Description
Smoky, savory, and satisfyingly messy, these vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes are your comfort food upgrade—hearty, protein-packed, and flavor-rich.
Ingredients
1 cup brown or green lentils
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ cup BBQ sauce
Optional: ½ cup chopped mushrooms or walnuts
Olive oil for sautéing
2½ cups water for cooking lentils
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. In a saucepan, add lentils and 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes until tender.
2. While lentils cook, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
3. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, maple syrup, vinegar, BBQ sauce, and optional mushrooms or walnuts. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Drain lentils and combine with sauce mixture. Simmer together for another 10 minutes.
5. Toast your buns, load them up with the lentil mixture, and serve hot.
Notes
Use green or brown lentils for best texture—avoid red lentils as they break down too quickly.
Add sautéed mushrooms or chopped walnuts for extra umami depth.
Can be stored in the fridge for 5 days or frozen for longer shelf life.
Serve with your favorite toppings—pickles, vegan cheese, red onions, or crunchy slaw.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan sloppy joes, lentil recipes, meatless comfort food