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Crockpot Vegan Sloppy Joe Jackfruit

Crockpot Vegan Sloppy Joe Jackfruit

Sloppy Joes are one of those childhood comfort foods that feel completely off-limits the moment you go plant-based. Messy, saucy, sweet-and-savory the whole experience seems tied to ground beef. Spoiler: it absolutely is not. This crockpot vegan sloppy joe jackfruit recipe replaces the meat with a combination of brown lentils, quinoa, mushrooms, and carrots that mimics the texture and heartiness of the original so convincingly that you'll forget you're eating something entirely plant-based. Five minutes of prep, three hours in the slow cooker, and you land on the kind of deeply saucy, flavor-packed filling that makes a complete mess of your bun and absolutely nobody minds. Six generous servings, 319 calories each, and zero compromise on satisfaction.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: crockpot, DINNER, healthy dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 319
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup finely chopped carrots
  • 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
  • 1 cup finely chopped onions
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1½ cups brown lentils
  • ½ cup quinoa
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • ½ cup organic ketchup agave-sweetened works great
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce
  • 2 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Pinch of salt and black pepper
  • 3 –4 cups vegetable broth

Equipment

  • The list is refreshingly short:
  • Slow cooker / crockpot -a 4-quart or larger model works perfectly for this volume
  • Knife and cutting board - for finely chopping the carrots, mushrooms, and onions
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon or spatula - for stirring before the lid goes on
  • Food processor (optional- speeds up the vegetable chopping dramatically if you own one
  • That's genuinely it. No browning, no sautéing, no pre-cooking required everything goes straight into the slow cooker raw and transforms over three hours into something that tastes like it took considerably more effort. This is one of those rare recipes where the simplicity of the method and the quality of the result feel completely disconnected from each other in the best possible way.

Method
 

  1. Add everything to the slow cooker. Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth, then add all remaining ingredients. Give everything a thorough stir to combine.
  2. Cook. Cover and set to high for 2–3 hours or low for 4–6 hours. Check periodically and add more broth if the mixture looks too thick or dry up to that fourth cup as needed.
  3. Check for doneness. The lentils should be fully tender and the quinoa should be cooked through. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning more hot sauce for heat, more maple syrup for sweetness, more mustard for tang.
  4. Serve warm. Pile generously onto buns, biscuits, or scoop into spaghetti squash halves. Top with whatever you like and serve immediately.

Notes

Nutrition Per Serving (Without Bun)

One of six servings delivers:
  • Calories: 319 kcal
  • Protein: 18g
  • Carbohydrates: 60g
  • Dietary Fiber: 19g
  • Fat: 2g (Saturated Fat: 0.3g)
  • Sugar: 14g
  • Sodium: 573mg
  • Potassium: 931mg
  • Vitamin A: 4,422 IU
  • Vitamin C: 13mg
  • Iron: 5mg
  • Calcium: 73mg