Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe with Cooked or Canned Lentils
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Jump to RecipeThis canned lentil sloppy joes recipe is a delicious and hearty vegetarian take on classic sloppy joes! Loaded with fresh veggies, herbs, and spices, these delicious lentil sandwiches are simmered in a sweet and smoky tomato sauce.
This is one great plant-base dinner recipe the whole family will love!
Serve these delicious plant-based sloppy joes with oven baked red potato fries, our tangy sour cream coleslaw, or our favorite avocado black bean salad with corn.
These canned lentil Sloppy Joes are the best easy weeknight meal, we had them a few nights in a row and even after a few days they still got a 10/10! I used to have traditional Sloppy Joes (with ground meat) all the time growing up, but never bothered to make them much as an adult. The cans of “sauce” were loaded with preservatives and ingredients I couldn’t pronounce, so I had to make a vegan version.
These homemade sauce for these Lentil Sloppy Joes are just a few pantry ingredients mixed together! All you have to do is add in a few vegetables, canned or tinned lentils, and add a few pantry staple spices and tomatoes to make a delicious sauce. Everything is easy and it seriously tastes SO good.
Why This Recipe Works
- Bright
- Tangy
- Loaded with Vegetables
- Flavorful
- Fall-Apart Delicious
- Messy as all Heck
- An Easy Weeknight Meal Ready in Under 30 Minutes!
Affordable Plant Based Recipes
I love how inexpensive lentil sloppy joes are to make! This recipe uses a lot of ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards (like lentils, tomatoes, and spices). Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious meals using a few staples you can rotate.
Want more great budget friendly vegan recipes? Try our Thai quinoa salad with peanut sauce, easy tofu shawarma wraps, and our easy vegan Bolognese sauce with pasta.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
- Red Onion, Garlic, Green Bell Pepper
- Canned Lentils – lentils are fairly easy to make on their own, but using canned lentils are even easier! By ‘canned’ I mean any prepared cooked lentils: in a can, pouch, tin… whatever! Just open them, drain, and mix with the sauce for a delicious meal ready in no time.
- Olive Oil
- Apple Cider Vinegar, which gives this dinner a little extra tang which is really fantastic! I love using apple cider vinegar with the mother which has a great flavor.
- Crushed Tomatoes: I only use no salt added crushed tomatoes, these boxed tomatoes are really great to stock up on! You could also use tomato paste.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Brown sugar
- Chili Powder: for a really nice flavor in this dip – the chili powder isn’t spicy but will give you a rich and bright flavor.
- Onion Powder: adds a delicious and savory flavor to this dish as well, and the onion powder pairs nicely with the onion in the mix as well.
- Black Pepper
- Hamburger Buns – you can use regular or whole-grain buns.
More Great Topping Ideas
Onions – I like using sliced yellow or red onions, or making a big batch of spicy pickled onions for extra flavor!
Pickles – you can add sliced dill pickles or even bread and butter sweet pickles to this sandwich.
Lettuce and Tomato – for classic sandwich vibes. I also like using baby spinach or arugula when I have some on hand.
How To Make This Recipe
- In a large pan, add the olive oil and onions, and sauté for5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and sauté for 4 more minutes until the green pepper begins to soften.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar.
- Open can of lentils, drain, and rinse under cool water.
- Add the lentils to the tomato mixture and stir well to combine. Cover and sauté on low what for 15 minutes until peppers are soft. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Toast buns, and add a generous scoop of sloppy joe mixture to the bins. Top with fresh chopped onion, hot sauce, and enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Recipe FAQs
I like using green lentils (also called French lentils) or brown lentils for my recipe. Both of them are firm and have a similar texture to ground beef. A great plant-based protein. Black lentils are also a great option.
You can use red lentils, however they will have a softer texture.
Absolutely! If you don’t have canned lentils, you can cook your dried lentils from scratch. Place 1 cup dried lentils in a bot, and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, the reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
I love serving these hearty sandwiches with fresh crunchy oil and vinegar coleslaw, oven steak fries, or our favorite old fashioned 4 bean salad recipe.
More Great Vegan Lentil Recipes
- Spinach Lentil Salad with Vinaigrette
- Butternut Squash Lentil Dahl Recipe
- Lentil Barley Soup
- How to Cook Lentils in a Rice Cooker
- Lentil Pasta e Fagioli Soup
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Canned Lentil Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- Large Cooking Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Red Onion chopped plus extra for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce use a vegan version
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 14 ounce cans lentils
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 8 Hamburger Buns
Instructions
- In a large pan, add the olive oil and onions, and sauté for5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and sauté for 4 more minutes until the pepper begins to soften.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar.
- Open can of lentils, drain, and rinse under cool water.
- Add the lentils to the tomato mixture and stir well to combine. Add brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper. Cover and sauté on low what for 15 minutes until peppers are soft. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Toast buns, and add a generous scoop of sloppy joe mixture to the buns. Top with fresh chopped onion and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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