Vegan takes Sloppy Joes.
Let's get sloppy on some vegan sloppy Joes because it's FRIDAY! AND a holiday weekend! Who has plans for the 4th of July?! Are you going BBQ crazy?! I know I'm heading out to Long Island, and looking forward to seeing my friends, family, and THE BEACH!
SO some of you may be asking yourself- how do you make Sloppy Joes vegetarian, or with Lentils? Well think no further because I have all of the answers for you here. :) I'll keep it short and sweet so you can make the most of your Friday evening!
As a kid, I loved me some Sloppy Joes. It was a treat when I'd have them for dinner, as I only had them from time to time. But as I got older, I didn't have them as often, and soon forgot about them entirely. THEN, I became a vegetarian and poof- outta sight outta mind. Like sloppy joes on the menu at your favorite dining location? Here in NYC, that is certainly something that doesn't pop up too often.
Anyhow, fast forward a bit- I was looking up some new recipes and ideas to whip up and I found this INSANELY similar veggie option to Sloppy Joes. I can swear that if you close your eyes when taking a bite, it's SO close to the real deal. And don't get me wrong- I do not miss meat a bit- but I am happy to have one of my childhood favs available at my finger tips whenever I crave it. And extra bonus points, this recipe requires no dairy, no gluten (just make sure your buns are gluten free friendly), and *drumroll* NO fake meat alternative. WE have a foodie winner!
Enjoy guys & Happy 4th of July! xx S.
|| Vegetarian • Vegan • Gluten Free ||
I N G R E D I E N T S:
- 3/4 to 1 cup of Lentils
- 2 1/2 cups of veggie broth (or water)
- 1/2 a large onion, minced + extra slices to serve
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 green pepper, minced
- 1 1/2 cups of Tomato Sauce*
- 1 Tbs cane sugar
- 2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp of Chili powder
- 1 tsp of Cumin powder
- Dash of paprika
- Grape seed oil (or olive)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Buns to serve! (optional but a must)
LENTILS: In a small sauce pan, add your lentils and broth. Heat over high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium low and cook for about 20 minutes uncovered (or until tender). Drain & set aside.
SAUCE: Dice up your veggies! In a large skillet over medium heat, add a splash of grape seed oil. Once hot, add your onion, peppers, and garlic- plus a dash of salt & pepper. Sauté will stirring occasionally until slightly browned- about 6-8 minutes. Next, add your tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, sugar, and spices. Stir well to combine evenly.
SLOPPY JOES!: Dump in most of your cooked lentils, and mix well (leave some aside if you need extra at the end). Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 5, reduce heat to low and simmer for an additional 5-7 minutes until it thickens up and has that sloppy joe texture you love. If it's too dry, just add more broth water. If too watery, add more lentils & cook a bit longer. Adjust to taste with some salt, pepper, or additional sauces/ spices!
*Notes: The original recipe calls for a can of tomato sauce but I made my own! I just boiled 1 1/2 cups of water, added a half cup of tomato paste, and put in a dash of oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, sugar, salt & pepper. Whisked and reduced to medium low, and cooked until it thickened a little. BAM simple canned tomato sauce sub. :)