Lentil Sloppy Joes

These hearty lentil sloppy joes are perfect comfort food that kids and adults absolutely love! You’ll get all the messy, delicious fun of traditional sloppy joes but with protein-packed lentils that are so much better for your heart.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 15 minutes, Additional Time: 4 hours, Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes, Serves: 16 people.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy Aging, Healthy Immunity, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Soy-Free, High-Fiber, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Low-Calorie.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 228 Calories, 1g Fat, 43g Carbs, 11g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Lentils: You’ll need 2 cups of lentils, rinsed and drained. Any variety works great, but brown lentils hold their shape really well in the slow cooker!

Green bell pepper: One large green bell pepper, chopped up nice and chunky. This adds such a wonderful sweet crunch to every bite.

Carrots: Two medium carrots, shredded to make about 1 cup. I love how carrots add natural sweetness and beautiful color to the mix.

Onion: You’ll need ¾ cup of chopped onion, which is about one medium onion. Yellow or white onions work perfectly here!

Vegetable juice: One cup of reduced-sodium hot-style vegetable juice gives this recipe its amazing flavor base. Regular vegetable juice works too if that’s what you have.

Tomato paste: ¼ cup of no-salt-added tomato paste adds that rich, deep tomato flavor we all love in sloppy joes.

Green chiles: One 4-ounce can of diced green chiles brings just the right amount of mild heat and flavor.

Worcestershire sauce: One tablespoon of reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce adds that classic tangy taste.

Chili powder: Two teaspoons of chili powder give this dish its warm, cozy flavor.

Cider vinegar: Just one teaspoon adds the perfect little tang that makes everything pop!

Garlic: Two cloves of minced garlic because everything is better with garlic, right?

Water: Three cups of water help everything cook together beautifully.

Ketchup: ½ cup of reduced-sodium ketchup gets stirred in at the end for that classic sloppy joe taste.

Brown sugar: Two tablespoons of packed brown sugar balance out all the flavors perfectly.

Hamburger buns: Sixteen whole-wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted. You can use regular buns if you prefer!

Extra shredded carrot: For topping if you want some extra crunch and color on top.

How to Make Lentil Sloppy Joes

Step 1: Grab your 3½ or 4-quart slow cooker and add the lentils first. Then stir in the chopped bell pepper, shredded carrots, and onion. Add the vegetable juice, tomato paste, diced green chiles, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, vinegar, minced garlic, and water. Give everything a really good stir so it’s all mixed together nicely.

Step 2: Pop the lid on your slow cooker and set it to low heat for 8 to 10 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can cook on high heat for 4 to 5 hours instead. The lentils will get nice and tender, and all those flavors will blend together beautifully.

Step 3: Right before you’re ready to serve, stir in the ketchup and brown sugar. This is when everything comes together and tastes just like the sloppy joes you remember! Spoon the lentil mixture onto your toasted buns and top with extra shredded carrots if you want that extra crunch.

Easy and Quick Lentil Sloppy Joes Version

Want to make this faster? You can totally cook red lentils on the stovetop in about 30 minutes! Use 1½ cups red lentils with 3 cups vegetable broth instead of water. Sauté the veggies in a large pot for 5 minutes, add everything except the ketchup and brown sugar, then simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender. Stir in the ketchup and brown sugar at the end, and you’re done!

Serving Ideas

These lentil sloppy joes make a complete meal all on their own! Serve them with crispy baked sweet potato fries or crunchy coleslaw on the side. A simple green salad with ranch dressing is perfect too. Kids love these with some baby carrots and apple slices!

Storage

Store any leftover lentil mixture in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months! To reheat, just warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop until it’s heated through. The flavors actually get even better the next day!

Substitutions

No Worcestershire sauce? Just leave it out or use a splash of soy sauce instead. You can swap the brown sugar for honey or maple syrup if that’s what you have. Regular hamburger buns work just as well as whole wheat. If you don’t like green chiles, try diced jalapeños or just skip them completely!

Pro Tips

• Easy cleanup: Line your slow cooker with a disposable liner before adding ingredients. When you’re done, just toss the liner!
• Sugar substitute: You can use Sweet’N Low Brown or Sugar Twin Granulated Brown instead of regular brown sugar if you prefer.
• Make ahead: This recipe makes a big batch, so it’s perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
• Texture tip: If you like your sloppy joes less chunky, you can mash some of the lentils with a fork before serving.

FAQs

Can I use different types of lentils?

You bet! Brown and green lentils work best because they hold their shape during the long cooking time. Red lentils will get mushy in the slow cooker, so save those for the stovetop version.

Can I make this spicier?

Sure! Add some hot sauce, extra chili powder, or diced jalapeños. You could even use spicy vegetable juice instead of the regular kind.

Will kids eat this?

Most kids love these! The lentils have a similar texture to ground meat, and the sweet, tangy sauce is really kid-friendly. If your kids are picky, you might want to skip the green chiles.

Can I freeze the whole sandwiches?

I’d recommend just freezing the lentil mixture and making fresh sandwiches when you’re ready to eat. The buns get soggy when frozen with the filling.

I hope your family loves these lentil sloppy joes as much as mine does! Let me know how they turn out for you – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures!