Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes

These vegetarian Lentil Sloppy Joes are made in the Instant Pot with just a few simple and inexpensive ingredients. Freezer-friendly and kid-friendly, these sandwiches are the perfect healthy comfort food. 

I'm excited to share this Instant Pot lentil sloppy joe recipe with you because it's a recipe that I've been making for years!

Did everyone receive sloppy joes for school lunch as a kid? I was never a fan of the original sloppy joe, so I took that as a challenge to make a vegan instant pot sloppy joes that would taste better than the real thing.

These lentil sloppy joes are the grown-up, healthier version of that long-gone cafeteria sandwich. They have all of the same flavor but are meatless and 100% vegan!

Why this recipe works

• Easy: Lentil sloppy joes require just 10 minutes of active cooking time. The rest of the cooking time is up to the Instant Pot!
• Tastes just like sloppy joes: These meatless sandwiches are tangy and packed with that classic sweet sloppy joe flavor, just without the meat.
• Budget-friendly: This recipe uses inexpensive and simple plant-based pantry staples like BBQ sauce and lentils.
• Healthy: Lentils are packed with fiber, plant-based protein, and iron, making this a satisfying and nutritious recipe.
• Dietary-features: vegan, gluten-free (just use GF BBQ sauce), soy-free, nut-free

Ingredients

• Lentils: Use brown lentils. Green lentils do work but will take an extra 2-3 minutes to cook. Red and orange lentils do not work for sloppy joes because they cook much more quickly and are better in recipes like lentil curry.
• Ketchup and mustard are two must-use pantry staples that contribute to the backbone of sloppy joe flavor. For this grown-up version of sloppy joes, I like to use Dijon mustard or whole seed mustard, depending on what I have on hand. Regular mustard does work if that's what you have on hand.
• Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness that balances out acidity from the ketchup and mustard.
• BBQ sauce: I recommend using a ketchup-based sweet barbecue sauce.
• Vegetable broth: If you don't have vegetable broth, you can use water.

Step by step instructions

Time-saving tip: The onions and carrots don't have to be sauteed. Sauteing them deepens their flavor, but you can save time by skipping this step and just adding all of the sloppy joe ingredients to the Instant Pot at once.

Start by pressing the "saute" function on your Instant Pot. Once it reads "hot" add the olive oil.

Add diced onion and carrot and saute until softened, about 6 minutes. Next, add the garlic and saute a minute more, until aromatic. 

Add in all remaining ingredients except for the BBQ sauce. Lock the lid in place. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build up and 15 minutes for it to release naturally. All in all, it should take about 40 minutes for the pot to come to pressure, cook, then release pressure.

Unlock the lid and test a few lentils. If they are soft, stir in the BBQ sauce.

If the lentils need more time in the Instant Pot, simply return the lid and cook them on high pressure for another 2 minutes. Do a quick pressure release. Repeat as needed.

Storage and freezing

• Storage: Store leftover lentils in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat individual servings in a microwave-safe container in just about 2 minutes. Or reheat an entire recipe on the stove over medium heat, stirring until heated through.
• Freezing instructions: Let the lentil sloppy joe filling cool to room temperature before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge before using or heat up in the microwave or stove for quick use.  

Serving ideas

When I was a kid I ate sloppy joes with nothing other than a burger bun, but that feels like a missed opportunity for a variety of delicious and nutritious toppings.

Here are a few topping ideas if you're craving a more balanced meal:

• Sliced onions, pickled onions, or even caramelized onions
• Romaine lettuce, spinach, or arugula
• Pickles
• Avocado for healthy fats
• Coleslaw

This lentil filling is also delicious on baked potatoes!

Serve with a side of instant pot kale or an arugula salad for an extra serving of vegetables.

For a classic comfort food meal, enjoy sloppy joe sandwiches with a side of chips and vegan french onion dip.

Looking for more vegan Instant Pot recipes?

Looking for a stovetop version? These vegan lentil sloppy joes are the exact same recipe, just made on the stovetop instead of the Instant Pot!

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📖 Recipe

Author's note: This recipe was originally shared in February 2019. It was updated March 2022 with new photos and additional tips. The recipe is the same.