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Lentil Sloppy Joes are the meatless sloppy joe recipe everyone can agree upon! Made in the crockpot, this recipe for vegan sloppy joes comes together with ease!
Looking for more lentil recipes? You will love Instant Pot Lentil Soup, Easy Lentil Tacos, and Lentil Meatballs.
The Easiest Vegan Sloppy Joe Recipe
When I told my husband Vegan Sloppy Joes were on the Menu, he was not excited. He loves my traditional Sloppy Joe recipe, but he was a bit hesitant to try out a Sloppy Joe made with lentils.
The verdict?! He ate 3!!! That is what we call success at our house!
Made with lentils and a rich and tangy sloppy joe sauce, these crockpot vegan sloppy joes have a hearty, meaty texture, while being high in plant protein and fiber. But more importantly, they are super delicious and couldn't be easier to make!
Ingredients at a Glance
- Lentils: For a hearty texture, use brown or green dry lentils, not red or yellow lentils.
- Onions + Peppers: A yellow onion and red bell pepper help to develop the traditional flavors you know and love in sloppy joes.
- Sloppy Joe Sauce: Made with tomato sauce, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and maple syrup, this vegan sloppy joe sauce is sweet, tangy, and tomato forward--just like Manwhich, but better! Replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos to keep this vegan sloppy joe recipe gluten-free as well!
- Vegetable Broth: Along with the sloppy joe sauce, you need a bit of thin liquid to cook and soften the lentils. For added flavor, this recipe calls for vegetable broth over using simply water.
How to Make Crockpot Lentil Sloppy Joes
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Combine. Slow Cook. Serve. No sautéing and no need to babysit. It doesn't get much easier than this recipe for Slow Cooker Lentil Sloppy Joes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Lentil Sloppy Joes on whole wheat buns, gluten-free buns, or ditch the bun and serve the mixture over an Instant Pot Sweet Potato or Instant Pot Baked Potato. If you are not dairy-free or vegan, adding sliced cheddar is a nice touch as well.
∗Stovetop Lentil Sloppy Joes ∗
No time to make these vegan-friendly sloppy joes in the crockpot? Use the stove!
- In a large saucepan, sauté onions and peppers in 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Add the rinsed lentils and 3 cups vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and then simmer the lentils for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
- Once the lentils are cooked, add the tomato sauce, minced garlic, tomato paste, maple syrup, soy sauce, and red wine vinegar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often for the flavors to develop.
More Plant-Based Favorite Recipes
Looking for more affordable plant-based meals? Be sure to browse all my Cheap & Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes, or check out a few of our favorites below.
- Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
- Vegetarian Fajitas
- Easy Butternut Squash Curry
- Vegetarian Tikka Masala
If you enjoyed these lentil sloppy joes, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Lentil Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (8 ounce can) tomato sauce
- 1 (6 ounce can) tomato paste
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 1 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Buns for serving
Instructions
- In the base of a large slow cooker, combine 1 cup lentils, 2 cups of vegetable broth, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 6 ounces tomato paste, 1 minced onion, 1 diced bell pepper, ½ tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set to cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- After slow cooking, stir the lentils into the sauce again. If needed, leave the lid off the slow cooker for 5 minutes to thicken up (I typically don't find this necessary).
- Serve serve the lentil sloppy joe mixture on buns or as desired.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally shared in 2018 and updated in 2024 with new photos.
Love it!! How do we feel about freezing though, has anyone tried?
Hi Kate! I have frozen the sloppy joe mixture many times. Simply let cool, package in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat as desired. Love it for a quick meal.
What can I substitute for the soy sauce and vinegar? I noticed it’s not a large amount so do you think it will taste similar if left out?
Hi Seanate. You need the vinegar for a bit of acidity and tang that sloppy joes are known for. You can use apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white vinegar. I would not recommend omitting. As for the soy sauce, you can simply add in a bit more salt, keeping in mind that the soy sauce does add a rich, deep flavor.
I love how flexible this recipe is, I’ve made it several times. Instead of vinegar, I have used barbecue sauce and taken out the honey. One time I didn’t have bell pepper and I used carrots. This last time I didn’t have tomato sauce, just more tomato paste and I just added water to the ounces that I was missing. I really enjoy it!
Thanks for sharing, Kate! I love hearing you enjoy this recipe and your modifications/subs! I am all for using what you have on hand.
Can celery and carrots be added to this or do you think I would make it too watery? Thank you!
I would saute them first Ali, and then it should work great!
Can this be doubled and done in one slow cooker still? Would the time to cook be the same? I need to make a meal for 15.
Yes, Jen. This recipe can be doubled, it may need 30 minutes longer but that is it.
Could I sub honey for the maple syrup?
Yes absolutely Rachel!
Thanks! I can’t wait to try this tomorrow!
Very good and very easy! Made a couple of substitutions though to avoid going to the store. Used sorghum syrup instead of maple, and canned crushed tomatoes instead of tomato sauce.
Thank you for sharing your modifications and I am happy to hear you enjoyed
I see comments referring to beer in the recipe. Am I missing that? Can you sub the stock for beer?
Also, is the calorie count for a 1-cup serving without bun?
Hi Leah! In the recipe notes it states, "For a zing of flavor, add use 1/2 cup beer and 1 1/2 cups of stock, instead of 2 cups of stock." Easy to miss 😉 And yes the calorie count is without the buns.
Is it 8 oz of tomato sauce & 6 oz of tomato paste?
Yes that's correct Shelly😊