Lentil Sloppy Joes

by BudgetBites
Prep: 30m
Cook: 35m
vegetarian
Lentil Sloppy Joes - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:14
2tbspolive oil
1sweet onion
1green pepper
1/2sweet red pepper
1carrot
6garlic cloves
2 1/2cupvegetable broth
1cupred lentils
5plum tomatoes
8oztomato sauce
2tbspchili powder
2tbspyellow mustard
4 1/2tspcider vinegar
2tspWorcestershire sauce
2tspmaple syrup
1 1/2tsptomato paste
1/4tspsalt
1/8tsppepper
14whole wheat hamburger buns
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Build the base

    In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the chopped onion, chopped green and red peppers, and shredded carrot. Cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.

  1. 2

    Simmer the lentils

    Add the vegetable broth and rinsed red lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring now and then.

  2. 3

    Sauce it up

    Stir in the chopped plum tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, mustard, cider vinegar, Worcestershire, maple syrup, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thick and spoonable, about 10 minutes.

  3. 4

    Pile it on

    Spoon the filling onto toasted whole wheat buns. Add a scoop of coleslaw on top if you want the crunch.

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Lentil Sloppy Joes

Created by: BudgetBites

Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 35m
Servings: 14

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1/2 sweet red pepper
  • 1 carrot
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 5 plum tomatoes
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 4 1/2 tsp cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tsp tomato paste
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 14 whole wheat hamburger buns

Instructions

  1. Build the baseIn a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the chopped onion, chopped green and red peppers, and shredded carrot. Cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  2. Simmer the lentilsAdd the vegetable broth and rinsed red lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
  3. Sauce it upStir in the chopped plum tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, mustard, cider vinegar, Worcestershire, maple syrup, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Bring back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thick and spoonable, about 10 minutes.
  4. Pile it onSpoon the filling onto toasted whole wheat buns. Add a scoop of coleslaw on top if you want the crunch.

Notes & Tips

This is the trick every budget kitchen should know: a bag of red lentils turns into a big pot of sloppy joes for a fraction of what ground beef costs. One cup of dried lentils runs about a dollar and stretches across 14 sandwiches, so you're looking at pennies per serving before the buns. Red lentils are the move here because they break down as they simmer and give you that classic messy, saucy texture without any meat. The filling keeps in the fridge for 4 days and freezes for months, so make the full batch and bank the leftovers.