Hearty, satisfying, slightly sweet, tangy, and smoky, these lentil sloppy joes have all the nostalgic, comforting flavor of the classic without the meat! Deeply caramelized sweet onions are the secret, and they're made with simple, affordable pantry staples. Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free, and perfect for busy weeknights and meal prep!
These lentil sloppy joes are seriously SO good. Even better, there's nothing hard-to-find in them. Some sloppy joe recipes call for Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, liquid smoke, or textured soy protein, but this one sticks to simple, affordable pantry staples. It's naturally vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free (and dairy-free and egg-free, too)!
It's not a fancy dinner - just an easy, family-friendly skillet meal. Plus, the lentils bring plant-based protein, fiber, iron, and other nutrients to the table, so it's as nourishing as it is comforting. Trust me, this is such a good one to have in your weeknight rotation!
It All Starts with the Onions
Rather than a quick sauté, I cook a sweet onion in avocado oil for about 20 minutes until it's deeply golden. The onion adds incredible natural sweetness and depth, and the avocado oil gives it a rich, almost buttery quality.
This is probably the most important step in the whole recipe, so please don't rush it!
Ingredient Notes
- Smoked paprika: All of the smokiness comes from this one spice!
- Ketchup, mustard, and maple syrup: Ketchup and mustard (yellow or Dijon) bring in that classic tangy sloppy joe flavor, and pure maple syrup adds just the right sweetness!
- Cooked brown lentils: I actually prefer the lentils slightly softer than usual here, so the filling holds together beautifully instead of having individual lentils rolling around. Cook your own with my stovetop method for brown lentils, or simply open a can, drain, rinse, and add them - such a great shortcut!
- Strained tomatoes (optional - I didn't need any!): I found the consistency absolutely perfect with just the tomato paste, ketchup, mustard, and maple syrup. It's thick and cohesive without being dry. That being said, if you prefer a saucier sloppy joe, add a little organic strained tomatoes (think tomato sauce, not marinara sauce) and adjust from there.
How to Make Lentil Sloppy Joes
Finely dice the onion and bell pepper (my food chopper makes prep so much easier!), then it all comes together in the skillet: caramelize the onions, work in the tomato paste, garlic, and spices, soften the pepper, and finish with the ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, and lentils.
I also add the lentils already cooked at the very end rather than starting them dry in the skillet. This ensures they have the perfect texture and are cooked properly. Then dig in while it's warm!
Build Flavor in the Skillet
Honestly, this is what makes the filling so special! After the onions, two more layers make all the difference:
- Develop the tomato paste and spices. The tomato paste gets plenty of time in the pan with fresh garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder so everything caramelizes together, which adds so much savory flavor!
- Cook the bell pepper down completely. The green bell pepper goes in next and cooks until it's very soft and infused with everything in the pan. You don't want crunchy bell pepper in these sloppy joes!
Perfect for Busy Weeknights and Meal Prep
Cooked lentils make this recipe incredibly flexible! Since the onions take a while, you can cook the lentils at the same time (I used my rice cooker) or have them ready in advance.
If you're using canned or precooked lentils, the whole thing comes together in about 35-45 minutes, depending on how long the veggies take to soften.
The finished sloppy joes are also great for making ahead and enjoying throughout the week!
Ways to Serve Lentil Sloppy Joes
Traditionally, I'd serve these on toasted buns with sliced pickles. But there are so many great variations, especially if you're gluten-free!
- On gluten-free buns (or whole wheat buns if gluten isn't a concern)
- Over a baked sweet potato
- Over quinoa or brown rice for a sloppy joe bowl
- Topped with my purple cabbage slaw, my mayo-free healthy coleslaw with tahini, or my creamy cilantro lime jalapeño cabbage slaw.
I hope you love these lentil sloppy joes as much as I do! Please leave a comment and rating below or tag me @eatingbyelaine so I can see how you serve them!
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Lentil Sloppy Joes (Vegan)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy lentil sloppy joes recipe is hearty, satisfying, slightly sweet, tangy, smoky, and loaded with flavor. You truly don't feel like you're missing the meat! Slow-cooked sweet onions take these lentil sloppy joes to the next level, with all the nostalgic flavor of the classic!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons organic ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ cups cooked brown lentils
- Optional: ¼ cup organic strained tomatoes, plus more as needed
- For serving: toasted buns, sliced pickles, or cabbage slaw (or serve over baked sweet potato, quinoa, or brown rice)
Instructions
- If starting with dry lentils, cook them separately on the stovetop or in a rice cooker until very tender (slightly softer than you would want for a lentil salad, but still with some texture). Alternatively, use drained and rinsed canned brown lentils.
- Heat the avocado oil in a 10.5-inch skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the sweet onion and salt. Sauté for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and golden.
- Add the tomato paste, garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes, until the tomato paste has darkened slightly and the mixture is fragrant.
- Add the green bell pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until completely softened (not crunchy) and incorporated into the aromatic mixture.
- Stir in the ketchup, mustard, and maple syrup.
- Add the cooked lentils and sauté for 2-3 minutes more, until warmed through and thoroughly combined. The filling should be thick and spoonable and hold together well on a bun.
- Taste and add more salt if desired. For a saucier consistency, stir in ¼ cup strained tomatoes and increase as needed.
- Serve warm on toasted buns with sliced pickles or cabbage slaw.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for approximately 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet, adding a splash of water or strained tomatoes if needed.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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