2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
6 garlic cloves, minced
2-1/2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed (know more about what are lentils before cooking with these gems)
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
4-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
14 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
Vegan coleslaw, optional
Step 1: Saute the vegetables
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and carrot, and cook until crisp-tender, six to eight minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for one minute longer. These sauteed veggies will form the foundational flavor of the vegan sloppy joes.
Step 2: Add the lentils
Add the broth and lentils, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Finish the sloppy joes
Lastly, stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, syrup, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes more.
Step 4: Serve on toasted buns
Divide the lentil mixture among buns and top with coleslaw, if desired. Serve immediately.
These vegan sloppy joes are made with red lentils instead of ground beef. They're saucy, smoky and delightfully messy!
Tips for Making Vegan Sloppy Joes
Use red lentils
You’ll find several types of lentils on supermarket shelves and they all yield slightly different results. We prefer red lentils here because they cook the fastest and break down almost completely during cooking, which helps them mimic that messy sloppy joe texture.
Store leftovers in an airtight container
Store leftover vegan sloppy joe filling in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving. For longer-term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.