Cauliflower Sloppy Joe

All of the nostalgia of a beloved school lunch but this one is all vegetable. Cauliflower serves as your base. Mushrooms and walnuts pick up the slack (if you’re not a fan of walnuts, pine nuts or sunflower seeds may be subbed). This has all of the flavor you remember as a kid but elevated, in my humble opinion. If you’re willing to share, your kids will get more than their fair share of veg. Serve on a toasted brioche bun, your fav go-to hamburger bun or pour it over a sliced baguette for meatball sub vibes. This one is an off-shoot of my Cauliflower Bolognese

Notes-

Leftovers freeze beautifully. I always make an extra large batch just for this purpose.

Play around with the herbs to balance the flavors to your liking. You may start with 1/2 tsp of each and adjust as it cooks down. If you have access to fresh herbs, substitute them in for even better flavor, adding fresh basil at the end, instead of with the mirepoix and vegetables.

The amount of tomato may be adjusted to suit your desire. It really depends upon the amount of cauliflower you use. Next go around, I’ll weigh the cauliflower to give you a more accurate breakdown. For these measurements, I used a “medium” sized head.

I’ve included walnuts for texture and a good nutritional kick. If you’re allergic or skeptical , skip them or start with a smaller amount. You may also substitute pine nuts or sunflower seeds. If you choose sunflower seeds, give them a short wiz in the food processor to chop a bit.

You may also use frozen cauliflower rice. I would go with two bags and adjust liquid accordingly.

Choose organic tomatoes if available

Ingredient list is long, but with items you likely have in hand. The combination here builds really nice flavor

Cauliflower Sloppy Joe

RECIPE-

Ingredients-

1 medium sized head cauliflower

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

4-6oz shiitake, stems removed and caps finely diced

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts pieces,

Splash of red wine or sherry

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Pinch chili flakes, add more if you like heat

3 tsp soy sauce or tamari (adjust to taste)

1 small, 6-7 oz can/jar tomato paste

Knob of butter or good quality vegan butter (about 2 Tbs) (I love Miyoko’s Dairy vegan butter) optional

1-28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes

1-15 oz can tomato sauce

2 Tbs Balsamic vinegar

1/4 c ketchup (Heinz organic is my go-to)

2 Tbs maple syrup

Pinch cayenne

Smaller pinch Cinnamon

Splash Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Flaky sea salt

Method-

1- Break cauliflower into florets, and working in batches, pulse in a food processor to achieve a chunky texture. You want this to be more coarse than cauliflower “rice”. Set aside. If you don’t have a food processor, a box grater will do the job readily. Simply chop any bits that may be too big.

2- Preheat a large heavy bottomed sauce pan, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and about 15 seconds later add onion. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Sautéed for about 2-3 minutes, lower heat and cook for 8-10 minutes more, until beginning to caramelize for deeper flavor. If you don’t want to take the time, once the onion is translucent, continue on. Do not allow the onion to burn. If some does stick to the bottom of the pan, that’s okay.

3- Add carrot, celery and pepper and cook until sweaty. Splash in some red wine to deglaze the pan. Add shiitake and also cook until sweaty. Adjust salt and pepper.

4- Add thyme, basil, oregano, smoked paprika, chili flakes and soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook a few minutes until fragrant. Season again with kosher salt and pepper. If using, stir in walnuts.

5- Stir in tomato paste until all is fully coated then add butter followed by tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning to suit your preference.

7- Add cauliflower and bring back to a simmer. Add the balsamic vinegar, ketchup and maple syrup, Worcestershire (if using), cayenne and cinnamon. Allow to simmer, uncovered for about 5 minutes. Again, taste and adjust seasoning. Lower heat. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes more before serving.

serve on your favorite bun or baguette and remember to make sure everyone has a napkin (or two)!