These Hearty Vegan Sloppy Joes are full of sweet, tangy, BBQ flavor. Comes together in less than an hour start to finish. Perfect as a vegan alternative to beef sloppy joes.
The mushrooms and eggplant add to the “meaty” texture and their flavor will be well masked for non-veggie-lovers. Serve these Hearty Vegan Sloppy Joes as a side at a picnic or as a main dish on whole wheat bread or roll. Try topping with some crunchy toppings like lettuce, red onion, tomato and pickle.
Since this recipe uses bottled BBQ sauce, here are a couple tips for picking out a good one – compare a few bottles and peak at the ingredients list. Avoid those that have artificial colors or flavors. Look for a shorter rather than page-long ingredient list. Finally, choose a lower-sugar option (compare the “added sugar” line on the food label).
Hearty Vegan Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup chopped eggplant
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 bottle pre-made BBQ sauce (about 18 ounces)
- 4 ounces tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add lentils, eggplant, mushrooms, onion, garlic and water to a large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid tilted until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed ~30 minutes.Add remaining ingredients to pot. Return to a simmer. Simmer, with lit tilted to vent, stirring on occasion for 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve on a whole wheat bun or sandwich bread with lettuce, tomato and red onion.