One of the very first recipes I tried from Dr. McDougal’s Quick & Easy Cookbook, so many years ago, was his recipe for Black Bean Sloppy Joes.
I always loved sloppy joes when I was a kid growing up. And still did as a young SAD eater pushing a can of Manwich in my shopping cart. There was just something about that meaty, tomatoey, sloppy glob of goodness on a bun (especially with a spread of Cheese Whiz) that tasted so good.
Cheese Whiz ……. yes really.
Thank goodness I’m a Vegan now….
And thank goodness Dr McDougall, or probably more like his wife Mary, posted this awesome recipe in his cookbook. It’s on page 134 if you want to look it up.
In this version of Black Bean Sloppy Joes – fresh onions, bell peppers, black beans, and tomato sauce come together in a fresher, healthier, version of my favorite sandwich, without the meat, and without the high fructose corn syrup in that can of ‘stuff’ from the grocery store.
Black Bean Sloppy Joes
Start by chopping up about half of a large onion, half of a green bell pepper, and half of a red bell pepper. Throw in some garlic and sauté everything in a few tablespoons of water or veggie broth until soft.
In a separate pan – and I use a pan as it has a nice flat bottom, smash up your black beans. Drain and rinse them first and then pick out your favorite smasher.
The idea here is to smash, but leave some big chunks. We’re not making refried beans here – so don’t go too Hulk on us and smash them to paste…
Add the beans to the softened veggies and add your tomato sauce. I also added some tomato paste to make it just a bit thicker and richer in flavor.
Add the rest of your spices and stir to combine.
Taste test often, you might like a bit more sweetness, or a bit more spiciness – so feel free to adjust.
This is not an EXACT duplicate of Dr. McDougall’s recipe – I adjusted it to my particular taste. Feel free to do the same.
These black bean sloppy joes are amazing on a bun, or some homemade baked bread. But you might just want to use it as a topper for a baked potato, or some rice.
It’s pretty versatile – so enjoy.
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 6
- ½ large onion - diced
- ½ green and red bell pepper - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 15oz can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8oz can tomato sauce
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp prepared mustard
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp low sodium soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- Saute onion & peppers in few tablespoons of water or veg broth
- Smash up beans into chunks and add to veggie pot
- Add tomato sauce and paste and stir to combine
- Add spices, adjusting to taste as necessary
- Serve on buns, toast, potatoes, rice, or pasta
Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a jar of Cheese Whiz? {shudder}