Simple vegan sloppy joes, a healthier vegan version of the classic dish - made with nutritious chickpeas! Gluten-free, nut-free, low-fat recipe. This recipe is perfect for summer as it doesn't require use of the oven.
1.5cupscooked chickpeas(equal to 1 15 oz. can - rinse and drain), mashed or roughly chopped (I just pulsed them a few times in the blender)
For the chickpea sloppy joes:
caramelized onions(see above)
chickpea sloppy joe filling(see above)
6sandwich buns of choice(I used Ezekiel Sprouted Wheat and the filling was enough for my whole pack of 6)
other toppings of choice(e.g. shredded cabbage or coleslaw; green onions; avocado; lettuce)
Instructions
For the caramelized onions:
Warm the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and stir. Spread out the onions evenly so that they are making as much contact with the pan as possible.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until significantly reduced in size and brown in color. Season to taste with salt.
For the chickpea sloppy joe filling:
Meanwhile, warm the oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the garlic and bell pepper and a pinch of salt, and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the bell pepper has started to release liquid.
Add the diced carrot and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the carrot has softened slightly. Add the spices (paprika through pepper), stir, and cook for another 60 seconds, or until fragrant.
Add the rest of the filling ingredients, plus 2 tbsp of water, and stir. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently simmer for about 20 minutes, while stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded and the carrots are done to your liking.
Season with additional salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
For the chickpea sloppy joes:
For each person who is eating, toast a sandwich bun. Top with about 1/3 cup of filling (depending on how sloppy you want to be...), caramelized onions, and other toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
For gluten-free, use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce and serve on a gluten-free bun. For grain-free, try serving this on a baked potato!To work this dish into a BBQ, try substituting the caramelized onions with grilled onions, and grilling the buns rather than toasting them.