Exactly a decade ago, a fast and flavorful recipe for vegan sloppy joes was shared with us by Nasoya. It’s a super-easy recipe that I was inspired to pull from our archives last week. And I’m happy to report that it’s not only quick, but delicious too.
I would be lying if I said that these vegan sloppy joes tasted just like the meaty versions. But that doesn’t change the fact that they’re pretty darn good. The flavor is mild and family-friendly, but hearty and satisfying. And the cost per meal came out to only about $1 per person!
I didn’t feel like a big hamburger bun, so I served these vegan sloppy joes open-faced on toasted whole grain English muffin halves (from Trader Joe’s). You can eat them by hand, or with a knife and fork if you aren’t into the sloppy style.
Special Diet Notes: Easy Vegan Sloppy Joes
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.
- 1 14- to 16-ounce package organic firm or extra-firm tofu, well-drained and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari (for gluten free)
- 2 cups canned tomato sauce (I used Trader Joe's)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 to 6 dairy-free hamburger buns or English muffins, toasted (gluten free, if needed)
- Water, if needed
- Salt, to taste (optional)
- Black pepper, to taste
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic (if using) and sauté for 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the crumbled tofu and soy sauce or tamari, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the tofu starts to brown.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, and cumin powder. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should be quite thick, but if it's too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach your desired consistency.
- Season to taste with salt (I usually add about ⅛ teaspoon) and black pepper.
- Serve hot over toasted hamburger buns or English muffins.
28 Comments
Awesome recipe, Alisa! Cannot wait to give it a try!