Vegan Sloppy Joe Recipe
Move over, traditional Sloppy Joe; this vegan sloppy joe recipe is a fast, easy dinner! The homemade sauce has a richer flavor and will have your family reaching for seconds!
I don’t know about you, but I grew up on sloppy joes. For my Midwestern mom, they were a quick, easy dinner that all the kids loved. Years passed, and I forgot about sloppy joes until my husband reintroduced them into our lives. One bite, and I was transported back in time with my mom eating Midwestern food.
Now, vegan sloppy joes are our household’s regular dinner table staple. I’ve updated them with textured meat crumbles to make them vegan. I have been playing with the sauce to develop a vegan version that tastes as good as I remember from my childhood. Over the years, I have perfected this recipe. Depending on what I have on hand, I use crumbles or pinto beans as the vegan meat alternative. I think they both taste great and work well with this recipe.
What I Love About This Recipe
- A quick meal to make on weeknights
- This vegan recipe uses pantry staples and no unique ingredients.
- Sloppy Joes are fun to serve with tater tots for a 70s nostalgic feel.
How to Make Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients used in making this recipe. See the recipe card for the ingredients and amounts.
- Frozen Meat Crumbles: Several brands are on the market. I usually use Morning Star. Below are several less-processed meat alternatives.
- Red, Yellow, or Green Bell Peppers: They add mild sweetness and crispness that complement the other textures. The yellow pepper, in particular, adds a pop of color.
- Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce is the backbone of any sloppy joe mixture. Its rich tomato flavor creates a savory base.
- Soy Sauce or Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: Adds depth and a hint of tangy sweetness.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds complexity. Always look for a vegan mustard. Some are not.
- Chili Powder and Smoked Paprika: Adds smoky notes to the sauce.
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and measurements.
Substitutions
- Olive oil – instead, use any neutral oil or vegetable broth.
- Yellow onion – use a white or sweet onion instead.
- Fresh garlic cloves – use garlic powder and reduce the amount by 3/4.
- White granulated sugar – try coconut sugar to reduce the glycemic index.
Instructions
Step One – Sauté the Vegetables
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or pan until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables become tender and the onion becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Step Two – Add Soy Crumbles
Add the soy crumbles to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Step Three – Add Sauce
Whisk together the tomato sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, then add it to the skillet with the meat crumbles. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step Four – Toast Buns
Toast the hamburger buns. Add a scoop of sloppy joe mix and serve with your favorite side.
Optional: add coleslaw for flavor and texture.
Meat Crumbles Alternatives
Looking for a less-processed meat alternative? Try replacing the vegan meat crumbles with one of these suggestions at a 1:1 ratio.
- Pinto Beans
- Green Lentils
- Shredded Jackfruit
- Tempeh Crumbles
What to Serve with Vegan Sloppy Joes
Sloppy joes taste great on their own, or you can add to them. Here are a few ideas for sides
- Blackened corn
- Pasta salad
- Pickles
- Potato salad
- Roasted cauliflower
- Vegan coleslaw
- Zucchini fries
Frequently Asked Questions
Refrigerator instructions – Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.
Freezer instructions – Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container and store for up to one month.
Saucepan – Add the desired amount to a small saucepan and reheat over low to medium heat. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water to loosen it up.
Microwave: Reduce to 80% power and reheat in 30-second intervals until it reaches the desired temperature, stirring between each interval. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water to loosen it up.
This sloppy joe recipe uses all-natural ingredients. Manwich is a processed sauce that contains high fructose corn syrup and xanthan gum.
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this vegan sloppy joe recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave a rating and a comment to let me know how it went.
Vegan Sloppy Joe Recipe
Equipment
- 1 deep skillet
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 package (16 ounces) frozen veggie meat crumbles
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chile powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 hamburger buns
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet or pan over medium heat until the oil shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the diced onion (about 1 cup), bell pepper (about 1 cup), and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables become tender and the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the frozen veggie meat crumbles (16 ounces) to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
- In a bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce (15 ounces), soy sauce (or vegan Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons), brown sugar (1 tablespoon), Dijon mustard (1 tablespoon), chili powder (1 teaspoon), smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon), salt, and pepper to taste.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the sauté pan with the meat crumbles. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Toast the hamburger buns. Divide the sloppy joe mixture among the buns and serve hot with your favorite side.
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.