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    Home » MAINS

    BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes (Slow Cooker + Instant Pot)

    Modified: Sep 23, 2024 by Susan Pridmore · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Lentil Sloppy Joe on a toasted sandwich roll with text overlay.

    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.

    Jump to Recipe
    Lentil sloppy joes on a slice of toasted roll, topped with chopped parsley.

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    Want to make this recipe perfectly the first time? I want to help with that. So, check out this Table of Contents to see which sections of this post will help you the most.

    Jump to:
    • 🤷‍♀️ What are Sloppy Joes?
    • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
    • 🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
    • 🔪 Recommended Equipment
    • 🎯 Why This Recipe Works
    • 💡Ideas for Possible Variations
    • 🥬 Make it Vegan
    • 🤷‍♀️ Can I make these lentil Sloppy Joes ahead?
    • 📇 More Lentil Recipes You Might Like
    • BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    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.

    Lentil sloppy joe sauce ladled on top of a toasted rolls and topped with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese.
    I like my Lentil Sloppy Joes on a toasted sandwich roll, open-face style.

    🔪 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.
    A ramekin filled with French green lentils.
    A ramekin of French green lentils. As you can see, they're a blue-green-gray color in their dried form, and are smaller than brown 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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    Lentil Sloppy Joe on a toasted sandwich roll, topped with chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, with text overlay.
    3.90 from 10 votes

    BBQ Lentil Sloppy Joes

    These vegetarian Sloppy Joes are a twist on the American classic dish made with green lentils, peppers, tomatoes, spices and BBQ sauce for an fantastic, easy weeknight dinner that will make the whole family happy.
    The cook time is for making this sauce on LOW in the slow cooker. The cook time will be 3-4 hours on HIGH. The time to make it using your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker requires 7 - 10 minutes prep, including sautéing the veggies, and 20 minutes pressure cooking on HIGH, plus a natural release.
    Print Recipe Save Saved! Pin Recipe Add to Recipe Collection Go to Collections Add to Shopping ListGo to Shopping List
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time6 hours hrs
    Total Time6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course: Vegan Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: lentil sloppy joes, vegetarian sloppy joes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 294.4kcal
    Author: Susan Pridmore
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    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.

    Notes

    The Nutrition data is only for the Sloppy Joe sauce, and does not include the sandwich rolls as you can serve these also as a lettuce wrap, and there's variability between sandwich roll sizes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 294.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 53.2g | Protein: 15.5g | Fat: 3.6g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Sodium: 1142.2mg | Potassium: 1021mg | Fiber: 18.9g | Sugar: 17.7g | Vitamin A: 2092.8IU | Vitamin C: 66.9mg | Calcium: 93.3mg | Iron: 5.9mg
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    About Susan Pridmore

    Susan Pridmore is an award-winning cookbook author and the owner of The Wimpy Vegetarian. She has been featured in Huffington Post, Healthline, BuzzFeed, and has written for and developed recipes for The Food Network and Parade Magazine. She is professionally trained and focuses on easy vegetarian recipes for busy lives, bread-baking, and tips for new vegetarians. Susan lives in the mountains in Lake Tahoe with her husband and mini-labradoodle.

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