Vegan sloppy joes are hearty, satisfying, and easy to make from scratch! Whether you choose TVP or soy curls, these meatless sloppy joes have awesome texture plus all of the savory, sweet, and tangy flavors of the classic version. Ready in 30 minutes!
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Veganized American Classic
I remember eating sloppy joes as a kid, which is a funny thing to reflect on now. My mom has always been into nutrition and a healthy diet, but there was definitely a "sloppy joe phase" while I was a pre-teen.
My brother was a toddler at the time, so she was probably tired and overwhelmed and just wanted to get a satisfying dinner on the table for me and my stepdad. I'm pretty sure she even used canned Manwich sauce, which is so not her style.
Anyway, vegan sloppy joes can be made with many different ingredients, like lentils, mushrooms, Impossible or Beyond Meat, or pretty much any type of vegan crumbles or "ground beef."
I'm a big fan of soy curls - and currently have SO many in the freezer - so choosing soy curls as the base for this recipe was a no brainer.
Plus I already knew soy curls and TVP make the best vegan taco meat and vegan ground beef!
If you're not familiar with soy curls, be sure to check out this post: Soy Curl Recipes + FAQs.
Ingredients
- Soy Curls or TVP- Both of these are dried products, which makes them easy to keep on hand. Since soy curls come in larger strands and pieces, you can either break them up first, or chop them up before serving. Or if you buy soy curls in bulk directly from Butler Foods, this is a great way to use up all of the smaller, broken bits in the bottom the bag.
Tip: If you're not in the U.S. and don't have access to soy curls or TVP (soya chunks), try black lentils mixed with finely chopped walnuts (more ideas below). - Onion and bell pepper - Any type of onion is fine. I used green bell pepper, but red bell pepper is also great - or do a combo. Side note: Manwich contains both dehydrated green and red bell peppers.
- Tomato paste - This creates an umami-rich, tomato base for the sauce.
- Ketchup - There are different ways to achieve the sweet and tangy flavor of sloppy joe sauce, I wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible. So instead of tomato sauce plus vinegar and sweetener, we're using ketchup as the key ingredient that really brings the authentic sloppy joe flavor.
- Spices - Chili powder and cumin add color and a hint of smokiness to sloppy joe mix. If you have smoked paprika on hand, feel free to add a few dashes of that, too.
- Tamari + water - This rehydrates the TVP/soy curls. Or use soy sauce if you don't need gluten-free. If you happen to have vegetable broth on hand, you can use that instead.
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
How to Make Vegan Sloppy Joes
First, place the soy curls (or TVP) in a bowl and add ¾ cup water plus a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir well and set aside. If using larger strands of soy curls (not the smaller bits from the bottom of the bag) after soaking, either pulse in a food processor or finely chop by hand.
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Next, saute the onion and bell pepper over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to mix it in, then add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and stir well. Pour the soy curls into the skillet, and stir to incorporate. Add ½ cup water, and increase the heat to bring to a simmer. If desired, add several dashes of hot sauce.
Cook for another 5 minutes, or until sticky and piping hot. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. See the Variations section below for ideas!
What to Serve With Sloppy Joes
Toasted hamburger buns and pickles are a must! Well, that is unless you want to use the sloppy joe mix to make a big salad or in some other fun way like:
- sloppy joe tacos and taco bowls
- vegan stuffed peppers
- as a pizza topping
- or paired with veggies and rice or quinoa in a sloppy joe bowl!
But back to the traditional sandwich idea. In addition to sliced dill pickles, coleslaw and red onion are also popular toppings.
A slice of your favorite vegan cheese is good, too! Be sure to place it right on top of the hot sloppy joe mixture, then add the freshly toasted bun on top.
Variations
- Spicy sloppy joes - Add one diced jalapeno (including some of the seeds) while sauteing the onion and bell pepper. Or add a generous pinch of red pepper flakes and increase the hot sauce to taste.
- Smoky - Add a pinch of smoked sea salt or about ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke.
- Veggie-forward - To lighten up this dish even more, replace a portion of the soy with cauliflower rice, diced carrot or mushrooms.
- Gluten-Free - the recipe is gluten-free as written. Just be sure to use a certified gluten-free tamari or a GF broth.
- Soy-Free - since the base of this recipe is soy curls, there isn't a soy-free option included in the recipe. If you feel like experimenting, try brown or black lentils, similar to this lentil taco meat recipe. You can also do a combination of lentils and mushrooms with bulgur.
Batch Size
The recipe makes enough for 3 or 4 sandwiches and is easily doubled if you're feeding a larger family or if you want plenty of leftovers.
Recipe FAQs
Sloppy joes is the name of the sandwich, and Manwich is a brand name for a ready-made sauce used to make sloppy joes.
Yes, according to various sources around the web, Manwich sauce is vegan. You can pair it with your favorite plant-based ground beef for extra quick sandwiches. We prefer to make the sauce from scratch so that we can control the ingredients and because it's so easy!
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
Absolutely! Vegan sloppy joe mixture is freezer-friendly. Once completely cool, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat as described above.
More Meaty Vegan Recipes
I hope you enjoy these easy vegan sloppy joes! If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Vegan Sloppy Joes
Equipment
- food processor - optional - for pulsing larger soy curls into smaller pieces
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry soy curls or TVP - see Note 1
- 1 ½ cups water, divided
- 1 Tablespoon tamari (for GF) or soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil, optional - for oil-free, use a splash of water to saute
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoons chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- hot sauce, optional
For serving:
- 3 - 4 hamburger buns
- thinly sliced red onion
- hamburger dills
- sliced vegan cheese - We like Violife smoked provolone or Chao creamy original.
Instructions
- Place the dry soy curls (or TVP) in a bowl and add ¾ cup water plus a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir well and set aside to soak. If using larger pieces of soy curls (not the small, broken bits), after they're hydrated, either pulse them in a food processor or transfer to a cutting board and chop them up by hand.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil, if using. Saute the onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes. For oil-free, add a splash of water to help soften the veggies. Add the tomato paste and stir to mix it in.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stirring frequently, cook for about 1 minute. Add the ketchup, mustard, and vinegar, and stir again.
- Pour the hydrated TVP/chopped soy curls into the skillet and stir well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until just getting hot. Add ½ cup water, and increase the heat to bring to a simmer. If it starts to look too dry, add up to ¼ cup more water. Stirring occasionally, cook for about 5 minutes or until sticky and hot.
- Taste for seasoning, and add a few dashes of hot sauce if desired. Serve hot on toasted buns with your favorite toppings. Sloppy joe mix is also delicious on salads, tacos, grains, pasta, and potatoes.
Notes
-
- Spicy sloppy joes - Add one diced jalapeno (including some of the seeds) while sauteing the onion and bell pepper. Or add a generous pinch of red pepper flakes and increase the hot sauce to taste.
-
- Smoky - Add a pinch of smoked sea salt or about ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke.
-
- Veggie-forward - To lighten up this dish even more, replace a portion of the soy with cauliflower rice, diced carrot or mushrooms.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Cynthia says
Hi Lori, I tried out your sloppy Joe recipe and it was really good. The combination of spices and ingredients was spot on. My husband really enjoyed them and gave them a 10! Thanks for your hard work in helping us stay healthy ❣️
Kay says
Thank you for a sloppy joe recipe without lentils!! I love lentils but they give me gas/bloat. I’m making this for dinner tonight and will post a comment after, thanks Lori!
Kay says
This recipe is a winner! The taste was more like a BBQ pulled chicken/pork sandwich. I loved the texture of the soy curls.
The only negative for me was it was a little sweet for my taste but I’m sure that has to do with the brand of ketchup you use (I used Walmart’s organic ketchup.) I may use half tomato sauce/half ketchup and add a sweetener if needed.
I doubled the recipe and am looking forward to dinner tomorrow and will add the recipe to my monthly rotation, thanks Lori!