Cookbook author Ali Slagle hit up her pantry to make these Sloppy Lennys, which are her vegan take on classic sloppy joes, featured in her cookbook I Dream of Dinner. She simmers red lentils with pickled peppers, chili powder, ketchup, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and a little brine from the jar of pickled peppers for an additional sweet-spicy kick. A handful of crushed Fritos, tortilla chips, or crispy fried onions is a finishing touch that adds just the right amount of crunch. It all comes together as a weeknight-friendly dinner that’s ready in less than an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can you make sloppy joes vegetarian?
Not only can you make sloppy joes vegetarian, you can even make them vegan — and you’ve come to the right place. Hearty lentils take the place of traditional ground beef, and the distinctive sweet-and-sour sauce is captured with pickled pepper brine, ketchup, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar.
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Can I make vegetarian sloppy joes in a slow cooker?
You certainly can make vegetarian sloppy joes – aka Sloppy Lennys – in a slow cooker, though this recipe comes together so quickly that you don’t need one. A slow cooker will allow you to keep your Sloppy Lennys warm longer, and further cook down the lentils for a slightly less sloppy experience.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
The brine from the pickled peppers in this recipe adds so much flavor to the cooking liquid, adding a boost of acidity and salty flavor to anything you’re cooking.
Make ahead
Store lentil mixture in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 4 days. Rewarm with a splash of water to loosen.
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Ingredients
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1/4 cup olive oil
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1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
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3 pickled cherry or peppadew peppers chopped, plus more as needed
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Kosher salt
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1 tablespoon chili powder
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1 tablespoon pickled pepper brine
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4 cups water
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1 cup red lentils
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1/2 cup ketchup
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2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
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1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
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1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
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1 teaspoon ground black pepper
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4 toasted burger buns
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Fritos or fried onions
Directions
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Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and peppers, season with salt, and cook until softened and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add chile powder and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in pickled pepper brine, scraping up browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add water, lentils, ketchup, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ground black pepper. Season with salt to taste.
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Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pot to unstick any lentils, until lentils are tender and start to fall apart, 20 to 25 minutes. If you want it less sloppy, keep simmering until it’s as thick as you want. If the mixture looks dry and the lentils aren’t done yet, add more water. Serve sloppy lentils — excuse me, Lennys — on toasted burger buns with more sliced pickled peppers.
Note
Reprinted from I Dream of Dinner, published by Clarkson Potter, with permission from the author.
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