These gluten free, vegan sloppy joes have been a huge dinner hit for the past few months. The tofu and sauce can even be prepared in advance, then heated through for a quick dinner. We enjoy them with homemade French fries, crispy potatoes and a vegetable on the side.
A note on some of the ingredients
Extra firm tofu: I almost always cook with extra firm tofu. In this case, tearing the tofu into small pieces eliminates the need to press it. If you don’t have access to extra firm tofu the firmest tofu you can find would do however I would press it for 30 minutes before tearing it into small pieces.
Light tamari sauce: I prefer to use light tamari as opposed to regular tamari sauce as there is less sodium and the taste is mild. Substitute regular tamari sauce or gluten-free soy sauce.
Worcestershire sauce: I use Wizard brand Worcestershire sauce as it is both vegan and gluten free. If you don’t have a gluten free Worcestershire sauce you could substitute with a gluten free soy sauce, red wine vinegar or simply omit it.
How the gluten free, vegan sloppy joes are made
I always prefer marinating my tofu, so the first step is to mix the tamari, oil, garlic powder and chili powder together in a large bowl. Next, tear the tofu into small bite size pieces (about 1 cm) and add them to the marinade.
Toss to coat the tofu evenly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tofu out into an even layer.
Bake the tofu for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing it halfway through. Once the tofu is cooked it can be used immediately or refrigerated for up to 3 days.
To make the sauce, finely dice the onion and garlic. In a medium frying pan, over medium heat, add the oil and onion. Cook the onion until it is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the onion is translucent add in the cooked tofu and the garlic. Garlic can burn very quickly so make sure to mix everything well and heat for 30 to 60 seconds. Next add in the remaining ingredients for the sauce including a 1/4 cup of water. Stir everything well and cook until the sauce has cooked down and thickened slightly.
To make the sauce ahead of time cook the onions until translucent, add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. In a large jar mix the remaining sauce ingredients, the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, chili powder and water. Add in the cooked onion and garlic and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready for sloppy joes heat the tofu and sauce together in a medium frying pan and serve.
Serve the gluten free, vegan sloppy joes on your favorite gluten free toasted bun.
Enjoy!