Made with canned lentils, this Vegan Lentil and Sausage Soup is ready in 30 minutes or less. Smoky fire roasted red peppers add flavor, and plant based sausage means it good for you. Perfect for anytime you need a tasty, comforting meal in a hurry!
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How do you feel about leftovers?
I have to admit, I have mixed feelings. As someone who tends to get totally absorbed in whatever I’m up to at the moment — so much that I often forget when it’s dinner time — I’m incredibly thankful when there are leftover sesame noodles or whatever in the fridge!
But as a chef, I enjoy coming up with new dishes and tasting different flavors and experimenting with new ingredients. In other words, leftovers kind of bore me.
This is one reason I’ve started putting together recipes that make only a few servings. The other reason is that, since our kids are grown, it’s usually just the two of us for dinner. While I could absolutely make a huge batch of soup and stick it in the freezer, I just really don’t want to! I enjoy cooking too much to just defrost something I’ve had before and besides, things tend to get lost in our freezer… (I know there’s a package of puff pastry lurking in there somewhere !)
So here ya go. This Vegan Lentil and Sausage Soup recipe makes just TWO servings. David and I had it for dinner after our second COVID jab, and it cheered us right up. Speedy, comforting and delicious.
Vegan Lentil and sausage soup INGREDIENTS
To make this vegan soup you’ll need:
Olive Oil. I keep three oils on hand at all times: olive oil, vegetable oil and coconut oil. For sauteing I use olive oil as it adds flavor and seems to provide a superior browning experience.
Onion. Remember my slogan?
Start where you are and use what you have!
I happen to have yellow onions so that’s what I use. If you have white onions or red onions you should absolutely use them.
Garlic. Use fresh garlic unless you’re short on time or don’t feel like getting your fingers all sticky and lovely smelling ; ) In that case you may substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules.
Carrots. I keep the so called baby carrots in my fridge to serve with hummus or for general snacking. I like that they’re ready to go — no peeling required — and the relatively uniform size means I don’t have to try to quarter a tapered, rolling round carrot!
Potatoes. Again, please use what you have. I always have either small red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes in the pantry. I particularly like using the Yukon Gold because I don’t have to peel them! (Just be sure to wash really well)
Vegan Sausage. Okay, this is a little weird, I know. I’ve been eating soy products for about 30 years, so I’m used to and even embrace the unusual texture of soy sausage. My kids, on the other hand, do NOT think they’re such a great idea. So if you’re not a vegan or an Orthodox Christian who’s fasting, feel free to use meat based sausage.
Canned Lentils. I’m all about cooking from scratch, but sometimes you need something quick. Canned beans are one of my favorite ingredients for speedy meals, and I keep canned lentils, black beans, cannellini beans and garbanzo beans in the pantry at all times.
A few recipes that use canned beans
Fire Roasted Red Pepper. It was when we had our café that I began using fire roasted red peppers. These peppers are canned in water and not oil, so the smokey flavor really comes through. These are so good in salads or in our vegan Roasted Red Pepper Spread.
Soy Sauce. Soy sauce is rich in umami components and acts as a natural flavor enhancer. I included a tiny glug in Vegan Lentil and Sausage Soup since I’m using water, and not a flavorful stock, as the liquid.
Fresh Bay Leaves + Rosemary. I love using fresh herbs in soups as the slow cooking allows them to gently release their flavor. We have a giant bay tree (yes, in Mississippi!), and it’s so calming to walk out and pick a few leaves while the soup veggies are browning. In my experience, dried leaves don’t have the resinous flavor of fresh so here’s my advice: use a few dried bay leaves if you have them, but don’t buy them specially for this dish.
Oregano. Question: Why am I not using fresh oregano in this recipe? Answer: Because I don’t have any! If you do have an oregano plant, here’s a general rule: use 1 tablespoon fresh herb for every teaspoon of dried herb. So for this recipe you’d need about 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano.
You’ll also need
how to make vegan lentil and sausage soup
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Over medium heat saute onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes and vegetarian sausage in olive oil for 5-7 minutes til veggies start to brown around the edges.
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Add lentils, roasted red peppers, water, soy sauce, herbs and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.
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Lower heat to a lively simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove rosemary and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.
- Put the lid back on the pot and let the soup rest for about 10 minutes to allow veggies to better absorb the liquid. Serve with toasted bread topped with my vegan Roasted Red Pepper Spread.
recipe notes
Can I double the recipe?
Definitely. I’ve purposefully made this as a not-overwhelming amount for 1 or 2 people, but if you love it and want to share it with your friends just double all the ingredients except salt and soy sauce. Taste at the end of cooking time and add more if needed.
What if I can’t find fire roasted red peppers?
You can use any sort of roasted red peppers, including those packed in oil. Here’s a cooking tip: any time you can, layer flavors. For example, use the oil from red peppers in place of the olive oil to sauté the veggies at the beginning of the recipe.
Can I use dry lentils?
Yes! Start with 1/2 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained (make sure to sort out any small stones). A trick I learned early on is to sauté lentils and grains like millet or rice in oil, so add the clean lentils to the pot with the onions and other veggies.
how to store vegan lentil and sausage soup
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
can I freeze it?
I don’t advise freezing this soup. First off, it’s so quick to make that it would take longer to defrost than to cook a new batch! Also, since it’s such a small amount you’ll probably eat it all in a couple sittings.
Did you make the recipe? I’d love for you to leave a comment below! And if you take a photo please tag me on Instagram @camptopisaw.
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Vegan Lentil and Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup sliced carrots, ½" slices
- 1 cup chopped potatoes, 1" cubes about 4-5 ozs
- 1 cup sliced vegetarian sausage, about 4 ozs I used Tofurkey Original Italian Sausage
- 1 15 oz can lentils
- ½ cup fire roasted red peppers, chopped save a few to top soup in bowls
- 2 cups water
- ½ tsp soy sauce
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 1 4" piece fresh rosemary
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Over medium heat saute onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes and vegetarian sausage in olive oil for 5-7 minutes til veggies start to brown around the edges.
- Add lentils, roasted red peppers, water, soy sauce, herbs and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a lively simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove rosemary and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.
- Put the lid back on the pot and let the soup rest for about 5 minutes to allow veggies to better absorb the liquid. Serve with toasted bread topped with my vegan Roasted Red Pepper Spread.