This sloppy joe recipe is so quick and easy — and it uses lentils to stretch the ground beef even further and pack in some filling fiber! I love this recipe because it’s not overly sweet like some other sloppy joe recipes I’ve had. You do need to start this $10 Dinner about an hour and a half before dinner time. The prep work only takes a few minutes, but the coleslaw needs time to marinate and the lentils take time to cook.
I serve these sloppy joes with the easiest coleslaw ever! It starts with a bagged mix (which regularly goes on sale at Publix for $1.50 or less) to make things super quick. I love using marked down buns that I find on the discount rack at Walmart for this recipe.
And maybe we’re the only family that does this — but we love sloppy joes all year long (anyone else?!?). We only eat hamburgers in the summer months, but sloppy joes are not the same thing as hamburgers at all, haha. They can also be a great meal to serve to company, especially using this recipe with lentils which lowers the cost compared to using straight ground beef.
This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.
Sloppy Joes Dinner Menu:
- Sloppy Joes with Lentils
- Buns
- Simple Coleslaw
Ingredients for Sloppy Joes:
- 1 lb ground beef (Aldi) — $4.99
- 1 small onion, finely diced (Aldi – $1.99 for 3lbs) — $0.30
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (Aldi – $1.75 for 3-ct pkg) — $0.12
- 2 cups water
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce (Aldi) — $0.55
- 1/2 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed (Aldi – $1.55 for 16 ounces) — $0.34
- 1/2 cup ketchup (Publix – $1.14 for 13.5 ounces) — $0.37
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bag hamburger buns (Walmart – reduced rack) — $0.99
Total: $7.66 (makes 6 servings)
Ingredients for Simple Coleslaw:
- 1 14-ounce bag shredded coleslaw mix (Publix) — $1.50
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Publix – free with coupons and rebates) — $0
- 2 Tablespoons sugar (Aldi – $2.86 for 4-lbs) – $0.08
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice (Aldi – $3.19 for 1-lb of lemons) — $0.25
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Total for Coleslaw: $1.83 (serves 6)
Total Cost for Dinner: $9.49 (makes 6 servings)
How to Make Sloppy Joes and Simple Coleslaw:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing for the coleslaw: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Mix the coleslaw mix and the dressing together until well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
3. In a skillet, combine the ground beef, chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until meat is no longer pink. Drain off grease.
4. Add the 2 cups water, tomato sauce, rinsed lentils, ketchup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and pepper and bring to a boil over medium heat.
5. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for an hour, or until the lentils are cooked and the mixture is thick.
6. Serve the sloppy joe meat on buns with coleslaw on the side.
Sloppy Joes with Lentils and Simple Coleslaw ($10 Family Dinner Idea)
This sloppy joe recipe is so quick and easy — and it uses lentils to stretch the ground beef even further and pack in some filling fiber! Pair it with the easiest coleslaw recipe ever for a delicious, healthy, and frugal dinner!
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Ingredients
Ingredients for Sloppy Joes with Lentils:
- 1 lb ground beef Aldi — $4.99
- 1 small onion finely diced (Aldi – $1.99 for 3lbs) — $0.30
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced (Aldi – $1.75 for 3-ct pkg) — $0.12
- 2 cups water
- 1 8- ounce can tomato sauce Aldi — $0.55
- 1/2 cup uncooked lentils rinsed (Aldi – $1.55 for 16 ounces) — $0.34
- 1/2 cup ketchup Publix – $1.14 for 13.5 ounces — $0.37
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bag hamburger buns Walmart – reduced rack — $0.99
Ingredients for Simple Coleslaw:
- 1 14- ounce bag shredded coleslaw mix Publix — $1.50
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise Publix – free with coupons and rebates — $0
- 2 Tablespoons sugar Aldi – $2.86 for 4-lbs – $0.08
- 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice Aldi – $3.19 for 1-lb of lemons — $0.25
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing for the coleslaw: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix the coleslaw mix and the dressing together until well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
In a skillet, combine the ground beef, chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until meat is no longer pink. Drain off grease.
Add the 2 cups water, tomato sauce, rinsed lentils, ketchup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and pepper and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for an hour, or until the lentils are cooked and the mixture is thick.
Serve the sloppy joe meat on buns with coleslaw on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 741mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 377IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg
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FAQs about Sloppy Joes with Lentils:
Yes! Lentils are a great way to stretch the beef and make your dinner less expensive while adding extra iron, fiber, and plant-based protein to the meal.
You can use brown, green, or French lentils, but I’d recommend avoiding red lentils because they will be too mushy in this recipe.
Since lentils have a mild flavor and their texture is similar to that of ground beef, you can’t really taste them when mixed with ground beef and spices.
More Ideas for Family Dinners Under $10:
And, be sure to check out all our easy dinner recipes here!
If you make this Sloppy Joes with Lentils and Simple Coleslaw family dinner, we’d love for you to leave a review and let us know how it turned out!
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