Smoky, tangy, meaty, and messy - this plant-based version of Texas toast sloppy joes is quick and easy, and packed with protein. This family-friendly recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, makes excellent leftovers, and is freezer-friendly!
Sometimes we're in the mood for a comfort food classic but don't want anything too heavy. Well, I've got you covered with this vegan recipe for Texas toast sloppy joes.
It's a flavorful plant-based (and open-faced) version of that old school sandwich.
We use lentils and mushrooms to recreate a meaty texture, and utilize a combination of fresh and pantry-friendly ingredients to make a tangy, smoky, and hearty sauce. It's seasoned with garlic, chili powder, and smoky paprika, and garnished with pickled onions and fresh parsley.
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⭐️ Why This Recipe Is The Best
- Tasty comfort food: This dairy-free version is meaty, savory, tangy, smoky, zippy, and messy. Everything you love about sloppy joes but without the meat and canned sauce. It's so much more flavorful while still being no-fuss.
- Quick and easy: This family-friendly recipe comes together in just 30 minutes! While your bread is toasting and your lentils are cooking, you make your lentil-mushroom filling in a skillet. We use pantry-friendly ingredients that you most likely already have on hand, and it makes for great leftovers!
- Healthy and nutritious: This plant-based meal utilizes lentils and mushrooms to recreate a meaty texture, so it's high in fiber and protein. Additional nutrition is provided from the red pepper, onion, garlic, and spices. And we use maple syrup as a natural sweetener here, so you can dig in and know that you are being good to yourself!
🍄 Ingredient Notes
- French bread - You can also use sourdough or ciabatta bread, as long as it's cut into thick slices (at least ¾").
- Vegetable broth - Using vegetable broth adds much more flavor to this recipe, but you can also use water.
- Green lentils - I call for green lentils in this recipe because they remain much more firm after cooking. However, you can also use red lentils here, but refer to the cooking instructions in the "Tips" section (or follow instructions on package).
- Maple syrup - Honey can be substituted if you don't need this to be a plant-based meal.
- (Vegan-friendly) Worcestershire sauce - Regular Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, but you should be able to find vegan-friendly brands at your local supermarket. You can also make homemade vegan Worcestershire sauce!
- Pickled onions - This is an optional garnish, but I love the tangy crunch they provide here. Make your own quick pickled onions!
🔪 Recipe Instructions
(*See printable instructions in the recipe card below)
Make Texas toast: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and toast for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. (See "Tips" section for using a toaster oven or broiler.)
Prepare lentils: Add liquid and lentils to a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook (covered) for around 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain any remaining liquid and set aside.
Make sloppy joe mixture: While your lentils are cooking, add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 5-6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Toss in diced pepper and mushrooms, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Next, add salt, pepper, tomato sauce, maple syrup, ketchup/tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and paprika, and stir until well combined.
Add cooked lentils to the skillet and mix well. Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat until heated throughout, about 5 minutes.
Assemble: Serve mixture spooned on top of toast and garnished with pickled onions and parsley (if using).
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- Vegetable broth will add more flavor, but you can use water to cook the lentils as well.
- You can also use a toaster oven or broiler to toast your bread. If using a broiler, place under broiler for 3-4 minutes, and watch closely.
- Sourdough or ciabatta will work great if French bread isn't available.
- Use 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke if paprika isn't available.
- Substitute (pre-cooked) canned lentils to make life even easier.
- Make in advance: Make your sloppy joe filling the day before serving and let the flavors mingle in the refrigerator.
- Gluten-free version: Substitute gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (find a brand that doesn't contain barley malt vinegar) and gluten-free bread.
- Use red lentils: Bring water/vegetable broth to a boil, add lentils, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. (Red lentils cook faster than green lentils and are less firm when cooked).
- Storage: If possible, store topping separately from bread to prevent sogginess. Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To reheat: Place sloppy joe filling in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until warm throughout, around 10 minutes.
- How to freeze: Freeze the sloppy joe mixture separate from the toast. Cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Texas toast is simply thick-cut bread that has been toasted in an oven, and is roughly twice as thick as regular sliced bread. It originated in Texas, served as a side accompaniment to hearty dishes like barbeque and fried chicken. You can read about the history of Texas toast in this Eater article.
Garlic bread, on the other hand, is (usually French) bread that has been slathered with garlic and butter, and baked in an oven.
It's a culinary invention that grew out of one Texas restaurant owner's desire to serve thicker bread to his customers. And when he discovered that it was too thick for a toaster, one of his cooks suggested toasting it in the oven. Thus, a new style of bread was created!
You can keep the meal lighter by pairing it with Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic or Harvest Apple Salad, or make it a heartier one by serving it with Roasted Japanese Sweet Potato Fries. Check out my article on 23 Easy Sloppy Joe Side Dishes for more options!
🍅 Related Recipes
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📖 Texas Toast Sloppy Joes (Vegan) Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 thick slices French bread
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup green lentils, well rinsed (see "Tips" section for instructions on using red lentils)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper, diced
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon ketchup or tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons (vegan-friendly) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- pickled onions (optional garnish)
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and toast for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. (See "Tips" section for using a toaster oven or broiler.)
- Meanwhile, add liquid and lentils to a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook (covered) for around 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain any remaining liquid and set aside.
- While your lentils are cooking, add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 5-6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Toss in diced pepper and mushrooms, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Next, add salt, pepper, tomato sauce, maple syrup, ketchup/tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and paprika, and stir until well combined.
- Add cooked lentils to the skillet and mix well. Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat until heated throughout, about 5 minutes.
- Serve mixture spooned on top of toasted bread and garnished with pickled onions and parsley (if using).
Notes
- Vegetable broth will add more flavor, but you can use water to cook the lentils as well.
- You can also use a toaster oven or broiler to toast your bread. If using a broiler, place under broiler for 3-4 minutes, and watch closely.
- Sourdough or ciabatta will work great if French bread isn't available.
- Use 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke if paprika isn't available.
- Substitute (pre-cooked) canned lentils to make life even easier.
- Make in advance: Make your sloppy joe filling the day before serving and let the flavors mingle in the refrigerator.
- Gluten-free version: Substitute gluten-free Worcestershire sauce (find a brand that doesn't contain barley malt vinegar) and gluten-free bread.
- Use red lentils: Bring water/vegetable broth to a boil, add lentils, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. (Red lentils cook faster than green lentils and are less firm when cooked).
- Storage: If possible, store topping separately from bread to prevent sogginess. Store for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To reheat: Place sloppy joe filling in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally until warm throughout, around 10 minutes.
Kristina
As a vegetarian I miss eating sloppy joes, but the lentil and mushroom mixture worked really well! Even my kids commented on them! Can't wait to make this again!
Gastronotherapy
So happy to hear that you and your kids enjoyed them, Kristina! 😀