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Traditional Spanish Lentils

What you need: 

1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, mashed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups dried green lentils
1 medium tomato, diced
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 large potato, diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
hot sauce, optional, to taste (I use Tabasco)
1-2 links vegan chorizo, optional (I use Soyrizo)

What you do: 

1. In deep pot, sauté onion and garlic in oil until it starts to color.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except hot sauce and chorizo, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are done--about 30 minutes.
4. If you like, you can add a little hot sauce. If you use vegan chorizo, take out and cut into rings before serving.
This can of course be made in the crockpot.

Preparation Time: 
30 min
Cooking Time: 
Servings: 
4-6
Recipe Category: 

SO HOW'D IT GO?

Don't listen to the doubters, this recipe is amazing.  I've always kind of disliked whole green lentils and their earthy grittiness, but here they work.

I tweaked the recipe a bit by adding a celery stick at the beginning saute (celery usually shines in this role, and I was right).  I added a bit more cumin, and used hot paprika with a dash of cayenne kick things up a notch without having to use hot sauce.  I served it alongside basmati rice and it was great. I halved the recipe and now I wish I hadn't...

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I made these today with a bit of an adjustment. I used sweet potatoes and seitan chorizo. Ye gods it came out wonderful, added a bit more water, I would say two cups to cover the lentils but it came out beautifully. On the side I made brown rice with garlic and it should stand as one of my favorites.

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wonderful as is!!!!!!!!!!!! I ate it with rice, soyrizo and tons of hot sauce.

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Very good!
I only used 1 cup of lentils, but kept the veggie amounts the same - threw everything in the pressure cooker for about 20 minutes then added the sausage - I used Yves Italian brand - they were ok, but I think I would have preferred it without....I'm not a huge sausage fan....

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Just have to chime in and say, for those of you planning to go to Spain, definitely go to the Happy Cow website and let it direct you to some of the most WONDERFUL vegan/vegetarian restaurants you've ever encountered! I went to Spain for 4 months, equipped with a list of suggestions from Happy Cow, and when we weren't in small towns where vegan food equaled bread/olives/tomatoes/orange juice, the bigger cities usually had at least a few places. They were all DELICIOUS. Where I live in Vancouver BC vegetarian food is more the norm, but in Spain....the care they take in preparing it, presenting it, flavouring it....it's all delicious and beautiful. Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, Tarifa, and Valencia are some places I remember having particularly great places, and Granada even had "Go Vegan ♥" graffiti decorating the streets and alleys.

As for this recipe, I can't wait to try it and reminisce.

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I see.  I've only spent two weeks in Spain.  Had some terrific meals (even though I ate at bonafide vegetarian restaurants only once or twice.)  But was afraid to try the lentil dishes because pork seemed to find its way into most bean dishes.  And my Spanish isn't good enough to explain to someone that a vegetable dish that's based on a meat-based broth is not vegetarian. 
      But otherwise, for a lacto vegetarian, Spain is heaven.  The olives, the cheeses, the bread! 

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DarrylB, the recipe is Spanish because it is the way lentils are traditionally and usually prepared in Spain. Hence the name, "Traditional Spanish Lentils."

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I agree with the "okay but not great" group.  I made it according to the recipe, without soyrizo.  Not sure why this is Spanish. The paprika?  Omit the paprika, add some celery, and you've got your basic generic lentil soup.
  Two cups of lentils is a LOT of lentils, I think I would double the spices and add a half cup of white wine if I made it again.  Maybe the soyrizo would help too.

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very tasty

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I love lentils! This recipe is soo easy and the result is soooooo delicious! Even my 2 years old daughter loved them!
I didn't add any Soyrizo since I don't really like soya :) This is definitely a keeper!

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