Do you ever wish there were more alternative yet convenient ways to prepare and enjoy sloppy Joes? Next to altering your preferred cooking method, you may want to change up this classic meal’s list of predictable ingredients. Luckily, when it comes to reforming your traditional recipe, you have options. If you don’t want to take sloppy Joes to the next level with one spicy meat swap like chorizo, swap out the meat entirely for a can of baked beans.
While sloppy Joes are typically defined as ground beef smothered in a rich tomato-based sauce, canned baked beans are made with similar ingredients. Most shelf-stable baked beans are composed of navy beans, tomato sauce, vinegar, and mustard, and often include sweeteners like sugar and molasses. This is quite similar to many recipes for homestyle sloppy Joes, which include extras like brown sugar, yellow mustard, and select seasonings.
To successfully use baked beans in your next round of sloppy Joes, toast your preferred bread or bun of choice in the oven or toaster and heat the baked beans over the stove or in your microwave. Then, all you need to do is spoon the beans onto your bread and enjoy.
You can also serve these savory beans atop a hot, mashed baked potato, over rice, or alongside a plate of buttery noodles. Once you realize how convenient it is to make vegetarian sloppy Joes, you can easily enhance this meal with a variety of extra ingredients.
Tasty ways to upgrade vegetarian sloppy Joes
To take this simple meal to the next level, doctor up canned baked beans with powerhouse ingredients like barbecue or adobo sauce and sauteed vegetables, like onions and bell peppers. You can also add more flavor to baked beans by adjusting the primary ingredients. An extra pinch of garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste go a long way. Conversely, temper the richness of sloppy Joes with a simple addition like sliced dill pickles, sauerkraut, or pickled red onion.
While using canned baked beans to make vegetarian sloppy Joes is easy and simple, you can also make homemade baked beans and tailor the recipe to mirror the richness of sloppy Joes from the start. You can also use a different form of protein to make this alternative meal.
Instead of canned baked beans, use lentils or quinoa. However, make sure to cook these hearty alternatives separately as you simultaneously build your tomato sauce before combining all ingredients. For another tasty protein-rich alternative, you can also make vegetarian sloppy Joes with firm tofu.
Unlike lentils and quinoa, tofu sloppy Joes begin with a sauteed base of onions, garlic, mushrooms, and shredded firm tofu. For added texture, include an unconventional ingredient like toasted walnuts. While there are numerous ways to make veggie-based sloppy Joes, sweet and savory baked beans from a can are sure to please when you want the quickest option available.
