Spicy, flavorful chorizo in lentil form, this plant-based version has all the flavors of the meat-based spicy sausage, but without the meat! Budget friendly, delicious and super healthy, you’ll find this tasty alternative with lentils so easy to make and super versatile.
In my post on how to turn ordinary breakfast sausage into spicy chorizo, I promised a plant-based version was in the making. It didn’t take long for me to make it … it just took me a while (several batches later) to find the time to photograph and post the recipe. All I did to create this recipe was to kludge together my lentil taco filling recipe with the seasonings from the chorizo recipe and voila! A new star was born.
I love these little lentils even more than the meat-based chorizo. The texture is obviously much different, but I love the softer bean texture and flavor that tiny lentils offer … and the fiber! I’m always trying to squeeze more good fiber sources into my diet. Meat has no fiber at all, and my body doesn’t like that so much. Lentils, on the other hand, make my body super happy!
But don’t lentils make you gassy?
The first week you eat these yummies, yes, they might make you pass more gas. But if you eat beans on a regular basis, your body adapts to them and creates the right enzymes to digest beans properly. If you eat beans several times a week, you’ll find tons of health benefits, from lowering cholesterol to reducing cancer risk to losing weight and becoming more regular. And yes, even craving meat less often. Which is both good for you AND for the planet.
Not that I’m advocating eating lentils ALL the time. Your body needs you to mix things up. We feel our best when we’re eating a variety of foods, and the same is true for beans. Try not to eat the same bean every week and your body will thank you.
How to use Lentil Chorizo?
However you use chorizo (and more!) Sprinkle in a Mexican omelet or frittata, tuck into enchiladas or burritos, top a tostada. Or add some to your queso dip or taco soup. Also, they would be amazing in a layer dip. Or tacos! Nachos. Taco salads. Yeah, these little babies are so versatile and useful. I love to keep some in my freezer and thaw them up whenever the craving strikes me. Which, believe me, is quite often.
Print
Plant-Based Lentil Chorizo (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 4 – 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 2/3 cup dry lentils
- 1 2/3 cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth, if you aren’t worried about keeping it vegan)
- 2 – 3 Tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno or other hot pepper (or to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning mix
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (or ancho chile powder or cayenne, adjust up or down to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
- A pinch of each: cinnamon and cloves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent and beginning to brown a bit. Add the garlic and peppers and saute for a minute or two longer.
- Stir in the lentils and taco seasoning and cook for another minute. Stir in the broth and other seasonings. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the lentils are just tender (but not mushy), about 25 – 30 minutes.
- Uncover the skillet and cook until the liquid is mostly gone and the mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally. Add to all your favorite Mexican dishes!
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2022, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
3 comments
[…] – try my lentil chorizo (which is what I used in photo above) or lentil taco […]
[…] have changed too! Now I make my own refried beans in my Instant Pot. And I also love to make spicy lentil “chorizo”, which works great on Huevos Rancheros […]
[…] my eyes on this Sweet Potato Noodle Salad from Downshiftology, I couldn’t WAIT to make it! I adore lentils and have used them in many a […]