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Vegan Beet & Black Lentil Stew

There may be many versions of borscht out there, but it never hurts to have one more. Especially a completely vegan yet utterly delicious recipe!
The herb mixture was what did it for me, but you can easily swap out some of the other ingredients like Swiss chard instead of kale, or even the beet greens if you are lucky enough to have them. Green lentils or white beans would make a good sub for the black lentils if you can't find them locally.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course: Soup
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small onion, peeled & chopped
  • 1 small jalapeno, de-seeded & minced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 5-6 medium to large beets, chopped
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 cups black lentils, rinsed & drained
  • 8 cups low or no-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3 cups chopped kale or other dark leafy green
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • vegan sour cream to garnish (optional)

Equipment

  • Stockpot

Method
 

  1. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, jalapeno. and carrot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture starts to soften. Adding a tablespoon or two of water as needed to keep from sticking.
  2. Next add in the beets through the herbs. Mix together and cook for an additional minute or two before stirring in the lentils and vegetable stock. Increase the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked through.
  3. Once the vegetables are cooked to your liking, remove the bay leaves and stir in the chopped kale and apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Scoop into a bowl and add a dollop of vegan sour cream or plain unsweetened plant-based yogurt. Enjoy!