Move over Sloppy Joes, there a new Joseppi in town! This Pizza Sloppy Joes Under Bun dish is crazy delicious, ultra-comforting, and totally drool-worthy! Tasty lentils, nutritious navy beans, hearty mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, and briny black olives are bathed in a flavorful pizza sauce goodness, then topped with an amazing free-formed bun-like crust that will have the whole family running to the table for seconds.

Whole Food Plant Based, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, gluten free, no highly processed ingredients.

Hi there, Ameera here!

As most of you know we are a Celiac family so finding Whole Food Plant Based buns that are also gluten free is nearly impossible, so we decided if we can’t find a bun, we will just make one in a casserole style and boy-o-boy are we glad we did.

Mom and I have been playing around with this recipe off and on for several months now. We kept tweaking the recipe taking it from yummy to scrumptious. Dad devoured them like crazy  LOL.

Sloppy Joes Casserole Tips

This sloppy joe recipe boasts delicious pizza sauciness with a lovely bun-like topping.  One key to success is to not attempt to spread the bun dough as it will push it down into the sloppy joe mixture, which you do not want to do.

Simply spoon it gently over top of the mixture in random spoonfuls. The dough will rise and all kind of run together into a nice bun-like topping.

If you try to spread it out, it will get pushed downward into the pizza sauce mixture and then the bun-like dough won’t bake properly, and you will have some random gooey parts, which is not what we want.

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.

Versatility

The beauty of this dish is that it is so versatile, you don’t have to make the bun topping at all.  You can totally make this dish without it and just do a stove-top version.

• Burger buns/open-faced sandwiches (cut back on the veggie broth from ¾ cup to ¼ cup so they hold up better)
• Over pasta
• Over baked potatoes
• Over oven oil-free fried potatoes
• Over mashed potatoes

I’ll let Mom tell you more about these yummy Pizza Sloppy Joes!

Hi!  Robin here.

I love this casserole. TP109 loved it too!  Every time he eats a casserole, he feels the need to announce that casseroles are his favorite!  Not sure why he has to tell us …every…single…time, but I am guessing he doesn’t want us to forget that he loves casseroles! What I find comical is that Michael doesn’t even know what a casserole is. LOL Probably because he didn’t grow up using that term. Two ends of the spectrum in this house.

If you are looking for an amazing, yet unusual sloppy joe recipe, then this one will do the trick.  It’s everything you could ever want, filling, satisfying, and delicious too!

We hope you give this recipe a try! If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!  We would love to hear from you.

Products Used:

• Large ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven/skillet or similarly large stock pot
• 9 x 13 baking pan

Pizza Sloppy Joes Under Bun

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 42 Minutes
• Cook Time: 20-30 Minutes
• Total Time: 62 Minutes
• Yield: 5-6 Servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop, Oven
• Cuisine: Italian, American

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Description

Move over Sloppy Joes, there a new Joseppi in town! This Pizza Sloppy Joes Under Bun dish is crazy delicious, ultra-comforting, and totally drool-worthy! Tasty lentils, nutritious navy beans, hearty mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, and briny black olives are bathed in a flavorful pizza sauce goodness, then topped with an amazing free-formed bun-like crust that will have the whole family running to the table for seconds.

Whole Food Plant Based, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, gluten free, no highly processed ingredients.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pizza Sloppy Joe Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow onion, fine dice
• 1 cup red bell pepper, fine dice
• 1 cup button mushrooms, diced *
• 1 Tablespoon tamari *
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• ¾ cup vegetable broth *
• 2 cups pizza sauce *
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] navy beans, drained and rinsed *
• 1 – [ 14 oz. can ] brown lentils, drained and rinsed *
• ½ cup sliced black olives (optional)

Spices/Herbs Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon dried crushed fennel
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (+/-)

Dry Bun Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour, lightly packed
• ½ cup brown rice flour
• ¼ cup potato starch
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon flax meal
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

Wet Bun Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup unsweetened plain plant milk
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Tablespoon tahini

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Instructions

Pizza Sloppy Joe Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. In a large ceramic/enamel-lined Dutch oven, skillet or similar stock pot, add the finely diced onions, red bell peppers, mushrooms and tamari; sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes.Add a tablespoon or so of water if they start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
3. Add the minced garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds,
4. Then add all the remaining Pizza Sloppy Joe Ingredients, stir to mix well, simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, taste test, ramp up the flavor if needed, then remove from the stove, then set aside while making the bun topping.

Bun Topping Instructions:

1. Place 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into ½ cup plant milk, stir set aside.
2. Add all the Bun Dry Ingredients into a mixing bowl, whisk to combine, then add all the Wet Bun Ingredients to the bowl (including the milk/vinegar mix), stir well to combine.

Assembly Instructions:

1. Place the Sloppy Joe Mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish or large oven-proof skillet, using a tablespoon carefully dollop the Bun Topping Mixture over the top of the Pizza Sloppy Joes, do not press it down or smooth it out. Again, try not to press Bun Topping Mixture into the Pizza Sloppy Joe as it pushes the bun mixture into the sloppy joe mixture.  The bun mixture should float on top. This ensure a perfectly baking bun.  See recipe notes.
2. Bake in a preheated oven for 400 F for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a bun comes out clean. See recipes notes on baking times. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.

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Notes

Versatility: 

The beauty of this dish is that it is so versatile, you don’t have to make the bun topping. You can totally make this dish without it, and just do a stove-top version.

Burger buns/ open-faced sandwiches (cut back on the veggie broth from ¾ cup to ¼ cup so they hold up better), over pasta, over baked potatoes, over oven oil-free fried potatoes, over mashed potatoes

Tips for Success: 

Bun Topping Mixture: Scoop up tablespoons of the bun mixture and start in the center and work you way outward by placing dollops of the bun mixture all over the top of the sloppy joe mixture.  The key is that the bun topping should float on top of the sloppy joes.  If you try to even out the mixture, you will accidentally press it downward which can cause the bottom of the bun to get soggy. The bun mixture will rise and spread out as it bakes.  (Note:  The Bun Topping does not taste for feel like a true “bun”.  It is more of a light crumble-like topping; it works perfectly with this casserole).

Gluten Free “Bun” Topping Substitute:  The bun portion of this recipe was specifically designed to be gluten free using the gluten free flours indicated.  You can easily substitute this part of the recipe with your favorite drop biscuit recipe and add the following ingredients to it:   ½ teaspoon dried oregano,  2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast.  (Note: We have not tried a drop biscuit substitute as we are gluten free, but feel confident that using your favorite drop biscuit recipe substitution should work well as that is what we were trying to achieve from a gluten-free perspective).

Baking Times: If you use a smaller baking pan, you will need to bake the dish longer (25 to 30 minutes).  If using a larger baking dish (9 x 13), then you can bake it for a shorter period of time (20 minutes).

Set the Timer: Set your timer for 20 minutes (if using a smaller dish or skillet) as you may need to lay a sheet of foil over the top to prevent over-browning, then finish baking.

Removal from the Oven: Allow the dish to set for a minimum of 15 minutes after removing from the oven.  This allows the flavors to develop further as it slightly cools down.

Notes Continued

*Vegetable Stock:   We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.

*Spice/Herb Ingredients:  As every pizza sauce is flavored differently, the Spice/Herb Ingredients are some ideas on how to ramp up spices if the sloppy joes are not flavorful enough.

*Mushrooms:  The mushrooms are optional. If you prefer, you can use a 4 oz. can of button mushrooms, drained and diced.

*Beans/Lentils:  You can use any type of beans/lentils you wish.

*Pizza Sauce:   You can use your favorite pizza sauce, or you can use our Easy Healthy Pizza Sauce.

*Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium.  You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Storage:  Refrigerate and use within 5 days.

*Nutrition Information: Does not include the optional ingredient black olives

*Nutritional Information for Pizza Sloppy Joes with No Bun Topping:

189.8 Calories, 1g Fat, 35.8g Carbohydrate, 10.2g Dietary Fiber, 12.1g Protein.

This post contains affiliate links, and we may receive a very small commission if you purchase through those links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures! For more information, see our disclosures here.