Recipe: Walnut and Cauliflower Sloppy Joes
When you think of vegetarian dinners, you probably don’t think of sloppy joes. But this recipe features a great stand-in for ground meat that packs plenty of protein: a mixture of savory California walnuts and chopped cauliflower. Simmered together in the signature thick, sweet sloppy joe sauce, it’s ready to be spooned into soft hamburger buns and topped with some pickle slices in just a few short minutes for lunch or dinner.
Walnut and Cauliflower Sloppy Joes
To mimic the texture of ground beef, start by finely chopping up some California walnuts and then coarsely chopping some cauliflower. As the walnuts and cauliflower cook together, they soften a bit and get a slightly chewy texture while absorbing all of that tasty sauce.
Skip the Canned Sloppy Joe Sauce
If you have a well-stocked pantry, you can make sloppy joe sauce that’s better than anything that comes in a can. All you have to remember is that it’s a balance of flavors: vegan Worcestershire, ground mustard, and garlic powder for some savory notes; tomato sauce and ketchup for zingy flavors and a saucy texture; and brown sugar for sweetness. Making it is truly as easy as raiding the pantry and refrigerator.
Walnut and Cauliflower Sloppy Joes
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 12 minutes to 16 minutes
Serves4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
small yellow onion
- 1/2
medium red bell pepper
- 1 cup
California walnut halves (4 ounces)
- 1/2 head
cauliflower (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon
vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon
ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon
garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can
tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup
ketchup
- 2 tablespoons
packed dark or light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon
vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 4
hamburger buns
- 12
dill pickle slices
Instructions
Finely chop 1 small onion and 1/2 medium red bell pepper, and place together in a bowl. Finely chop 1 cup walnut halves. Coarsely chop 1/2 head cauliflower (about 1 pound) until it resembles cooked and crumbled ground beef, but not so fine as riced cauliflower.
Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 can tomato sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and the walnuts. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and bubbling, 4 to 6 minutes.
Divide the sloppy joes between 4 hamburger buns and top each sandwich with 3 dill pickle slices.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.