Description
Aromatic Italian sausage flavors deliciously infuse this hearty, wholesome Vegan Lentil “Sausage” Soup. A delicious oil-free, low-fat meal!
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 3 cups water
- 1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari *
- ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional) *
- 1 – [ 14 oz. can ] petite diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda *
- 1 cup uncooked brown lentils, rinsed and picked through *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed thyme leaves *
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried fennel powder (+/-) *
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (+/-)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *
- 1 bay leaf
Other Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaf) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- Add all the Base Ingredients and Spice/Herb Mix, stir well to combine, then tuck the bay leaf into the mixture. Set the Instant Pot to Manual Pressure High for 13 minutes. When finished, press Cancel and allow to sit for 2 minutes, then do a Quick Release. Unplug the Instant Pot.
- Once all the pressure is released, carefully remove the lid, add the apple cider vinegar. Stir well to combine. Taste test the flavors and add any additional seasonings at this time, stir to combine, allow at least 5 minutes for the flavors to marry. Discard the bay leaf. Serve and enjoy.
Stove Top Instructions
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaf) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large ceramic/enamel-lined pot or similar stock pot, add the diced onions, carrots and celery, sauté over medium-high heat until the veggies begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes, stirring periodically to prevent burning. Add a tablespoon or so of water if they start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute stirring constantly, then add all remaining the Base Ingredients (except the baking soda) and Spice/Herb Mix, stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower to a low-boiling simmer, add the bay leaf, baking soda, and lentils, stir to combine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid, then add the apple cider vinegar. Stir well to combine, simmer for 2 minutes. Taste test the flavors and add any additional seasonings at this time, stir to combine, remove from the stove and allow at least 5 minutes for the flavors to marry. Discard the bay leaf. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
*TIPS for Success:
- Instant Pot: We used an 8-quart Instant Pot. If you use a 6-quart Instant Pot or a different lentil, you may need to reduce the time in the Instant Pot accordingly.
- Flavors to Marry: Make sure you allow at least 5 minutes for the flavors to marry after mashing the beans. The flavors continue to develop once the soup slightly cools.
- Instant Pot Sauté: If you wish to add some extra flavor on the stove top, feel free to sauté the onions, carrots, celery and minced garlic until tender. We tried using the sauté function with the Instant Pot doing the same, and it really made no discernable difference. It did make a difference on the stove top.
*Notes Continued:
*Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
*Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes. We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the petite diced tomatoes) without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity. It also enhances the cooking of the lentils. Acidity from tomatoes tends to slow down the lentils ability to become tender.
*Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.
*Liquid Smoke: We used Colgin Natural Hickory Liquid Smoke. Please feel free to use your favorite liquid smoke. You can leave it out if you wish with the understanding that the flavor will change accordingly. The liquid smoke brings forth that smoky flavor that can be associated with ham.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Serving: 3 to 4 (makes 7 cups)
*Storage: Refrigerate and use within 5 days, freezes well.