Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Sloppy Joes are the ultimate summer sandwich, but since I haven’t had one in years! I stopped eating meat in 2017, and I don’t miss it at all but I was weirdly craving a Sloppy Joe. I just had to figure out a way to make a vegetarian Sloppy Joe sandwich recipe, and here we are! These vegetarian Sloppy Joes are fun to make and come together quicker than you think. Plus, you may already have many of these ingredients in your pantry.

I know you’re already wondering what vegetarian ingredient will be used to replace the ground beef in these vegetarian Sloppy Joes. The answer is - lentils! Lentils are one of my favorite ingredients because they’re such a great source of protein. So, it made sense to me that using lentils in place of ground beef would make these vegetarian Sloppy Joes savory and hearty.

While your lentils are cooking, feel free to multitask and get your sauce ready! For the sauce, you’ll start by cooking up some scallion, garlic, and bell pepper. Next, add in some tomato sauce, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, and other spices. Pour the lentils into the sauce and simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes, until combined.

Squeeze some lemon juice on top, and give everything a final stir before sandwiching between two slices of brioche! I also like to top my vegetarian Sloppy Joes with some homemade coleslaw, but you can eat these however you’d like. It’s your Sloppy Joe journey, and I support it!

Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes . Cook Time: 40 minutes .

Ingredients

• 1c lentils

• 1c vegetable broth

• 3 tbsp Olive oil

• 1/2 scallion, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 bell pepper, diced

• 15 oz tomato sauce

• 1-2 tbsp maple syrup, to taste

• 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1-2 tsp chili powder, to taste

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Hamburger buns

Directions

• Start by cooking the lentils. Add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of vegetable broth, and 1 cup of lentils to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the lentils to cook covered for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain any excess water and set aside.

• While the lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the scallion, garlic, and bell pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the peppers and onions are tender and slightly brown. Season with salt and pepper.

• Next, add the tomato sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, nutritional yeast, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to combine.

• Add the cooked lentils to the skillet and stir.

• Heat the mixture over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until thick and warmed through.

• Taste the sauce and add more seasonings as needed. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice on top of the sauce and give it a final stir.

• Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

Adapted From: Minimalist Baker