It’s meatless Monday again guys and this is one of the best ones yet! I hope you like lentils because there are going to be a lot of lentil recipes coming from me this year, I can just feel it.
I really love how the lentils give a rich and meaty texture to this dish, you won't miss the beef one bit - promise! And be sure not to skip the green peppers, they really add to the overall flavour. If all of that doesn't sound good enough, how about the whole recipe coming together in about 30 minutes?!
Lentil Sloppy Joes with dill cabbage crunch and sweet potato wedges
1 can brown lentils (540ml) or 2 ½ cups cooked lentils
2 burger buns
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 green bell pepper
1/6 of a medium cabbage
2 sprigs fresh dill
1 ½ oz hickory BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 ½ oz tomato paste
1 tsp each ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 450F.
Cut the green bell pepper into 1 inch strips. Thinly shred the green cabbage. Roughly Chop the dill. Cut the sweet potatoes into thin ¼ inch wedges. Drain and rinse the brown lentils from the can.
In a medium bowl add the sweet potato, green peppers, and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, toss to coat. On a parchment lined baking sheet, spread the sweet potatoes, skin side down. Add the peppers too. Move the sheet into the oven and roast for 24 to 26 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove sheet from oven.
Meanwhile, in the bowl used for the vegetables, whisk the mayo, white vinegar, and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add green cabbage and dill. Toss to coat. Set aside to marinate.
When there is about 10 minutes left before the vegetables are done start the lentils.
In a large pan, (nonstick, if you have one) add 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Cook for 1 min, stirring constantly, to toast. Add the brown lentils, hickory BBQ sauce and 1/3 cup of warm water. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Separate the buns in two and toast in the oven for 2-3 minutes until crisp.
Spoon lentil sloppy joe mixture onto each bun. Top with the roasted green peppers and a scoop of he dill cabbage salad. Serve with sweet potato wedges and remaining cabbage salad alongside.