These easy Vegan Sloppy Joes put a plant-based spin on a childhood classic! Ready in less than 30 minutes, both kids and adults can’t get enough of this meaty and comforting weeknight dinner.
Looking for more vegan family dinner ideas? Try my Vegan Baked Ziti, Cheesy Broccoli Rice Vegan Casserole, One Pot Vegan Pasta, and Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Could you also not contain your excitement when you saw sloppy joes on the cafeteria menu at school? They were one of my all-time favorite childhood meals. Perfectly messy with crave-worthy flavors, I couldn’t get enough.
Craving this childhood classic led me to create these best-ever Vegan Sloppy Joes. Meaty, filling, and perfectly seasoned, they may be even better than the version I ate as a kid!
This lentil sloppy joe recipe is made with a hearty lentil and vegan ground beef filling that’s seasoned with simple smoky-savory spices, while a touch of maple syrup adds an irresistible sweetness. Bonus: They only take 30 minutes to put together, so I know you’ll love making them for simple family-friendly weeknight dinners!
Why you’ll love these vegan lentil sloppy joes
- So nostalgic – Just because the days of cafeteria sloppy joes are behind us doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in this classic childhood meal. The homemade version is even better thanks to incredible vegan ingredients!
- Ready in 30 minutes – They take only 30 minutes to whip up from start to finish, making this a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
- Packed with protein – A can of lentils and a package of vegan ground beef jam pack these sandwiches with approximately 40 grams of plant-based protein. They always hit the spot!
- Versatile – Depending on your preferences, you can use all lentils, all vegan beef, or even soy curls/mushrooms/walnuts!
How to make vegan sloppy joes
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Cook the vegan beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it’s browned. Add in the diced onion and cook until it’s soft and translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir the lentils, chili powder, smoked paprika, tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup into the vegan beef mixture. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors mingle and turn down the heat if it’s boiling too much.
Taste the sloppy joe mixture and adjust the flavors as needed. Add salt to balance the flavors, add hot sauce for more heat, or maple syrup for a sweeter filling.
Serve the vegan sloppy joes in buns with or without toppings and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
You can replace the Beyond Meat with another store-bought vegan ground beef, like Impossible or Gardein. You can also use TVP or chopped soy curls rehydrated in vegetable broth or vegan chicken broth.
Want to skip the “meat” entirely? Make the sloppy joe mixture with 3 cans of lentils or cook 1 cup of dried green lentils and add them to the pan after sautéing the onion and garlic. A mixture of lentils, walnuts and mushrooms could work too.
Yes, you can sauté a diced green bell pepper, a red bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, or a jalapeno pepper with the onions and garlic to give the sandwiches a little more flavor and texture.
This is a fuss-free dinner you can truly just scoop into huge hamburger buns or hoagie rolls and enjoy! But if you’re looking to take them up a notch, top the sloppy joes with tangy toppings, like a scoop of my Vegan Coleslaw, pickle slices and pickled red onions.
For a well-rounded and kid-friendly dinner, pair the sloppy joes with a side of vegan macaroni salad, potato salad, vegan mac and cheese, french fries, and broccoli salad.
The leftover sloppy joe mixture will last for 4 to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend letting the mixture cool to room temperature before storing.
They also freeze very well! Pack the lentil and “beef” filling into freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Vegan Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces vegan ground beef I used Beyond
- 1 small onion diced small
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 15 ounce can lentils drained and rinsed*
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 15 ounce canned tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 6 buns
Instructions
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegan beef and cook until brown, using a wooden spoon to break it up into small chunks.
- Add the diced onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Now add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the lentils, chili powder, smoked paprika, tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and maple syrup. Stir everything together well to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Lower the heat if it's boiling too much.
- Taste; add salt as desired, as well as hot sauce if you want it spicy, or more maple syrup for a sweeter sloppy joe mixture.
- Serve on buns immediately.
Notes
- All lentils – If using all lentils, use either 3 cans, drained and rinsed, or cook 1 cup of green lentils, drain and add after you saute the onion and garlic.
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Other plant based meats – You can use TVP that has been soaked, soy curls chopped small, or any other plant based meat you like. A mixture of mushrooms, walnuts and lentils is good as well!
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Leftovers will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. This also freezes very well.
- Nutritional information does not include buns or rolls, since they vary.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first published in June 2018 and has been updated in 2024 with a slightly changed recipe and improvements.
Love this recipe. Delicious, my only question is what makes the sodium so high??
The tomato sauce, ketchup and of course added salt. You can always reduce sodium by adding less salt and using salt free tomato sauce and ketchup if needed. Of course a little salt is needed to make it taste good though.
Way too much chili powder and paprika. Smokiness is great but this is simply overpowering.
Absolutely amazing!!!!
Thank you for sharing your great review!
Yum! This is the third lentil sloppy joe recipe that I’ve tried and definitely my favorite. It has the right balance of acid and sweet. Since I have two kiddos under 12, I cut the chili to 1/2 T and it was just right for their sensitive palettes. I also saved time and used two cans of lentils (drained and rinsed). I’ll be making this again for sure!
I’m so glad to hear you guys loved my sloppy joes, and will be making them again! Thank you for taking time to share your review!
This is my favorite recipe for vegan sloppy joes. I’ve made it more times than I can remember and it’s always delicious. I increase the seasoning a bit, and add a T of minced dried onion.
My son loves it too. I put it over sweet potatoes, or rice, or just on a whole grain roll. It’s also great in a wrap.
Anyway, thanks for the great recipes Nora! They never let me down. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your wonderful comments! I’m glad you are loving the recipe! I love all the ways you use the Sloppy Joes. Thank you for using my recipes, Kathleen!
Can I use brown lentils instead? Would it vary the cook time?
Yes, you could. They might take just a little longer to cook, but it should be fine.
This looks delicious! Is there a substitute for the mustard?
I don’t know of a substitution, but if simply dislike mustard you could leave it out.
Maybe a splash of vinegar ?
I make this recipe a lot; a couple of times I’ve been out of mustard and it still tastes good. Or I use a splash of vinegar like another reader suggested.
Thanks Sabrina! I appreciate your sharing your review and comments!
I put in almost a T mustard to reduce sodium
and left out syrup
still awesome delicious
Thanks Jeanie!
This was a great recipe, especially since I had all ingredients
in my pantry. I added Bulgar wheat when I realized 1 can of lentils would be insufficient. I simmered the bulgar in the sauce before adding lentils.
Delicious!
Hi Deanna. I’m so glad you loved the sloppy joes! Thank you for sharing!
Phenomenal!!! My adult son preferred these over the ones made with beef by his dad. So simple, tasty and delicious . This recipe completely satisfied my taste for a delicious sloppy joe! I used an Ezekiel pocket bread to serve it in
That’s so great to hear!
Delicious – very flavorful, and actually think these are better than the old beef version! Wonderful and easy.
Hi Nora,
could I cook this recipe in a slow cooker?
I’m sure you could, but I haven’t tried it. I’m not sure how long it will take, maybe 4 hours on high or 7-8 on low.
Thank you Nora! We stopped eating meat in May. I didn’t think I could ever do it, you have to change everything you’re use to at 50. Through trial and error we have stuck to it and now I won’t go back. These are to die for!! Thanks to your recipes. Absolutely the best!!! So flavorful and easy to make. I follow your recipes to a T. Yesterday for thanksgiving I made your “meat loaf”, vegan mashed potatoes, vegan gravy and green bean casserole. Everyone loved it, even those that still eat meat. Thank you for posting all these recipes. It’s so appreciated!!
Just made your recipe last night! made everything as you said, and I also added 1/2 lentils–a great way to sneak in a little more nutrition without the family staging a coup.
Added a small side of coleslaw.
Perfect! a keeper!
xo Eva
hi, can I use my slow cooker to make this recipe?
Probably but I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure.
So. Great. The first time I tried to make sloppy joes was with another blog’s recipe and my boyfriend was not impressed. He continued to be skeptical when I pulled out the lentils this time. But, like ALL your recipes, it was a hit. Thank you!
You’re so welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Thank you Nora for this fabulous recipe! It’s our favorite Sloppy Joe replacement since moving to a plant based lifestyle. I know I should eat more lentils, but we love it withBulgar Wheat instead.
I’m so glad you like it!
Can’t wait to make this Nora! Love your recipes! Question:,What brand of chili powder do you use? I know there can be different heat levels depending on the brand. I use Morton & Bassett, which has quite a bit of kick compared to say, McCormick chili
Powder. Just wondering if I should use the full 3 tablespoons.
Thank you so much! I use a variety of chili powders but try to get quality brands. You might want to use only 2 tablespoons to start if it’s really spicy, then add more in if you feel it needs it. Thank you!
Lentils can make me gassy…any suggestion on minimizing this?.⁰
I’ve heard soaking them before cooking can help!
I use Bulgar wheat instead of Lentil, so yummy
This is so easy and so delicious!! Definitely going into the rotation! I did think 2 tablespoons of chili powder was enough for myself and used 4 cups of canned lentils that I rinsed and drained. I have enough for leftovers and I can’t wait to eat it again!! Highly recommend this recipe!
Hello,
Do I need to presoak my lentils over night?
No, you do not.
I have a tomato allergy, so I used a red pepper sauce I make in place of the tomato sauce and ketchup. The spice ratio was exactly what I needed! The kids are happy once again. Lol
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for the comment!
I haven’t made this yet but I was looking for a lentil sloppy joe because I think Lentils often are a good substitute for ground beef, the texture is similar to me. When I make sloppy joe’s I usually use left over’s the next morning by reheating the sloppy joe mixture and pouring it over torn up toast. When I served aboard an aircraft carrier years ago they had this slop they called SOS (you know) and it was sloppy joe over toast for breakfast, and I liked it and so I still eat it.
Soooo great!! I don’t even need to eat snacks because this comfort meal is so satisfying!
I added one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and swapped the lentils for sweet earth ground “beef”
Certainly worth it.
So glad it was good!
Can I use French Green lentils? That’s what my husband bought home from the store.
Sure, that works!