Lentil Sloppy Joes
Brown lentils simmered in a thick, tangy-sweet tomato sauce with peppers, onion, and smoked paprika, spooned generously onto buttery toasted buns. Messy, saucy, and deeply savory.
Ingredients
For 4 servings · tick what is ready
Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.
How to make it
Heat the oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper with a pinch of salt and cook 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and chili powder. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, spreading the paste over the pan floor so it fries and darkens.
Add the lentils and stock, scraping up anything stuck to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender and most of the stock is absorbed.
Stir in the tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, and soy sauce. Simmer uncovered 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to mound on a spoon. Mash about a quarter of the lentils against the side of the pan for a meatier body. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, and vinegar.
Butter the cut sides of the buns and toast cut-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until golden. Pile a generous scoop of filling onto each bottom bun, top with pickles, and close. Serve with plenty of napkins.
About this recipe
By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.