I received products from Udi’s Gluten Free for this post but, as always, all opinions are my own! Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support me!
It is officially the first day of summer! But, if you live anywhere near where I live, you know that it has been feeling like summer for a few weeks now. Today’s high is 110 and I’m not sure I can take much more! I’ve thought about jumping the fence and sneaking into the neighbors pool a few times, but I’m guessing that would frowned upon. The summer solstice also marks the 8th anniversary for my husband and I 🙂 I’m not sure if you are supposed to still celebrate your dating anniversary once you are married, but I say the more celebrations the better!
Now that summer is in full swing that means lot of BBQs. Which also means that I need to have a recipe box packed full of delicious vegetarian sandwiches I can eat. You probably all know by now how much I love me some veggie burgers, but to be honest, I think that these vegetarian sloppy joes just slid into first place.
I’m not sure if I had ever really had a sloppy joe before I cooked these up. I remember them serving sloppy joes in the cafeteria growing up and having zero interest in them. I liked the idea, but I wasn’t ever really sure what they were putting in them! Not to be left out, I decided to come up with my own version. These vegetarian sloppy joes are packed with tons of protein by adding both lentils and chickpeas and this homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make and so flavorful.
The ingredient list for the BBQ sauce may look a little intimidating at first, but if you are a regular here I’m guessing that you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry already. While the heaping mound of coleslaw on top isn’t required, I would definitely recommend it! And, as the name states, these are pretty sloppy so a napkin is most likely needed if you don’t want to stain your pretty t-shirt (I might have done that a few times..), but they are totally worth it!
Happy Summer Solstice to everyone!
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Vegetarian Sloppy Joes {vegan}
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry green lentils
- 1 –15 ounce can cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1.5 cups)
- Coleslaw for topping, if desired
- Hamburger buns, I used Udi’s gluten free
BBQ Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place lentils in a medium sized pot and cover with 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook lentils until tender and cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and shallots. Season with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Next, add the remaining BBQ sauce ingredients and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked lentils and chickpeas to the BBQ sauce and cook for another 5-10 minutes until everything is heated through.
- Scoop the sloppy joe mix onto the buns and top with coleslaw if desired.
- Category: Sandwich, Gluten Free, Vegan
BBQ Sauce recipe adapted from Laura’s BBQ Lentil and Polenta recipe at The First Mess.
Love that these are vegan! Chickpeas are such a great stand in for any meat protein 🙂
My husband and I still celebrate our dating anniversary too! I’ll take any reason I can get to celebrate. 🙂 I love this vegetarian take on sloppy joes, and homemade bbq sauce is the best!
I’m glad we aren’t the only ones 🙂 And 8 years sounds so much more impressive than 2 years, haha! Thanks Kristine! Homemade BBQ sauce is a must!
Ugh! It’s been triple digits here too. So hot. I’m ready for fall lol. These sloppy joes look so good! Love lentils!!
triple digits are way too hot! No one should ever have to deal with them! I’m so ready for fall too, haha! Unfortunately, I think we have a few more months to go 🙁
I have never had a sloppy joe before. I think maybe the meat in it has put me off, but this looks really appetising.
It’s freezing here in the UK at the moment, so something comforting like this would be really good.
Oh wow, I wish it was freezing here right now!! I’ll send you some of my heat if you send me some of your cold weather 🙂
These sloppy joes look amazing, Izzy! I’m loving your creativity with the chick peas and lentils. I would’ve never thought to do that! It sounds delicious and like the perfect summer meal!
Thank you so much, Gayle! It really is great for a summer dinner, even for a meat eater 🙂
I’ve been looking for more meatless options lately, and I think I found the perfect weeknight meal! Hello easy and delicious recipe!
Hi Heather! This is the perfect meatless dinner option!
Uhhh YES! Lentils all the things! These sloppy joes look 100% better than most meat-filled versions I’ve seen out there! Total SCORE that they’re healthy though, which means I can just pile the filling on right??
Thank you Sarah!! Of course!! I piled mine so high I had it coming out all the edges all over me! Totally worth it though 🙂
Happy summer to ya! It’s been yeeeeears since I’ve had a sloppy Joe and this healthful recipe is making me swoon! Nothing like replacing not-so-healthful ingredients with nutritious ones. Beautiful, dear!
I think these sloppy joes are the perfect way to break your sloppy joe dry spell 🙂 Thanks so much!
I’ve been wanting to make a veggie sloppy joe with lentils, and this one looks perfect. I really love this BBQ sauce. A great summer meal!
I think you would love these ones, Katie! The BBQ sauce really makes them delicious! I’m already thinking of everyone else I can put it on 🙂
110 degrees?! Already! Oh my word, you must be melting away! I can’t even imagine what your electric bill must be with all the AC you must run. Stay cool over there friend. And these vegetarian sloppy joes sound delicious!
I know! It is terrible! Our house is pretty well shaded from the sun so thankfully our bill is never too high! But I think I would pay any amount of money just to be cool 🙂
Sloppy Joes are one of my favorites — it’s almost embarrassing how much I love them. I’ve had lentil sloppy Joes but I love that you combined them with chickpeas for this. Josh doesn’t like chickpeas OR lentils, but at least this way I get my fix of both and he only has to be angry for one meal 😉
I didn’t think my husband liked lentils or chickpeas, but surprisingly he loved these! Although I was kinda hoping I would get these all to myself 🙂
This is genius! I love the idea of vegetarian sloppy joes! Looks amazing!
Thank Kelley!!
Sloppy joes are the best! I have a lentil version on my blog but I’ve never tried adding chickpeas. It looks like it gives them better texture. And that sauce sounds pretty amazing too. Now I want one of these for lunch! 🙂
p.s. Congrats on 8 years! I agree, I think you should celebrate as much as possible!
I bet they are good with just lentils too! I think sloppy joes may be my new favorite meal! And I was surprised that my husband actually liked them too! I wish I could give you some to take for lunch! Thank you 🙂
I just made some sloppy joe’s last week for the first time in ages! I love this vegetarian version – the lentils and chickpeas sound fantastic, and yes to homemade BBQ sauce — it’s a must! I’m with you on the more celebrations the better too. 🙂
I never think to make them either, but now I want to eat them all the time! I agree, homemade BBQ sauce is where it’s at!
Love lentils ! Never had sloppy joe, but will definitely try these! And they are vegan, so good! Pinning!
I think you would love these, Mira!
Using chickpeas & lentils for vegetarian sloppy joes is a genius idea! I’ll have to try it. I so agree with you, conventional sloppy joes always freaked me out when I was younger haha
And I agree, the more celebrations the better! Happy dating anniversary! 🙂
Thanks Nicole! These were so good! Thanks so much, we celebrated with sloppy joes, haha 🙂
Happy anni, Izzy! I think yes, mark the date and toast it up. We do need more celebrations in life! These look fabulous Izzy! I grew up on Manwich (OMG!)… so I crave sloppy joes! I looove making homemade and your’s look just fabulous! I think the slaw is a must because it adds a coolness to the spicy sauce – quite a delicious contrast! These would be fabulous for the upcoming holiday weekend! Yum!
First, happy dating anniversary!!! My husband and I started dating right before Valentine’s Day (super awkward that first year ha!), so we always say Valentine’s is our “anniversary.” lol
Love these sloppy joes! I make ones with farro all the time but now I need to try it with lentils and chickpeas!
ever since i stopped eating meat 10 years ago i havent had a sloppy joe!! this looks super yummy, but i love how its still super healthy! definitely gonna give this a try soon.
Hi Beverley! I hadn’t had one in forever either! And I think these ones are much better than the meat ones! I hope you get to try them soon 🙂
Holy Moly, if I wasn’t working today, I would be making this RIGHT NOW.
Haha I hope you got a chance to make these! I just made another batch a few days ago, I’m obsessed 🙂
What a delicious vegetarian meal! These sloppy joes look so hearty!
Dear Isadora, what a fabulous recipe…I love your vegetarian style sloppy joe. I have to give this a try this summer. Looks absolutely delish! xo, Catherine
110 is just too hot for me! Jumping in the neighbors pool sounds like a plan =) I love all the ingredients in your BBQ sauce, so versatile and could be used for several different recipes. I don’t think I’ve ever made Sloppy Joes before, especially your spin on them and I’m starting to wonder why. As always, love the eye popping color. I need to work on my gluten free recipes for my sister’s family who is particularly sensitive!!
Love me some chickpeas!! And I love me some sloppy joes!
These Sloppy Joes are scrumptious!!! What a fantastic recipe! Thank you for sharing it!!!
Thanks so much, Tracey! I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
Made this last night for me and my non-veggie roommate… SO GOOD. The BBQ sauce hit the spot =D
★★★★★
Yah! I’m so glad you guys liked it! The BBQ sauce is one of my favorites 🙂
These are superb! I highly recommend this recipe!!! We made them tonight for the fist time. Looking forward to making them again in the future.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed them!! They are one of my favorite dinners too! Thank you 🙂
I tried this recipe tonight and really loved the barbecue sauce. I love chickpeas, but my family didn’t care for them in this recipe. I will do the recipe again, leave out the chickpeas and add more lentils instead. It would be more helpful if people leaving comments would do so after trying the recipe. I plan to try many more recipes on your site. Thanks!
★★★★
I love this BBQ sauce too! More lentils would work well, or anything else your family loves 🙂
I have never tried or eaten Lentils or chickpeas (besides hummus), and I am beginning a vegan lifestyle. This recipe looks amazing and I am willing to give this recipe a go!! I’m a meat lover, but per doctor’s orders I need this new lifestyle change!!
I hope you enjoy them! My husband is a meat eater and he loves them 🙂
BBQ sauce top on right! Yum!
Thanks!!
These are delicious and surprisingly filling! Most sloppy joe sauce recipes I’ve encountered are a little too heavy on the cumin flavor, so I liked that this one relied on some other ingredients that gave it a sweet + spicy kick. I *did* resort to fork-and-knifing it, but I don’t think you can expect any sloppy joe to stay together all that well 🙂
★★★★★
Haha, I fork and knife mine sometimes too! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
The whole family ate these!!
I am no vegan but I am adding more vegetables and legumes in my diet. I decided we needed a meatless night and I have to say I am totally impressed by this recipie Thank you for posting it
That’s so nice to hear!!
These sound really good :). I’m wondering if I can use canned lentils instead of dry? I don’t have a lot of experience using them so I wasnt sure if they would be too mushy from the can.
Definitely!
This was so delicious and easy to make! Thank you for the recipe!!! ❤️
So glad you enjoyed them!!