before but they weren’t thrilling. My boyfriend just kept saying “thank you’. Followed the recipe almost exactly. Adding to our summer weekly dinner list.
LOL – I giggled as I read this! Thank you for your note, Kellianne! SO happy to hear you’ve found a SJ recipe you yours like – Hooray!