This vegan Sloppy Joe recipe with Roasted Portobello Mushrooms is a healthy alternative to everyone’s favourite childhood comfort food.
I don’t know about your childhood comfort staples but for me, it was all about sloppy joes. I think my love affair with sloppy joes started with my mother’s love for stress-free weeknight dinners (hello MANWICH), and only grew with the crazy cafeteria lady from Billy Madison (c’mon, I know you know that scene). But fast forward to today, and I’m still totally enamoured by sloppy joes.
I mean who doesn’t like the idea of tucking into a massive sloppy sandwich filled with saucy meaty sweet-savoury goodness? Now, you all know I’m not strictly plant-based, but I do try to incorporate a few meatless meals into my diet every week. And if it means I can still indulge in my favourite comfort foods, then SIGN ME UP. Say hello to this AH-MAZ-ING vegan sloppy joe recipe – aka your new plant-based staple meal.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This vegan sloppy joe recipe is perfect for anyone who is trying to eat a little more plant-based but doesn’t want to sacrifice their favs (I hear ya!). Here are a few more reasons why this recipe is a total winner!
- Plant-based
- High protein (24 grams per serving)
- High fibre (10 grams per serving)
- Veggie packed
- Family friendly
- Comforting and nostalgic AF
Key Ingredients
Veggie Ground “Meat” – Instead of the traditional ground beef, we are using some veggie ground “meat” as a substitute to make this vegan sloppy joe. I personally love to use the Yves veggie ground round, but you can use whatever imitation veggie meat you can find at your local grocery store.
Mushrooms – We are using two kinds of mushrooms to make these vegan sloppy joes and that includes – cremini and portobello. The portobello mushroom caps will serve as a sort of bun for the filling, while the cremini mushroom adds an amazing texture to the sloppy joe mixture.
Veggies – When I make my recipes plant-based, I make sure to do it right by loading up on veggies! In this case, we are adding carrots, red pepper, and onion to the sloppy joe filling.
Sauce – No good sloppy joe is made without a delicious sweet tomatoey sauce. To achieve this we combine maple syrup, HP sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. So. Fricking. Delish.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Pulse cremini mushrooms in a food processor to reach a ground meat consistency.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add in the onion, and carrots, and cook until the onion and carrots has softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and saute until softened, about 4 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the tomato paste and stir until fragrant, then add in the HP sauce, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar and maple syrup. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5-7 minutes.
Step 4: Right before serving, stir in the veggie meat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step 5: Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Brush the mushroom caps with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the caps on a baking tray and broil until it soft, about 5-7 minutes, turning once half way through.
Step 6: When ready to serve, place the mushroom cap top side down on the bottom bun. Fill the cavity with lots of the sloppy joe mix then finish with the top bun. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Okay so there are a few different ways to make this vegan sloppy joe recipe.
One: Use just mushrooms, but I prefer to mix mushrooms into meat so they don’t just fall apart.
Two: Go the bean route (i.e. lentils), which is awesome, but doesn’t really have the same texture as meat.
Three: Use veggie ground meat (which is arguably the best option out all three).
So if for whatever reason you can’t find any veggie ground meat are your local grocery store, these vegan sloppy joes are super flexible as you can substitute either mushrooms or lentils for the “meat” instead.
Recipe FAQs
If you want to make this recipe gluten-free you can use gluten-free buns. Also, make sure to check the labels of whatever veggie meat you use to ensure that it is totally gluten-free.
I love to make things super easy and serve with a beautiful side salad. This vegan sloppy joe recipe is also perfect to enjoy in the summer time so they would pair deliciously with a side of roasted veggies on the bbq. Yum!
You can make this low carb by swapping out the buns for some lettuce “buns”. Otherwise, you can use the portobello mushroom caps as the buns instead but you’ll have to let them cool down before using.
Totally! What kid doesn’t like a sloppy joe?! I would suggest holding back on the jalapeno though so that it is not too spicy for your little one.
The sloppy joe mixture should keep in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
More Recipes You Might Like
If you are into these vegan sloppy joes, then you are definitely going to want to check out these sandwich and wrap recipes on the blog!
- Everything Bagel Sandwich with Avocado
- Avocado Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Moroccan Chickpea Salad Wrap
- Collard Green Wraps (3 Ways!)
I want to know – what are some of your childhood favourite recipes? Let me know in the comments!
Vegan Sloppy Joes with Roasted Portobello Mushroom
Ingredients
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onion minced
- 1 carrot finely minced
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 red bell pepper minced
- 1 jalapeno seeds and veins removed, finely minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tbsp HP Sauce
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 340 g package of veggie ground "meat"
- Salt and pepper to taste
Mushrooms & Assembly:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 portobello mushrooms scrubbed clean
- 4 whole grain buns
Instructions
- Pulse cremini mushrooms in a food processor to reach a ground meat consistency.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add in the onion, and carrots, and cook until the onion and carrots has softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and saute until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and stir until fragrant, then add in the HP sauce, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar and maple syrup. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Right before serving, stir in the veggie meat and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Brush the mushroom caps with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the caps on a baking tray and broil until it soft, about 5-7 minutes, turning once half way through.
- When ready to serve, place the mushroom cap top side down on the bottom bun. Fill the cavity with lots of the sloppy joe mix then finish with the top bun. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
RLSCM says
Thank you for this very yummy and simple to prepare recipe. The whole family loved these. Both my boys ate seconds and asked for thirds. That’s definitely a winner in our home. Good thing I doubled the recipe so that we could have leftovers the next day!
Abbey Sharp says
Aw so glad you and your family loved it! Thanks so much 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks for including my recipe! All these recipes look awesome!
Rob says
MANWICH! I haven’t bought that for decades! That was a weekly staple in my early 20s.
In step #1 you mention the Veggie Ground browning but you don’t appear to add it until the end of step #2. Should it be added at the beginning or wait until the end?
Abbey Sharp says
hey Rob, so sorry about that- I tried it both ways hence the confusion in the steps. It shouldn’t be added until step 2- it actually doesnt need to be browned. Thanks so much!
Mikki says
Well, I’ve seen a lot of different veggies sloppy Joe’s and this one looks really good. May have to see if I can find that veggie ground round around somewhere.
Abbey Sharp says
oh yes you should be able to find it
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
YUM! I never liked sloppy joes as a kid but this a version I can totally get behind. Looks wonderful.
Abbey Sharp says
thank you!!
Emily @Sinful Nutrition says
These looks AH-MAZING! I’m trying to eat more plant-based meals, so this will be making an appearance soon!
Abbey Sharp says
enjoy girl
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says
i love the idea of mixing the meat substitute with mushroom, looks really good and hearty!
Abbey Sharp says
yes!! so simple too
Chrissy says
These look great. I’d love to find a super healthy version of sloppy joes. Unfortunately, the vegan version would never fly in my house. That roll looks great, too.
Abbey Sharp says
give it a try!
Sarah says
Sloppy Joe’s were never something I liked for some reason but these look good! Pinning for later.
Abbey Sharp says
enjoy it!
Tara @ A DAILY DOSE OF FIT says
I haven’t had Sloppy Joe’s in forever! Thanks for the delicious reminder!
Abbey Sharp says
love them!
GiGi Eats says
Portobello Mushrooms have SO MANY USES!!! I friggin’ love those guys – and they’re the ONLY mushrooms I like!
Abbey Sharp says
theyre amazing!!
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says
I love to make veggie sloppy joes too and have not tried the Yves brand yet. I usually use lentils and mushrooms. Looks good!
Abbey Sharp says
great combo too
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
My husband looooves mushrooms and I’m the crazy vegetarian that doesn’t really like them… EXCEPT for portobellos! And I think the crimini ground up would be good! I kind of like those! I’m definitely going to have to try this 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
enjoy!!
Kerri McGrail says
I love using mushrooms in place of meals where meat is traditionally present! It really does create a great copycat texture 🙂
Abbey Sharp says
i totally agree
Chrissy @ Snacking in Sneakers says
I was JUST looking for a good vegan sloppy joe recipe the other day! Can’t wait to try this. We didn’t really have them much as kids though – our standards growing up were chicken and rice or spaghetti and meatballs.
Abbey Sharp says
always love some spaghetti and meatballs