Name: Healthy Sloppy Joes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 yellow onion; 1 celery rib or green onion; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 15-ounce can kidney beans; 1 15-ounce can pinto beans; 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce; 1/2 cup organic ketchup; 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (or this substitute); 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons chili powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Fresh ground pepper; Dash hot sauce

These fast and easy healthy Sloppy Joes are tangy, sweet, and savory all at once! The saucy -two-bean filling is a hit with kids and adults alike.

Looking for a healthy dinner recipe that’s lightening fast and seriously satisfying? These healthy Sloppy Joes are a dinnertime savior around here. And they’re a hit with kids, adults, carnivores, and plant-eaters alike! The two-bean saucy filling is savory, tangy, and a little sweet. The secret? Kidney beans and pinto beans, sauteed onions, ketchup, and a whole bunch of savory spices. Our son Larson cannot get enough of them! Here’s how to make this fast and easy dinner recipe.

Why make these Sloppy Joes?

First of all: why make these healthy Sloppy Joes? If you’re looking to eat more plant-based foods, it’s the perfect way to satisfy a craving for the meat-based version of this comfort food. You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy it: this recipe is a great for eaters of all kinds who want to eat less meat and more plants.

There’s more and more research out about the benefits to your body and the environment of eating less meat. This New York Times article shows the difference in emissions of eating beef versus vegetables (scroll to the info graphic). Check out the impact of beef versus beans. So this one is great for

How to make healthy Sloppy Joes: the basic steps

These two-bean vegan Sloppy Joes are easy to make and come together in just 20 minutes. It’s the perfect easy weeknight dinner. Here are the basic steps for how to make them:

Saute minced onion and celery in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Add pinto beans, kidney beans, ketchup, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Serve on a bun and enjoy!

Make it a meal!

The texture of these healthy Sloppy Joes isn’t quite like the meat version: beans are much different than meat! So you’ll need to prepare your eaters that it’s a different kind of Sloppy Joes: but just as tasty! If you’re looking for a sandwich with more of a meaty texture, try our Vegan Sloppy Joes instead.

For serving with these healthy Sloppy Joes, we suggest whipping up a batch of our easy vinegar coleslaw (pictured) or our best creamy coleslaw recipe. Or, here’s a collection of recipes we think would be fantastic side dish recipes to serve alongside:

More vegan kid friendly recipes

This Sloppy Joes recipe always goes over well with kiddos: we always know it will be a hit. If you’re looking for more vegan kid friendly recipes, head to 10 Top Vegan Recipes for Kids. We share our top 10 vegan recipes for kids like our creamy tomato soup, vegan chocolate chip cookies, and more!

This healthy Sloppy Joes recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy free. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free bun.