Yep, this is happening. My latest take on vegan pulled pork that just may be my best yet.
Let’s BBQ!
My first attempt at vegan pulled pork was successful after jumping on the jackfruit train. I loved it so much I created a spicier version topped with grilled pineapple for our cookbook! Serious swoon.
While I love using jackfruit as a vegan meat substitute, it has little to no protein. So after making my Vegan Sloppy Joes with lentils I was inspired to try a BBQ flavor. As you might’ve guessed, experimentation went well. This may be my favorite lentil recipe yet!
This recipe is simple, requiring just 10 ingredients and it comes together in less than 45 minutes! You likely have everything you need on hand besides BBQ sauce and buns (unless you’re like me and hoard these things in your pantry).
To infuse the lentils and shredded carrots – which add that amazing, stringy texture – with flavor, I relied on smoked paprika, coconut sugar, garlic powder, and sea salt. A little BBQ sauce sealed the deal for that quintessential smoky BBQ flavor.
I hope you guys LOVE this recipe! It’s:
Hearty
Satisfying
Smoky
BBQ-infused
Packed with protein + fiber
Easy
& So delicious
Even better news? One of four sandwiches boasts 17 grams of protein, making this the perfect plant-based version that will truly satisfy those hearty pulled pork cravings. While this is delicious on its own, it would pair perfectly with my Perfect Grilled Corn with Sriracha Aioli, Garlicky Chickpea Kale Salad, and Ginger Beer Margaritas!
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1 cup (192 g) green lentils, well rinsed
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive or grape seed oil
- 1/2 white or yellow onion (55 g), minced (plus more for serving)
- 1 1/2 cups packed (200 g) finely shredded/grated carrots (I used my food processor attachment)
- 2 Tbsp (24 g) coconut sugar or organic brown sugar, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Healthy pinch each sea salt + black pepper, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup (200 g) vegan BBQ sauce, plus more for serving (I used Annie’s original BBQ sauce)
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water
- 4 gluten free or whole wheat hamburger buns*
- optional: Finely chopped purple cabbage, carrot and green onion
- To a small saucepan, add water and rinsed lentils and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 18 minutes, or until tender. The water should have a constant simmer (not boil). Drain off any excess liquid and set aside.
- When the lentils are almost finished cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and onion and season with a pinch each salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onions are tender and slightly browned.
- Next add cooked lentils, carrots, coconut sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and BBQ sauce (see photo). Stir to combine.
- Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat until completely warmed through and thick, stirring occasionally - about 5-10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more paprika for smokiness, salt for saltiness, coconut sugar for sweetness, or BBQ sauce for depth of flavor.
- Optional: Scoop half of the mixture into a food processor and (using the "s" shaped blade) mix/pulse to mash some of the lentils and carrots together. This creates a more cohesive texture, which I prefer.
- Serve the mixture on toasted buns of choice with toppings of choice. I went with shredded red cabbage, carrots, and sliced green onions. Serve with extra BBQ sauce for more flavor.
- Best when fresh, though lentil mixture will keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, or on the stovetop, until warmed through, adding water if the mixture has dried out.
Feeding straight into my pulled pork addiction!
This is just a eye opener Dana! What in the world is jackfruit? I’m slowly but surely getting more whole foods in my body, even though I still eat meat. I guess it’s the thought that counts, right? Gorgeous pics!
It’s also known as durian, a fruit popular in Asia! Hope you give this one a try!
Durian and jackfruit are actually different fruits. Durian is the really smelly one!
We called it the Jackfruit or Nangka in Asia :)
Ripe ones make delicious desserts or we eat them fresh as fruits most of the time. Try quickly braise some shredded ripe nangka in palm sugar syrup, then put them on top of your greek yogurt…delish!
While the green/young ones are perfect for cooking, GUDEG, a popular dish from Yogyakarta, Indonesia is my favorite!
Durian on the other hand, it’s the ‘stinky’ fruit with sharp spiky other skin.
P/S. Dana, thanks for your wonderful recipes! I have been enjoying making food more than ever. big love.
Durian is a completely different fruit from jackfruit actually (though they do look kind of similar). Durian is VERY pungent, while ripe jackfruit tastes kind of like bubblegum.
I’ve tried the pulled jackfruit recipe from your cookbook, and I absolutely loved it! I’ll have to try this version out too :)
Durian and Jackfruit are 2 very different things. Durian has a very distinctive smell/taste, I love Jackfruit, but just can’t do durian
Just yes. All kinds of yes.
Ohhh looking forward to making these! Just one question, if I took a shortcut and used the pre-cooked lentils at Trader Joe’s, how much should I be using of cooked lentils? Thank YOU!
Um, 1 1/2 cups?
Hey Dana! These look bomb! Just wondering if you think it would dramatically alter the flavor of the mixture without the addition of the coconut sugar? I’m trying to avoid the addition of added sugars into my diet for the next few weeks.
You could sub stevia! It does need a little sweetness though.
Cool idea!! I really need to pick up your cookbook…it is on my list of books to buy once I have my “adult job” and “adult paychecks” :) :) :)
Oh my – this looks amazing! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Hi there, I just made this and it is quite good, so thank you. HOWEVER, I would highly recommend that the addition of the coconut sugar be left until the end, after you taste the mixture. I only used a scant tablespoon of it and I found it too sweet for my taste. I do realize, of course, that depending on the sweetness of your BBQ sauce, you may have to add the sugar, but for the brand I used, no added sugar would have been necessary. I did try to counter the sweetness with some lemon juice and then some sour cream, which worked.
P.S. Hanna’s right: don’t confuse Jack fruit with durian – your nose will know the difference! If you’re going to try it with jackfruit, I would suggest “young” jackfruit.
Wow, this looks so good! Can’t wait to try! Also, I may be one of few when I say this, but I totally appreciate any jackfruit or low-protein recipes you have. My son has PKU (and egg & peanut allergies) and is on a very low-protein diet. So, your creative lo-pro recipes are worth so much to those of us in the PKU community! Thanks for so many delicious meals we have enjoyed!
Is there a difference between smoked paprika and regular ground paprika?
Yes, Allison, there is a difference. Smoked paprika imparts a delicious smokey flavour to a recipe. There’s also hot smokey paprika. Regular paprika is also known as “sweet” paprika, not because it is sweet, but because it is NOT hot.
Hi Dana, great idea! Going to make it this weekend! Are green lentils the same as puy lentils?
No, not the same. Puy lentils are smaller and dark, almost black; green lentils are larger and – you guessed it – green.
Greetings and thank you for your excellent work! I made the lentil sloppy joes and loved the flavor, but seemed to have trouble digesting the lentils. I’ve been mostly vegetarian for more than 30 years and have no problem with most legumes. Is there a way to cook lentils to make them easier to digest? I would love to try this recipe!!
HI Jane. I came across this site and it might help in your quest to make lentils easier to digest: http://www.bloatingtips.co.uk/blog/2014/06/how-to-eat-lentils-without-bloating.html
Seems soaking them for quite a number of hours might be your answer.
Hi Dana, this is great. I hope you bring it over to Food on Friday: Free For All. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter
This came to my inbox today and I immediately decided to make it for dinner. Holy. Deliciousness. This recipe was spot on! My husband and I ate more than our fair share, that’s for sure! The only thing different that I did was use your vegan BBQ recipe from your cookbook.. Because it’s basically the best BBQ sauce ever. :) thanks for always sharing your amazing recipes. You make eating vegan so much fun!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Janet!
I made your BBQ jackfruit “pulled pork” this weekend and it was absolutely incredible! I have my non vegan family try it as well and they were awestruck!
Made and devoured tonight. Husband and son loved it too. Def make again!
I had it w sautéed green cabbage instead of on a bun.
Another great recipe.
This looks damn yum… healthy and meat? Count me in!
Great post, thanks for sharing :)
Wow these look amazing, such a good idea to use carrots!!
I’ve got a pressure cooker and a bag of lentils, and have been looking for a recipe.
Tonight’s dinner, perhaps! Thank you!!!
We did it! You did it!
Made these last night. I didn’t have any carrots (got ’em today in my CSA, of course!), so I subbed the parsnips I needed to use up. Since they tend to be sweeter, I didn’t add any sugar except what was in my Trader Joe’s barbecue sauce. I loved it, and my meat-eating, pulled-pork-loving kid was impressed with it, too!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing!
Just made these, they were honestly so amazing!! Very simple and easy to make and so so tasty ^-^ made them for my meat eating boyfriend and he thought they were beautiful!
I agree with Laura. I made these last night and they were so easy and delicious! And my also meat-loving boyfriend went back for seconds. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll be making it again.
Hi Dana,
I’m looking forward to trying this! One question the ingredient list in the recipe includes “ground paprika” but in your description you mention smoked paprika; should it be 1 1/2 teaspoons of smoked paprika in the recipe? Thanks!
Either works! I love the flavor of smoked.
Wonderful recipe! I made it today and even my vegan-suspicious husband asked for seconds.
Lovely!!
We decided to go with a plant based menu for a month and kicked the month off with this tonight. Loved it! Served with sweet potato fries-perfection.
Brilliant pairing! xoxoxo
Eating this right now, sooooo good!
As soon as I saw this I knew I wanted to try it and it turned out amazing! Thank you for posting this delicious recipe : )
Of course! So glad you liked it! xoxo
Just made these. AMAZING! The only change I made was the addition of liquid smoke, and I cut the sugar down to 1 Tablespoon. THANK YOU, this will be a reoccurring recipe in our household!
We didn’t like these. I’ve never had pulled pork so I’m not sure what it should taste like. My kids said this had way too much barbecue sauce. It just wasn’t very good. This is honestly your first recipe I didn’t like at all so still a good track record :)
Already tried this recipe and it is a winner! Even my mother-in-law (not vegan) said it tastes just like pulled pork. You did it again Dana!
Carrots make the best pulled “pork” sandwich. One of the most popular recipes on my blog is a pulled BBQ carrot recipe. The texture is so close to the real thing, and when you add BBQ sauce, even non-vegans will love it.
Wowzers y’all, this is a great recipe!
I made it earlier today, and it tastes even better now that it has sat around for a while. The only reason I am not giving this recipe five stars is because I changed a few minor things, and I wish I had followed the advice of one of the comments on adding the sugar at the end to taste. I used three fresh garlic cloves, crushed, and added them for the last five minutes or so of cooking. I cooked the lentils with a little salt, pepper and onion powder for extra flavor. As for the sugar, the sweetness really depends on your taste and the BBQ sauce you are using. Although it is delicious, it is alot sweeter than I would like. I think using the smoked paprika is a must!
Can you use brown lentils instead?
I do love my jackfruit barbecue, but you’re right, they aren’t very filling without protein. I love your lentil version and look forward to trying it!!
Hope you love it!
Made this for dinner last night. The hubby and I LOVED it! And not at all complicated! I will be making this again and again!
Yay!! xoxo
Another Minimalist Baker knock-out recipe! I made this yesterday and my husband (non-vegan but gluten-free) said it was one of the best sandwiches he’d ever had. Period. And I have to agree! I love how healthy this is, and the small amount of bbq sauce needed to give it flavor. Thanks for yet another fantastic recipe!
Yay!!!! Thanks for sharing!
I love how simple and satisfying this recipe is, like every recipe of yours that I’ve tried.
I cooked the lentils with fresh chopped garlic and decided to forgo the addition of sugar since my Q sauce was packed full of it already. It was awesome! The first helping was on buns but the leftovers will be used in burrito bowls with red cabbage and kale.
Thanks Dana!
Chilly day in PDX so this was a great lunch! Decided as vegan, I need more BBQ everything in life!!….request: can you try a BBQ baked beans recipe sometime? Love your food and vibe, keep on keeping on lady!
Totally with you on the protein! LOVE using lentils in recipes. This probably has to be one of the tastiest BBQ recipes I’ve seen on the blog!
Hi Dana, This was an excellent substitution for pre-made vegan pulled pork that I’ve had. Unlike those pre-made products, these aren’t overly sweet or salty, just delicious. Makes it less hard to miss meat. I appreciate you sharing this recipe :)
I made this last night and it was excellent! I added a little too much bbq sauce, so it was a little loose, more like a sloppy joe, but the flavor was great!
Great variation on a meat-centered main! Pulled pork was actually the dish that my mother used to get me to eat meat again when I first went veg in high school! It didn’t stick long, though, and I’ve been pork (and all meat!) free for nearly a decade. I couldn’t resist trying this recipe, though, and both my husband and I are perfectly pleased! I made some homemade fries to go with it, and coleslaw leftover from last nights cauliflower tacos went amazingly on top! :D
Yay! Thanks Abigail!
Tried this using what I had — instead of 1.5 cups carrot I used 1 cup of shredded carrots and 1 cup of shredded sweet potato. It was GREAT! Thanks!
Hi Anna, thank you very much for the recipe. It looks delicious. I was wondering if your recipes are all vegan. Are you not vegan?
Do you know if green and red lentils are interchangeable in general?
In general, no. Green lentils are firmer, and red lentils are softer and more mushy. But both would likely work in this recipe!
Thanks for the prompt reply!
Yes, yes, and yes!! I used brown lentils and it looked and tasted wonderful! I might use 1 tsp ground paprika and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika next time. I put on toasted buns and served with corn on the cob. Delish!! Thanks so much for a great recipe! I’m going to freeze some next time for quick lunches!
How did you get on freezing this recipe? Did it taste just as good once you’d defrosted it?
Sorry Mollie, I didn’t have any leftovers the first time! I will be making it again and will post. I would think it would do just fine.
I made this for about 75 people at Reggae on the River. In the volunteer kitchen. Not being a vegan, but gluten-free I follow you. I gave you the credit. Everyone loved it. I liked it better than meat! I will be making this again.
We made this and it actually came out a little more like Brunswick stew!! And that is AWESOME!! Kid approved!! Fantastic family recipe!! We will be having often :)
Already made this recipe twice and can’t say any more good things about it!!!! SO DELICIOUS.
I made this tonight and it was soooo yummy!!! The non-vegans approved too and my 5 year old gobbled it up. I would say that it was a bit too sweet due to the bbq sauce that I used, so next time I’ll leave out the sugar. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Dana I’ve made this a few times now and it’s a new favourite at our house! Is there a way that this could be made in the slow cooker do you think? I’m always looking for easy vegan slow cooker recipes that would be a cinche to throw together in the morning!
Amazing! THANK YOU for the lovely recipe.
This recipe is awesome! I made it for dinner tonight and it was so delicious. Thank you so much for your tasty, healthy and easy recipes!
I made it exactly as written! And the flavor is on point BUT the lentils were still crunchy😟😟😟. It was too late for me to cook them some more when I realized it so next time I will cook with a lid on so the lentils get all the way done
Really enjoyed! I’m wondering, are the lentils supposed to be Al dentà? Because mine where a bit hard. Also I love all your recipes, but mine never look as pretty as yours. The colors are so vibrant on your posts, mine look drab. Still tastey just not as pretty.
Hi Misty, the cooked lentils should be tender but still hold their shape if they’re cooked all the way through! Make sure the lentils are simmering so as to avoid the water cooking off before the lentils are finished cooking.
Oh my goodness! This is absolute deliciousness. Made it this evening to rave reviews. Next time, I might try serving with cole slaw. We’re vegetarian, not vegan, so I will go with a traditional mayo/cider vinegar dressing for the slaw. Thank you!
I will be honest, I’ve see recipes claiming to imitate a meat dish perfectly and that’s obviously never going to happen, but this came SO CLOSE! In fact, I like this lentil-carrot mixture BETTER than pork. Granted, I have been really turned off meat since I became a vegetarian almost a year ago, but I also shared with two skeptical omnivores and they truly loved it! The seasoning is was perfectly imitated that pulled pork experience. This recipe went right into my recipe book! Thank you!! :)
Successs! Much appreciated. Third recipe I try from Minimalist, all very good, delicious.
Merci from Ontario.
Ohmy GOD this was SO DELICIOUS!
Seriously I can’t stop eating it.
Definitely one of my favorites ever, the only differences I made was that I sautéd a few cloves of garlic in with the onions, and only used a bit of sugar. Also I believe smoked paprika makes ALL the difference, Sweet Baby Rays is my personal favorite BBQ sauce and went very well!
Cheers!
Dana, these are delicious. I feel like you’re my higher cooking self :) you’ve been a blessing ever since my family went vegan. My husband ate more tonight than I’ve ever seen him eat. When I asked him why he said “this is the closest thing to meat I’ve had in a long time!” We’ll be having this as a family staple. Thank you so much for your brilliance.. I’d be a bit lost without it!
Hi Dana! Looking forward to making this on Wednesday! Do the finely shredded carrot provide the pulled pork effect? I was wondering if I could just blend baby carrots and add it to the lentil mixture and get the relatively same result? Thanks! :-)
I just made this, and it was heavenly. Soooo good. I added alittle bit of ketchup to mine and used a hand blender. I going to make it again in the future and pair it with her recommendations.
Hi, Dana
am I missing something here, there is no mention of Jackfruit anywhere in this recipe. Is the link wrong or am I not reading right?
Georges
Nope, there’s no jackfruit in this recipe! Perhaps you’re thinking of our BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich?
It’s not based with jackfruit! It’s lentil and carrot based.
Dana…again another amazing recipe! I made these for dinner and didn’t change a thing but decrease the sugar. My barbecue sauce was sweet enough! When I told my husband Sloppy Joes were for dinner he was excited until he looked in the pot and realized we weren’t having meat. He loved them needless to say and so did I! I just bought two more Vegan cookbooks, but I find myself just going to your site. Everything I’ve made so far has been scrumptious! Thank you for all you do!
Another amazing recipe! I made these tonight but my food processor wasn’t working so just left the mixture as it was… so delicious. My husband who has now been a vegetarian for a year said these were the best veg burgers he’s ever had. They were so quick and easy to make, full of goodness and yet totally delicious. Dana you are a genius <3
Very yummy! I did not use the food processor to blend the mixture but still loved it. The recipe came together quickly and used items I had on hand. Perfect! We will certainly be making this again!
Hi Dana. It looks really very yummy! Thx for the recipe.
Greetings from germany.
Marko
My hubbie loved loved loved this and wants me to make it every week. Couldn’t find jackfruit that easy (even Whole Foods) but finally found it in the cans/water at Mothers Market in Orange County. I made my own bbq sauce because we don’t use sugar and most of them are too sweet. Came out so good with leftovers to spare. Oh and I used a gluten free toasted bun from Trader Joes and got some of their broccoli slaw and added Veganese….I didn’t want to spend too much time on the coleslaw so that was the easiest way. Yum
Have you tried these Vegan GF Buns? They are the best… http://www.pureknead.com/
I have made this a few times, and we really enjoy it! We prefer it when I put the whole mixture in the food processor and just pulse and taste regularly to be sure it doesn’t turn to paste. This is so much healthier than the processed seitan or soy that I used to use. Thank you!
We made these last night and I’m embarrassed to admit how many sandwiches I ate.
I had par baked buns on hand so you bet those bad boys were on warm sourdough topped with the ripe avocado from my countertop. Wish I had some purple cabbage or a quickly slaw but they didn’t need it.
My 2 year old and carnivore husband enjoyed them too. We’ll be having these again!
I made this with for some friends and paired it with red cabbage and carrot coleslaw, and it was a great crowd pleaser! The recipe doubles really nicely, and I am looking forward to leftovers.
This is the best lentil “sloppy joe” or “pulled pork” sandwich I’ve made yet, and I’ve tried several! Even my young kiddos liked it. Thank you! I made it exactly as is, half in the food processor and then mixed together.
This recipe was really really good!!! I used to eat pulled porc sandwich as a guilty pleasure, once in a while at the local pub. Since I’ve quit eating meat, I haven’t bothered trying a vegan version of it. I’m really impressed with the result. No more guilt eating this, it is simply a pleasure!!!! I added a good layer of arugula and sauted oinion. DELIGHTFUL!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
I made this recipe with a spicy bbq sauce and it was AMAZING. It tastes exactly like how I remember pulled pork tasting and it has a similar look and texture!! I cannot recommend this recipe enough, and if you buy canned lentils, cooking time is twenty minutes.
Thanks for sharing!
Great recipe! This was delicuous..
Hi great recipe Dana! Just wondering do you have the calorie/nutrition information for the recipe without the bun? Thanks, looking forward to making it :)
I made this with lentils and it was ridiculously good. We’ve already eaten it all. The key for me was not skipping the suggestion to blend some of the lentil/ carrot mixture. That made the texture so pulled pork like! And I just stuck my stick blender in a bit instead of transferring to a food processor. I will absolutely make this again and I’m going to try out your other recipes.
hi! I am looking at this recipe as an option for some vegetarian friends I have to feed. my question is, do you think this can be made ahead and frozen?
Hi! I haven’t tried freezing it but I think it should work fine! If you try it, let me know how it goes!
I thought this tasted really good! I definitely think putting some in the food processor is a key step and was happy I did not skip that step. Next time I might try just putting the lentils through the food processor after I cook and drain them and then proceeding with the recipe. This way you have some ‘paste’ to hold everything together but you keep all the ‘stringy’ carrots to simulate the pulled pork texture. Will definitely make again. Wonder if the leftovers would freeze well?
Hi Linda! I am so glad you enjoyed it! While we have not tried freezing it yet, I think it could freeze okay (but again, I have not tried it) If you give it a try, let me know how it goes in the comments!
Happy cooking!
I added apple cider vinegar to the mix to give it North Carolina flavor.
WOW! So tasty! Each weekend I try a new recipe from you and each time I’m amazing… always delicious!
I made this today and it’s amazing. It is really so good! The texture & flavor couldn’t be better! It’s my new favorite recipe! I’ll be making this on repeat!!! ❤