Description
Hearty chickpea sloppy joes bring bold southwestern comfort to weeknight dinners with minimal effort. Protein-packed legumes mingle with zesty spices, creating a satisfying plant-based meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 4 hamburger buns, toasted
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Condiments:
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Sliced pickles
- Coleslaw
- Red onion
- Vegan cheese
Instructions
- Warm a skillet with olive oil over medium flame, then sauté chopped onions and bell peppers until they become translucent and tender, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic to the vegetable mixture and allow it to release its aromatic essence for roughly 60 seconds.
- Gently crush the chickpeas using a fork or potato masher, maintaining some textural chunks for a rustic consistency.
- Pour in tomato sauce, ketchup, tomato paste, maple syrup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and chili powder, thoroughly incorporating all ingredients to create a robust sauce.
- Reduce heat and let the mixture gently simmer, stirring periodically, enabling the sauce to thicken and ingredients to harmonize their flavors, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to ensure a perfectly balanced profile.
- Generously ladle the spiced chickpea mixture onto toasted buns, allowing the warm filling to cascade slightly over the edges.
- Customize with preferred garnishes and serve immediately while the sloppy joes are piping hot.
Notes
- Swap out potato masher for food processor to achieve desired chickpea texture quickly and evenly without manual mashing effort.
- Choose whole wheat or gluten-free buns to accommodate different dietary preferences and nutritional needs.
- Adjust spice levels by increasing or decreasing chili powder for mild or extra-hot sloppy joe experience.
- Add extra protein by incorporating crumbled tempeh or plant-based ground meat alternative for more substantial vegetarian version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg