Recipe: Vegan Sloppy Joes

My finished Sloppy Joe, which is comprised of a homemade sauce mixed with Neat Meat Replacement's Original flavor. 

When I was younger, Sloppy Joes were a favorite meal in my household. My mom would buy a can of Manwich sauce and mix that with some cooked ground beef. As a sandwich, the mixture was sweet, tangy, and messy -- everything a kid loves.

I just saw a commercial on TV for the Manwich sauce, and I thought about making my family some Sloppy Joes for dinner. I made a sauce from ingredients I had around the house, and I used Neat Original Mix as the protein base (It's a product that's gluten-free and soy-free, and it can be prepared vegan-style by using an egg substitute, such as Ener-G).

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Sauce Ingredients: (You can double the recipe if you like your sandwiches extra saucy)

• ¼ c water
• ½ c organic ketchup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sriracha (I used Sky Valley Organic Sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (from spice aisle)
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside. Prepare the Original Neat Mix per the directions, and when the Neat is finished cooking (it will resemble ground-beef crumbles), turn off the stove and stir in the Sloppy Joe sauce. Serve on toast or buns. I didn't have any veggies around, but you can add some diced bell peppers, carrots, and/or celery that you sauteed separately in another pan. 

A closeup of the Neat mixture after it's been cooked and just after I stirred in the Sloppy Joe sauce. 

It's best to add the sauce to the Neat mixture at the very end so the Neat holds its form and texture, which is important if you want an authentic Sloppy Joe.