Vegan Sloppy Joes

Vegan sloppy joes aren't so sloppy, but they are genuinely delicious. This vegan sloppy joes recipe is homemade, low-fat, and kid-approved. You can make them ahead of time and heat them later or freeze them.

One of my first vegan successes was a vegan sloppy joes. Even though traditional sloppy joes don't contain any vegetables, I've added vegetables and lentils to my vegan sloppy joes recipe. In addition, I use a combination of healthy whole foods ingredients.  As a result, vegan sloppy joes are one of my family's favorite meals.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Recipe Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make Vegan Sloppy Joes
• Easy Meal Prepping!
• Substitutions, Freezing, & Reheating
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Other Great Vegan Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

When I was a kid, my mom made Manwich Sloppy Joes. My parents unknowingly poisoned us with SpaghettiOs and ring bologna. And, we lived. After becoming plant-based, I struggled to get my family on board. Fortunately, once I figured out how to make healthy vegan versions of the food my family loved, I won the battle, and everyone joined my plant-based journey.

Recipe Ingredients

• Baby Portobello Mushrooms: Portobello mushrooms are sturdier and heartier than other mushrooms. , I prefer to use them in recipes as a meat replacement.
• White Onion: White onion has a strong and pronounced taste, so I like the onion's sharpness in this vegan sloppy joes recipe.
• Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic cloves whenever possible for the best flavor.
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper offers a sweet component to the vegan sloppy joes and bright, vibrant color.
• Celery: The celery stays slightly crunchy, which is delicious in this recipe.
• Cooked Lentils: I used Trader Joe's steamed, cooked lentils.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar gives the recipe some acidity and tanginess.
• Pure Maple Syrup: A little maple syrup cuts the acid and provides a bit of sweetness.
• Chili Powder: The spice blend differs from recipe to recipe, but it usually includes some mix of ground-dried chiles, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, and onion powder.
• Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: I buy Annie's, which tastes fabulous.
• Organic Tomato Paste: The tomato paste thickens the sloppy joes.
• Montreal Seasoning: Despite its name, similar to poultry seasoning, Montreal Steak Seasoning does not contain animal products. It is a mixture of Coarse Salt, Spices (Including Black Pepper and Red Pepper), Garlic, Onion, Natural Flavor, and Extractives of Paprika.

Recipe Ingredient Substitutions

• Use any variety of mushrooms you prefer.
• Yellow onion offers a similar taste compared to white onions. Red onions are also great in this recipe.
• Substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of garlic.
• Choose green or yellow bell pepper instead of red bell pepper. Or, try roasted red peppers in a can, drained and chopped.
• Fennel is often used to replace celery in recipes.
• Try canned lentils, drained, or cook your own lentils. Make sure they are not overcooked and mushy.
• Apple cider vinegar is a substitute for red wine vinegar.
• Agave or date syrup replaces maple syrup in recipes.
• Instead of Montreal Steak Seasoning, combine a quarter cup of smoked paprika with two tablespoons of chili powder and a tablespoon of each kosher salt and ground cumin. Feel free to add cayenne to the mix if you like it spicy.

How to Make Vegan Sloppy Joes

These sloppy joes are easy to make and cook in one skillet. Like many of my one-pot recipes, vegan sloppy joes are cooked in stages to keep the vegetables and other ingredients from overcooking. And, if you are looking for a quick and easy way to cut your veggies, I strongly suggest investing in an inexpensive vegetable chopper. 

First, I saute the onions and the garlic until the onions are translucent. Then, add the mushrooms, celery, and red bell peppers.

My version of sloppy joes caters to both adults and children. The combination of flavors is what makes it so wonderful. Loaded with a lot of vegetables, this sandwich fools the average carnivore. I once served this at a party, and no one realized the "meat" was mushrooms.

Once the vegetables are sauteed, add the rest of the ingredients. The mixture will thicken as the moisture from the tomatoes and vegetables cooks down. 

I used Annie's Worcestershire Sauce, but any vegan Worcestershire will work. Combining the pure maple syrup and the Worcestershire sauce tanginess works well with the garlic and tomato paste to create a beautiful sauce. I like to add a diced jalapeño for a hint of spice, but if you don't like it hot, don't add the jalapeno. 

Easy Meal Prepping!

Since I prefer to plan, I made vegan sloppy joes to heat them quickly for dinner. Allowing the flavors to brew in the refrigerator improves the taste of the vegan sloppy joes. 

Substitutions, Freezing, & Reheating

If you are avoiding bread, by all means, use a lettuce wrap for your sloppy joes.

Although most bread is vegan, not all bread is oil-free. Believe it or not, the bread in the bakery section of the local grocery store carries a lot of oil-free bread options. So, stay out of the bread aisle and check out the bakery bread. 

Other Oil-Free Bread Options

• Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 bread, English muffins, and tortillas
• Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Tuscan Pane
• Trader Joe's Corn and Wheat Tortillas
• Vermont Bread Company (get the organic whole wheat varieties)
• Engine 2 Tortillas 

Gluten-Free Bread Options

• Ezekiel / Food for Life (check the label; most are  gluten-free)
• Glutino 
• Kinnikinnick Foods 
• Manna Organics 
• Mission Corn Tortillas 
• Nature's Own
• New Grains Bakery 

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• To freeze sloppy joes, leave an inch of air between the top of your freezer container to avoid freezer burn. However, vegan sloppy joes will last in the refrigerator for one week, which has NEVER happened at my house. 
• I like Souper Cubes for freezing soups, stews, and vegan sloppy joes.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw completely before reheating. I put frozen foods in the refrigerator the night before for the best results.
• Of course, you should serve vegan sloppy joes with steak fries, skinny AF sweet potato fries, or oven-baked fries.
• Another great idea is to serve sloppy joes with vegan potato salad or vegan macaroni salad. 

Although I have fond memories of childhood "Manwich" sloppy joes, vegan sloppy joes are hearty and tasty. So, if you are still trying to make vegan dishes your whole family enjoys, try this one. My kids love it, and I never have enough left to freeze for later.

Other Great Vegan Recipes

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