Sloppy Joes is one of those iconic American foods that you see on TV but don’t really get over here in the UK. Originating in the early 1930s, the basis of this dish is cheap mince meat in a tangy, barbecue or tomato based sauce, served in a white roll. It’s one of those cheap dishes that was created during the depression to serve hungry workers and it’s survived all this time by being greater than the sum of it’s parts. Incredibly tasty and comforting, it’s perfect for those days when you need to make something filling from basic pantry stores – in other words, perfect for during lockdown!
There are several vegan versions of this dish online but getting a version that’s just as tasty as the original can be tricky. My version of this classic dish offers bold, meaty flavours, while still being both easy and cheap to make. Serve in a good size bread roll (gluten free in our house) with a spoonful of smashed avocado, and a side of tasty salad. It’s messy but it’ll make the perfect end to a hard day.
- Makes: Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Sloppy Joe filling:
- 1 Green Pepper, diced
- 1 Large Onion, chopped
- 1 rib of Celery, chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Chilli Flakes
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 110g Urad Dhal (Black Lentils), soaked*
- 110g Green Lentils
- 1lt Vegetable stock
- 400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp Tomato Puree
- 2 tsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Mild Mustard (Dijon works well here)
- 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar (or more depending on the tomatoes)
- 1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
- ½ tsp Liquid Smoke (Optional but really worth it if you can find it)
- 100g Walnuts
- 200g Mushrooms
- 125g Black Beans
- salt & Pepper to taste
- Oil for cooking
Serving Suggestions:
- Bread Rolls
- Smashed Avocado**
- Slices of Pickled Red Onions
Directions
Set your instant pot to saute and add a touch of oil. Gently cook your chopped onions, celery, and pepper until softened and just starting to brown. Add the garlic with the spices and saute briefly, until the garlic turns fragrant. Turn off the instant pot and use a dash of the stock to deglaze the liner. Make sure you scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as that’s flavour and leaving too much can cause your instant pot to overheat when coming up to pressure. Now add the rest of the ingredients apart from the mushrooms and walnuts. Don’t add salt at this point as it can make the lentils turn hard. Stir well to make sure everything is well combined before locking on the lid. Cook on high pressure for 12 mins and allow a natural release.
While your lentils are cooking it’s time to cook your flavours boosters – the mushrooms, walnuts, and black beans are here to add that deep meaty taste that will ensure even the most hardened vegan won’t miss the meat. Finely chop your mushrooms, I like to to this in my food processor but don’t let them become mush if you do this. The walnuts should also be chopped finely until they are slightly larger than breadcrumbs. I also like to roughly chop the black beans but that’s entirely optional. Heat a wide bottomed saute pan on a medium to high heat with a tablespoon of oil. Add in your mushrooms and saute until they loose most of their liquid and start to brown. Stir occasionally and scrape up any brown bits that stick to the bottom of the pan as you go. Add the beans and walnuts and mix well. Keep cooking until the mix is nicely toasted.
When the pressure has released on the instant pot, remove the lid and stir through your mushroom mix. If needed, simmer down until thick, taste and season well. Serve in good size bread buns with a spoonful of smashed avocado.
Notes
* We always tend to have black lentils in the house as they’re essential for a lot of great Indian dishes. They add some great textures here but if you don’t have them to hand then you can use more green lentils instead.
**If you’re not planning on using the avocado with this then I’d suggest halving the vinegar and mustard in this recipe. I’ve built it out to be a deliciously tangy recipe that is balanced out by the avocado so you may want to compensate here.
Allergy Notes; This is already vegan and gluten free but there are a few points to note. Check your gluten free buns for dairy or egg as this can be a common tripping point in gluten free bread. Check your stock as wheat is often used as a thickener. If walnuts are an allergen for you then you should be able to substitute in sunflower seeds for a similar effect.
