Recipe by Ashley Melillo in Blissful Basil
From Ashley: Roll up your sleeves, prepare your napkins, and arm your tablecloths with place mats: it’s time to get deliciously sloppy. This plant-powered remix of a sloppy joe sandwich leans on a base of sliced shiitakes and cremini mushrooms. The mushrooms are coated in spices and simmered in barbecue sauce until they’re tender and super saucy. Then, they’re piled high on buns and topped with crunchy rainbow slaw, balancing comfort with a pop of freshness.
Makes 4–6 sandwiches | 45 minutes or less
Sloppy Shiitakes
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and diced
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or to taste
1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup 10-Minute Sweet + Tangy BBQ Sauce (recipe below) or favorite barbecue sauce*
1/4 cup filtered water
Buns for serving
Tangy Rainbow Slaw
2 cups shredded green or purple cabbage (or a mix of both)
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 scallions, trimmed and cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds*
1/4 cup filtered water
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, stemmed
1 tablespoon plus
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
For the Sloppy Shiitakes
Add the mushrooms to a large mixing bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the smoked paprika, coconut sugar, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, and sea salt. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the mushrooms and toss to coat.
Add the olive oil and garlic to a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the seasoned mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms just begin to wilt and soften, stirring occasionally.
Whisk together the barbecue sauce and water; pour over the mushrooms and stir to incorporate.
Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the sauce is thick and bubbly, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and season with more sea salt, if desired.
For the Tangy Rainbow Slaw
Meanwhile, add the cabbage, carrot, and scallions to a medium nonreactive (i.e., nonmetallic) mixing bowl.
In a high-speed blender, combine the hemp seeds, water, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes, or until smooth; pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat.
To Assemble
Spoon a generous heap of the mushrooms onto each of the toasted buns and top with the slaw. Serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days.
Give Your BBQ Sauce a Once-Over | If you’re avoiding refined sugars, scan the ingredients as you’re selecting your barbecue sauce and adjust accordingly—many brands contain processed sugars. Or save yourself the hassle of label scanning and make my 10-Minute Sweet + Tangy BBQ Sauce.
No Soy? No Problem | To keep this dish soy-free, make the 10-Minute Sweet + Tangy BBQ Sauce and use coconut aminos instead of reduced-sodium tamari.
Can’t Find Hemp Seeds? | If you can’t find hemp seeds, use raw cashews instead.
No Gluten? No Problem | Use your favorite gluten-free buns to keep these sandwiches gluten-free.
10-Minute Sweet + Tangy BBQ Sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
6 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or to taste
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup filtered water
3 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari*
1–3 tablespoons seeded and minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, depending on desired level of spiciness
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and whisk together over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and transfer to an airtight glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
No Soy? No Problem | To keep this soy-free, swap out the Bragg Liquid Aminos or tamari for coconut aminos.
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