(Vegan) Mushroom and Eggplant Sloppy Joes

Did your mom ever make you sloppy joes growing up?
If so, welcome to the club.
If not, I’m sorry, you poor thing. Sloppy joes are awesome.
When I was in high school I would return home from sports practice starving and I’d eat two open-faced sloppy joes with a side of lettuce. Yum.
My diet has changed since then and nowadays I rarely make sloppy joes — although, wouldn't you know, I have a pretty solid healthier recipe for it.

But today I’m going to share with you a vegan recipe for sloppy joes that includes mushrooms, red bell peppers, and eggplant. Delicious.
These Mushroom and Eggplant Sloppy Joes come together in less than an hour, but your family will feel you spent the whole day in the kitchen just for them.
Though the ingredient list is pretty long, I’m sure you have most (if not all) of them in the pantry already. Except probably for the vegan-friendly Worcestershire sauce. But if you don’t want to make it vegan, just use regular Worcestershire sauce. It will be vegetarian, still awesome nonetheless.

Chock full of vegetables and spices, with these (Vegetarian) Mushroom and Eggplant Sloppy Joes you'll surely enrich your health with a flood of healing nutrients.
All-in-all, a perfect make-ahead healthy meatless dinner that your whole family will love.
It’s so great that I’m sure it’ll become a weeknight staple in your home.

(Vegan) Mushroom and Eggplant Sloppy Joes                                                                           Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 6

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 lb / 453 gr cremini (or white button) mushrooms, finely diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup water (use beer or white wine for a grown-up version)
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 15 oz / 425 gr can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire Sauce such as Annie’s (use regular Worcestershire sauce if you don’t care about the vegan thing)
Your favorite buns for serving

*chili powders vary from country to country, I recommend using one that is fairly mild and increase if necessary.

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 6 minutes until translucent.
Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add red bell pepper, mushrooms, and eggplant and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every so often until the vegetables cook down, soften, and the moisture has evaporated.
Add salt and pepper and give a good stir.
Add tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika and cook for 1 minute stirring.
Add water, vinegar, crushed tomatoes, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer.
Once simmering, lower heat to a minimum, partially cover with a lid, and continue cooking by simmering for 30 to 35 until the moisture has boiled off and the mixture reaches that classic sloppy joes thick, stewy consistency.
Take a taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve on your favorite bun.

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 231 calories, 8 grams of fat, 33 grams of carbs, and 10 grams of fat.