Vegan Lentil Sausage Casserole is comfort food for the whole family. High in protein, simple to make, has great flavors and perfect textures.
Vegan Lentil Sausage Casserole is baked and makes a nice statement when it is set on the table. Very simple to make with the addition of meatless sausage added for texture and more protein.
30% of the calories in lentils are protein and if you buy a sausage such as one of the ones by Field Roast you will get even more protein because it is made with vital wheat gluten.
This isn’t a sponsored post it’s just that Field Roast is pretty easy to find and is really good.
You can certainly make your own seiten sausage but I am trying to make this a quicker weeknight meal. Easy and quick.
You can’t complain about that. The lentils are cooked from scratch so the expense is kept at a minimum too.
Italian sausage is in this recipe but you could use their smoked apple sage variety too. Or any of your favorite for that matter. It would also be delicious.
Another vegan sausage recipe that I have is with little homemade seitan sausage links. After I made this Vegan Sausage Sandwich with Peppers and Onions I saw that Field Roast came out with a new product.
It was a pack of little plant-based sausage links. So here again you can go with homemade or store-bought. This sandwich is so good!
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Vegan Lentil Sausage Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces lentils - dried, brown
- 1 bay leaf
- 13 ounces plant based Italian Sausage - one package - I used Field Roast
- 1 onion - yellow onion - finely diced
- 15 ounces tomatoes - can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Place the lentils and bay leaf in a large saucepan and cover the lentils with water by about an inch and a half.
- Cover and bring to a boil.
- Turn down to medium heat.
- Cook about 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.
- Taste to see if the texture is done but not mushy.
- Take out the bay leaf when done and discard. Set lentils aside.
- While the lentils are cooking take the covering off of the sausage. Be careful when handling as you want to links to stay together.
- Slice the sausage in 1/2" thick slices. Set aside.
- Heat about a tablespoon of water in a large skillet.
- Add the onion to the skillet and saute for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Add the sausage and of the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked lentils to the skillet and mix gently but well.
- Pour into a large casserole dish or two smaller ones so that you can freeze one.
- Cover the casserole with a lid.
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
IF FREEZING:
You could freeze the complete casserole before baking. Please follow any of the directions defined in my article How to Prepare Food for the Freezer.
TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:
The complete casserole needs to be put in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before baking. Bake, covered at 350° for 40 minutes.
Field Roast is my favorite Debbie and they are pretty easy to find. In the section near the tofu, tempeh and dairy-free cheeses.
What sausage do you use that does not have egg whites?
Ok, thanks!
Yes you can Tracey. I believe you will need to cans though as they will double when cooking.
Can I cheat & use the pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s?
It is pretty much a meal in itself so salad and a crusty bread loaf would make it complete. But if you would like another side a contrasting vegetable would be good. Something like snap peas or corn on the cob. Here are two links that would work. https://veganinthefreezer.com/fried-corn/ and https://veganinthefreezer.com/sugar-snap-peas-mint/ Hope that helps. Thanks so much!!!
what would you serve with it? I want to make it but what is a good side dish for it? It looks great