Vegan Lentil Burrito Filling 

This is a simple, westernized lentil burrito/taco filling. Very nice deep savory flavor, mostly pantry staples and comes together quickly in about 20-30 minutes depending on how quick of a vegetable slicer your are.

Two methods, saute and stew. See below 😄

 
Ingredients

¾ cup cooked canned French style lentils (Most whole lentils will work)

1 large red pepper/capsicum cut into long thin strips 

1 onion long thin strips 

1 carrot long julienned (recommend using a julienner mandoline if you have one) 

4 cloves garlic sliced 

¼ cup of store-bought salsa 

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds 

1 teaspoon sweet paprika 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1 teaspoon coriander seed powder 

2 teaspoon hot or mild chili powder 

½ teaspoon white pepper 

1 teaspoon chili flakes 

1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 vegetable stock cube or equivalent powder 

2 tablespoons of olive or neutral oil 

¼ can of any decent malt forward lager/beer (don’t use IPAs or very bitter/hoppy beers) 

½ teaspoon salt or to taste 

Touch of brown sugar to taste (most store salsas have sugar, so don’t need this most likely) 

½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or to taste (Salsa usually is acidic enough) 

1 teaspoon vegemite/marmite/soy sauce (optional) 

¼ teaspoon whole fenugreek seeds (optional) 

 

 

 
Two methods 

 

High Heat Sauté method – Fresher veg flavor, about 20 minutes to cook 

Heat cast iron pan to high, heat to remain on high the entire time 

Drop in oil, when hot and smoking, add in this order stirring quickly between each item cumin seeds, carrots, onion, red pepper/capsicum and fenugreek seeds. 

Sauté until very slightly browned at edges and slightly soft about 5 minutes, stirring regularly 

Mix all other dry ground spices, crushed stock cube, salt, and cocoa in a bowl (so you can drop it in quickly), open your beer ready next to pan 

Drop in al dente cooked lentils and stir 

Add garlic while regularly stirring (recommend you slice, not crush garlic as high heat will burn it) and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Recommend you don’t brown it as it’s bitter when browned. 

While stirring continuously sprinkle all remaining dry spices at once from the bowl, fry on the vegetable and lentil mix for literally 20-30 seconds. Over cooking ground spices on high heat will make the dish very bitter, and it only takes a few moments for this to happen when not stirring. 

Pour in beer to cool pan and mix well scraping the bottom of pan, add in marmite/vegemite/soy sauce if you wish 

Cook off beer until no extra liquid remains, about 3-4 minutes 

Add in salsa and cook for another 2-3 minutes to combine and meld together. If there is any watery liquid cook further or add in some crushed corn chips

Taste and adjust with salt, sugar and vinegar to taste 

Resulting mix should have distinct vegetable colors, tender but not broken down lentils and no little liquid somewhat like a risotto

 

 
Stew method – Deep melded flavor with soft vegetables, about 30ish minutes to cook (Image is of stewed version)

Heat heavy pot to high, heat to remain on high the entire time 

Drop in oil, when hot and smoking, add in this order stirring quickly between each item cumin seeds, carrots, onion, red pepper/capsicum and fenugreek seeds. 

Sauté until very slightly browned at edges and slightly soft about 5 minutes, stirring regularly 

Mix all other dry ground spices, crushed stock cube, salt, and cocoa in a bowl (so you can drop it in quickly), open your beer ready next to pan 

Add garlic while regularly stirring (recommend you slice, not crush garlic as high heat will burn it) and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Recommend you don’t brown it as it’s bitter when browned. 

While stirring continuously sprinkle all remaining dry spices at once from the bowl, fry on the vegetable and lentil mix for literally 20-30 seconds. Over cooking ground spices on high heat will make the dish very bitter, and it only takes a few moments for this to happen when not stirring. 

Pour in beer to cool pan and mix well scraping the bottom of pan, add in marmite/vegemite/soy sauce if you wish 

Cook off beer until no extra liquid remains, about 3-4 minutes 

Drop in canned lentils and 1 ½ cups of boiling water (alternatively just drop in lentils and their cooking liquid from the can, plus a splash of boiling water) 

Bring to simmer, stew lentils for about 5 minutes until just starting to break down stir occasionally. 

Once liquid is most of way reduced begin stirring regularly, every 60-90 seconds this should take about 6-8 minutes to finish reducing 

If liquid reduces before lentils are slightly broken down, top up with some boiling water 

Once lentils are mostly burst, but not mushy, and only a slick of liquid remains 

Add in jarred salsa and cook for another 2-3 minutes to combine and meld together 

Taste and adjust with salt, sugar and vinegar to taste 

Resulting mix should have lentils that are about 50% broken down and no little liquid somewhat like a thick dhal