National Sloppy Joe Day: Easy Recipe for Meatless Sloppy Joes

I haven't posted a recipe in a while!  I have been in the kitchen this morning making my updated version of a family favorite:  Meatless Sloppy Joes.  My grandma was the queen of 5 ingredient meals.  She only had about 8 spices in her spice cabinet and her sloppy joe recipe used 3 of them!  I took my grandma's original 5-ingredient-hamburger-based-recipe and updated it a little for today's lunch with these Meatless Sloppy Joes.

Ingredients for Meatless Sloppy Joes
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Butter
1 Block Extra Firm Tofu, Dried and Crumbled
1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
1 c. Red and/or Green Peppers, diced (I used both)
4 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms, very finely diced
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 c. Catsup
1/2 c. Water
2 tsp. Lemon Juice

1 Extra tsp. (more or less to taste) Chili Powder 

Pita Pockets or Sandwich Buns

Instructions for my Meatless Sloppy Joes

 

Saute the Vegetables.  In a 10-inch, deep skillet, add the olive oil and butter.  Heat until the butter is melted and the pan is hot--but, not smoking.  Add the tofu, onion, peppers, and mushrooms.  Cook until the onion and peppers are nearly tender.  Add the salt, pepper, 1 tsp. Chili Powder, Garlic powder, and cumin.  Stir to combine and continue to cook until vegetables are tender.

Make the Veggies Sloppy.  Add the catsup, water, and lemon juice.  Combine well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, add one more teaspoon of chili powder (more or less to taste) and simmer  about 20 minutes.

Serve.  I serve these with sweet potato fries and a salad--usually in a pita pocket.  I find that my youngest daughter is far less sloppy with her sandwich mostly contained in the pocket!


Want to make these ahead?  I almost always do.  I actually like to pack up my meatless sloppy joe mixture into an airtight container and store away in the refrigerator--then reheat before serving.  I think the extra time in the seasoning mix helps the tofu and vegetables take on more flavor.  So--if you have the time to prepare the night before, or earlier in the day, it may add a little extra flavor boost!