Vegan Sloppy Joes

Ginny McMeans

Published:

May 28, 2018

Last Modified:

November 22, 2025

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Saucy, savory, and oh-so-satisfying, my vegan sloppy joes are one serious meal! Chunky mushrooms and meaty TVP give these sammies a hearty texture, while my easy, 5-ingredient homemade sloppy joe sauce brings all the flavor.

three vegan sloppy joes on a serving board ready to eat

When creating this recipe I went back and forth on what to use as a meaty base. There are lentil sloppy joes, setian based mixtures, some recipes are made using from chunky mushrooms and veggies, and of course–store bought vegan ground beef is always an option.

After comparing all of the options, I settled on a combo approach. I found that cooking crumbled vegan textured vegetable protein (TVP) together with finely diced mushrooms creates the most perfect meaty, chunky, savory base for my plant based version of this classic meal.

Then, I decided to take it one step further, bringing my Homemade TVP Bacon Bits to the party by mixing them right into the sloppy joe mixture. It takes these vegan sandwiches to a whole other level! And don’t worry, my Vegan Bacon Bits are quick to make and you can do it ahead of time.

Because of it’s ‘sloppiness’, I consider this one a good ‘at home’ sandwich. It’s a little too hard to pack. Don’t hesitate to carry it out to the backyard though! I’m all about eating al fresco, especially when beautiful warmer days roll back around.

Make a pot full for an easy lunch or dinner and you can even freeze the leftovers for a quick lunch–which I have done many times. Love em!

Ingredient Notes

labeled ingredients needed to make vegan sloppy joes

Olive oil – Olive oil is my go-to for this recipe, but you can use any favorite cooking oil such as avocado or coconut oil.
Onion – You can use any onion you like. I usually reach for white or yellow onion but any onion will work here. If you have part of an onion lying around the fridge–by all means, use that up here!
Mushrooms – Use either white button mushrooms or baby bella (cremini) mushrooms.
Textured vegetable protein – A plant based protein made from soy with a crumbly texture that makes it an excellent replacement for ground meat in almost any vegan recipe.
Vegetable broth – Make sure to choose a flavorful and delicious vegetable broth or stock as it will give a deeper, more savory flavor to your plant-based sloppy joes.
Tomato sauce – We’re going to be adding sugar to our sloppy joe sauce so I advise choosing a tomato sauce that is plain and without added sugars already in it. You can definitely use homemade sauce if you have it.
Coconut sugar – Sweet and caramelly, a bit of coconut sugar is perfect for balancing out tangy tomato sauce. You can also use raw sugar or organic brown sugar, but stay away from refined white sugar as it is not vegan-friendly due to processing.
Red wine vinegar – It might seem funny to be adding acidity back into your sauce after balancing it out with sugar, but it’s a different type of acidity that makes all the difference! Red wine vinegar adds a complex flavor that brightens and intensifies the tomato flavor.
Organic ketchup – Choose organic ketchup to ensure it is vegan. This is the ingredient that will take your sauce from regular tomato sauce to BBQ sauce territory!
Vegan Worcestershire sauce – Traditional worcestershire sauce contains anchovies so make sure to pick up a vegan version.
Vegan TVP bacon bits – My secret ingredient for these amazing sloppy joes! Check out the recipe for my homemade vegan bacon bits and make a big batch because you will certainly want to use them in more ways than mixing them into your sloppy joe recipe!
Burger buns – Pick up a bag of your favorite soft and squishy hamburger buns. In my house, it’s sesame seeded buns all the way!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Heat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and mushrooms and stir to coat in the oil.
Sauté. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. At this point we’re looking for the mushrooms to have released some of their moisture, and the onions should be softened and translucent.
Add TVP and cook. Add in the crumbled TVP and vegetable broth. Stir and cook for about 5 more minutes, until the vegetable broth is absorbed.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Add tomato sauce, coconut sugar, red wine vinegar, ketchup, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and vegan TVP bacon. Stir until evenly mixed. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. The mixture will thicken up slightly as it sits.

Finish and serve! Slice the burger buns in half and pile the bottoms high with your vegan sloppy joe mixture! Replace the tops and enjoy–with a stack of napkins!–ASAP.

Watch Us Make Vegan Sloppy Joes

Tips From Ligia

For (somewhat) less sloppy sandwich building experience:

Use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to pile and portion the filling on top of the burger buns. This will help you get the filling higher and centered on the bun as opposed to sprawling out the sides.

How To Store

Refrigerating I recommend storing your leftover sloppy joe filling separately from the buns to prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy in the fridge. Simply allow your sloppy joe mixture to cool briefly, then pack it into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezing The texture of the filling may change slightly if frozen, but it is still a good option if you find yourself with a lot of leftovers! Pack it into a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag. It will keep frozen for up to 3 months.

Thawing Transfer to the fridge the night before you plan to use it. If you have frozen your sloppy joe mixture in a plastic bag, I recommend placing the entire thing on a plate or dish as it defrosts in the fridge in case of leaks!

Reheating Reheat the mixture in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water or vegetable broth if needed. I find that my sloppy joe filling usually gets too thick in the fridge, and I like to add liquid to get it nice and saucy again.