Quick Vegan Sloppy Joes with Green Lentils
These Vegan Sloppy Joes are a quick, easy, and tasty vegetarian dinner for the whole family. Made with lentils, veggies, and a tangy tomato sauce, these Lentil Sloppy Joes are packed with plant-based protein.
Servings 6
Calories 211kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils such as du Puy
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 1 large celery stalk diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes use finely crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Cook your lentils if they're not already cooked. I like to rinse the lentils well, then cover with cold water so there's a good inch of water over the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and set the lid on the pot slightly ajar.1 cup green lentils
- They'll simmer for about 20 minutes, but start checking them at around the15 minutes mark. You want them to be cooked, but still firm - kind of like al dente when making pasta. Drain the lentils and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes until it's just becoming translucent.2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion
- Add the carrot, celery, and garlic, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have just softened.1 medium carrot, 1 large celery stalk, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder to the pan. Stir the spices through and sauté for 1-2minutes more.1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon chili powder
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and soy sauce to the pan.14 oz can crushed tomatoes, 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Stir the wet ingredients through and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the drained lentils to the pan, and stir through. Allow the mixture to simmer for another 2-3 minutes with the lentils added.
- Serve!
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only and are calculated without the bun.
- Make ahead: There are few things I love more than having dinner already prepped. Good news - you can make the lentil sloppy joes mixture and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for around 3 days. To freeze your vegan sloppy joe mixture just portion it into a freezer-proof container, label it, and pop it in the freezer for up to three months.
- Reheating vegan sloppy Joes: Simply reheat the filling in the microwave, or in a pan with a splash of water or broth added when you're ready to serve.
- Mix up your legumes: I don't recommend red lentils as they don't hold their shape well, but another green or brown lentil would be just fine. Alternatively, if you'd rather use beans you could use small or medium-sized beans like mung beans, black beans, navy beans, or black-eyed peas. Whatever you decide to use, you'll want to aim for about 3 cups of cooked (or canned, rinsed well) beans.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 648mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2296IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4mg