These vegetarian Sloppy Joes are made with green lentils, peppers, tomatoes, spices and BBQ sauce for a fantastic, easy weeknight dinner that will make the whole family happy.
Make these vegetarian Sloppy Joes in the slow cooker (or crock pot) if you'll be out all day and want to come home to dinner, or make the Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes version to whip up a quick, no fuss dinner at the end of a busy day.
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It's hard to beat a Sloppy Joe sandwich for dinner. I've made vegan Sloppy Joe Sliders using a ground beef substitute, like Beyond Meat, and I've made meatless Sloppy Joes with lentils. It's the kind of easy, casual dinner the whole family will love, and they're perfect for parties. Especially Game-Day parties!
🤷♀️ What are Sloppy Joes?
A traditional Sloppy Joe recipe is made with a ground beef (or ground sirloin) tomato sauce that has a distinctive tang and sweetness to it. The sauce is ladled on top of a bun and either eaten like a sandwich (which can be very sloppy, hence the name) or open-face using a fork and knife.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- This is an easy sauce to make, and can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container.
- Crowd pleaser for all ages, including picky eaters.
- Filling enough to be a meal with only a salad or coleslaw on the side.
- Versatile to include or exclude ingredients to suit your own preferences.
- A few different ways to serve it whether in a bun, as a slider, as an open-face sandwich, or in lettuce wraps.
- Very good source of plant-based protein!
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
The secret to faster and easier meals often lies in the ingredients. For example, store-bought items and ingredients you make ahead and store in the refrigerator (or freezer) can turn a 60-minute recipe into a 30-minutes meal or less.
For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions for this Sloppy Joes recipe, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- Yellow onion - white onion or red onion works fine too.
- Red bell pepper - or use green bell peppers for a more traditional Sloppy Joe.
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Green lentils - also called French green lentils and Le Puy green lentils.
- Vegetable broth - I use Better Than Bouillon-Roasted Vegetable Paste
- Barbecue sauce - use your favorite vegetarian or vegan BBQ sauce. A tangy BBQ sauce is best for the classic tangy-sweet taste of the original Sloppy Joes.
- Crushed tomatoes - or tomato sauce.
- Sandwich rolls
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Having the right equipment for recipes makes prepping soooo much easier. If you want more fuss-free prepping and cooking, check out my updated list of favorite kitchen tools and equipment.
Slow Cooker Method
- Chef's knife
- Skillet - for sautéing the veggies if your slow cooker insert isn't stovetop safe.
- Slow Cooker - a 4 quart slow cooker works great for this recipe.
Electric Pressure Cooker Method
- Chef's knife
- Instant Pot - I use my 6-quart Instant Pot to make this recipe.
🎯 Why This Recipe Works
- Sautéing the onion, peppers and garlic first builds a more balanced flavor in the sauce. It's not a crucial step, but I recommend it for the best results.
- Lentils are one of the most nutritious and versatile plant proteins, but they're not all created equally. Green lentils, also called French green lentils and Le Puy green lentils, hold their shape very well when cooked. Read this post for more information on how to cook and ways to use green lentils.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- Red lentils work well in this vegan lentil Sloppy Joes recipe too. The difference is that red lentils cook down to more of a mushy texture than green lentils.
- Green bell pepper can be substituted for the red bell pepper for a more traditional take on Sloppy Joes.
- If you like a little heat to your Sloppy Joes, add a dash of hot sauce at the end before serving.
🥬 Make it Vegan
This dish is already vegan Sloppy Joes! If you add a dusting of Parmesan cheese at the end, like pictured, use a plant-based Parmesan cheese.
🤷♀️ Can I make these lentil Sloppy Joes ahead?
Definitely! Either store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container, or in the freezer for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe container.
📇 More Lentil Recipes You Might Like
Instant Pot Curried Lentil Soup
No-Mayo Roasted Potato Lentil Salad
Beet Salad with Lentils and Preserved Lemon
Umbrian Lentils & Roasted Tomatoes
Don't have time to run to the grocery store? Order the ingredients for this recipe using Instacart (affiliate link). Just click on the Instacart button in the recipe card below, and the ingredients will all be organized for you on their site. Plug in your zip code, choose the store you prefer, and select the ingredients you want delivered to your home.
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BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- Medium skillet (If cooking with a slow cooker that has an insert that's NOT stovetop safe.)
- 4-quart slow cooker If making this recipe using a slow cooker.
- 6-Quart Electric Pressure Cooker, such as the Instant Pot If making this recipe using an electric pressure cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced about 2 cups
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ cups dried green lentils or French green lentils or Le Puy green lentils
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ cup tangy BBQ sauce use your favorite vegetarian BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
- Italian parsley garnish
- grated plant-based Parmesan style cheese garnish
- 6 sandwich rolls or hamburger buns
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- If your slow cooker has an aluminum insert, set it on the stovetop over medium heat, and warm up the olive oil. Otherwise use a skillet.
- Add the onion, peppers, garlic and chili powder to the slow cooker insert or skillet, and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes. If using a skillet for this, transfer the sautéed veggies to the slow cooker.
- Add all of the rest of the ingredients into the slow cooker to create the Sloppy Joe filling, except the sandwich rolls.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 - 4 hours or on LOW for 6 - 7 hours.
- Toast the sandwich rolls, and ladle the Sloppy Joe sauce over them.
Instant Pot Method
- Select the SAUTE function on your electric pressure cooker. Heat the olive oil in the inner pot, and add the onion, peppers, garlic, and chili powder. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and are aromatic, about 3 - 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils, veggie broth, salt, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and tomato sauce. Lock the lid into place, and cook on HIGH pressure for 20 minutes. Allow a Natural release to release the pressure.
- Toast the sandwich rolls, and ladle the Sloppy Joe sauce over them.
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