Sloppy Joes with Ground Beef and Lentils

I have been wanting to make sloppy joes for a while, and really wanted to try using lentils instead of ground beef. Of course, my family was a little hesitant to try it with lentils, so when I found this recipe that uses lentils along with ground beef, I figured it would be a good start to try with them. We all thought it turned out really well, and next time I may try it with all lentils just to save on some cost. If I do, I will update this recipe with the all lentil version.

Sloppy Joes with Ground Beef and Lentils
Original recipe here

What you need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 small carrot, finely chopped
1 bell pepper (red or green), finely chopped
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 cup dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

How to make it:

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, bell pepper and 1/4 cup ketchup and cook until the vegetables are soft. Add the lentils, oregano and broth. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the lentils are tender and most of the water is absorbed, about 35 to 40 minutes (add up to 1 cup water or broth if necessary). Season with salt and pepper.

Add the beef to a large non-stick skillet, break it up, and cook, until it begins to brown. Add the Worcestershire sauce and the remaining 3/4 cup ketchup and stir until combined. Add the lentil mixture and, if needed, up to 1 cup water or broth. Cook until the lentils are soft and the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Tags: carrot, green pepper, ground beef, lentils, onion