Sometimes it’s fun to get sloppy and a little messy when you eat- and these sandwiches definitely fit the bill!  If you aren’t sure what tempeh (pronounced tem-pay) is, check out this post. I’ve seen people crumble up tempeh and use it in tacos and sloppy joes so I thought I would give it a try. Don’t forget you’ll need to steam the tempeh a bit before you crumble it up(see the same post if you want to know why)!

These tempeh sloppy joes are amazing- tempeh is the perfect texture for crumbling up and using in this type of recipe.  If you don’t like tempeh you could just use portabella mushrooms instead.  I really think the meaty-ness of the tempeh fits perfectly with the sauce.  This recipe is perfect for a casual Meatless Monday dinner!

Oh and by the by, any time I make (or think of) sloppy joes I can’t help but sing that Adam Sandler song. (Sloppy joe, slop sloppy joe)

Let’s get sloppy, shall we?

Tempeh Sloppy Joes
makes 6-8 sandwiches
(print this recipe)

Ingredients:
1 package tempeh
1 small onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I like cremini mushrooms)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetarian worcestershire sauce
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
Salt and pepper
Whole wheat burger buns

Directions:
Steam tempeh for about 10 mins- I do it on the stove in a steamer basket.  Let tempeh cool before crumbling.

Over medium-high heat, sauté onion and bell pepper together in a little cooking spray until tender (veggie broth works nicely for sautéing veggies too).

Crumble in the tempeh (it should crumble easily) and add the mushrooms and garlic.  Cook until the mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the tomato paste, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce.  Simmer until sauce is thick.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the mixture onto your burger buns and top with your favorite garnish- I love pickles on sloppy joes!  I also like to serve these with sweet potato fries.

mmmmmm…….

Hope you had a great Meatless Monday!!