Sloppy Joes are the tangy sandwich that the whole family will love. Protein-packed lentils are the perfect substitute for ground beef if you are looking for a plant-based alternative to the traditional sandwich. These gluten free sloppy joes are great for an easy weeknight dinner.
My easy coleslaw recipe is the perfect topper for sloppy Joes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Made with nutritious lentils: This plant-based take is full of protein, fiber and flavor.
- Family-friendly: Sloppy Joes are a delicious sandwich that everyone loves, even kids.
- Gluten-free and vegan: Make sure you buy safe gluten-free and vegan rolls and Worcestershire sauce.
Ingredient Notes
It doesn't take a lot of ingredients to make this classic sandwich.
- Green lentils - You can also use brown lentils in this recipe. Definitely use dried lentils instead of canned lentils.
- Onion - I use regular yellow onion but red or white would also work.
- Tomato paste - I prefer using tomato paste to tomato sauce for more flavor.
- Vegan & gluten-free Worcestershire sauce - Regular Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies and is not vegan and some kinds contain soy sauce which isn't gluten-free. Whole Foods Organic 365 brand is vegan and does not contain gluten ingredients. However, it is not certified gluten-free.
- Vegetable broth - homemade broth or packaged
Brown Lentils VS. Green Lentils
You can use either green or brown lentils in this recipe. Aside from the color differences, brown lentils have a mild, earthy flavor while green lentils have a slightly stronger taste.
Also, brown lentils cook a little faster than green but they both retain their shape when cooked with green lentils being a little firmer. Nutritionally, they are both extremely similar.
If you're looking for more recipes with lentils, try these enchiladas with spinach and lentils.
Instructions
1. First, rinse your lentils. Then, prepare the lentils by combining with 3 cups of water and the bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Cook for 25 minutes, remove the bay leaf and set aside.
2. While your lentils are cooking, dice your onion, red pepper and green pepper.
3. Next, spray a large skillet with non-stick oil spray and heat over medium heat. You can also add about one tablespoon of olive oil if you aren't limiting your oil intake but I leave that out.
4. Add the diced onion and the red and green peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Once the veggies are cooked, add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to the cooked veggies. Stir to combine.
6. Add the cooked lentils and stir until well mixed.
7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sloppy Joe mixture gets dry, you can add a little more broth or water.
8. Spoon the sloppy Joes onto toasted buns or rolls.
Expert Tips
- You can use either brown or green lentils.
- For even more flavor, cook the lentils in vegetable broth or a mixture of broth and water. You may want to reduce the amount of salt if you add broth.
- Serve on a roll (gluten-free) for Sloppy Joes or you can use it as a baked potato topper. It's delicious on regular or sweet potatoes.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator
Store these sloppy Joes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You may want to add a little liquid when reheating.
Freezer
To freeze, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge when you're ready to use them.
Reheat
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a little broth or water if heating on the stovetop.
Serving Ideas
I love pairing this classic sandwich with air fryer carrots, oven roasted bok choy, or air fryer acorn squash. Or serve with some delicious roasted sweet potato fries.
Recipe FAQs
Add some diced jalapenos to the veggies for a kick. Or you can add a splash of hot sauce on your sandwich.
The leftover sloppy Joe mixture is delicious on top of a baked potato (either regular or sweet potato). It is also a great topper for vegan nachos or fries.
Sure! Just add all ingredients to the slow cooker, stir well and cook 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
As long as you put them on gluten-free rolls and use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, they are gluten-free.
Weeknight Dinner Recipes
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Recipe
Tangy Vegan Sloppy Joes With Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils
- 3 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- First, rinse your lentils and prepare them by combining with 3 cups of water and the bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Cook for 25 minutes, remove the bay leaf and set aside.
- Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with non-stick oil spray and heat over medium heat. Add the diced onions and the red and green peppers. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to the cooked veggies. Stir to combine.
- Add the cooked lentils and stir until well mixed. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it gets dry, you can add a little more broth or water.
- Serve on toasted buns and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use either brown or green lentils.
- For even more flavor, cook the lentils in vegetable broth or a mixture of broth and water. You may want to reduce the amount of salt if you add broth.
- Serve on a roll for Sloppy Joes or you can use it as a baked potato topper. It's delicious on regular or sweet potatoes.
- Store the cooled lentils mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Equipment
- Large skillet with lid
Joan says
I made these for dinner tonight and everyone liked them. I really liked how they weren’t too sweet or saucy. Thank you for the recipe.
Jen Cardenas says
Thanks Joan. So glad you liked them.