Smoky Harissa Lentil Soup with Vegan Sausage, Sweet Potato & Orzo

This soup happened on a whim. I had half a pack of vegan bacon, a couple of vegan Italian sausages, a sweet potato, a tin of lentils and some kale, and I threw them in a pot with harissa, smoked paprika and a little orzo. The secret is what goes in at the end: a spoonful of miso and a handful of nutritional yeast, which turn the broth deep, savory and almost cheesy.

Quick answer: To make smoky harissa lentil soup with vegan sausage, crisp vegan bacon and sausage in a pot and set them aside. Cook tomato paste, harissa and smoked paprika, then simmer diced sweet potato in broth for 8 minutes. Add orzo for 8 to 10 minutes, then canned lentils and kale. Off the heat, stir in miso and nutritional yeast, and top each bowl with the crispy vegan meats. It serves 6 and takes about 45 minutes.

Harissa Lentil Soup at a Glance

• Time: about 45 minutes
• Serves: 6
• Diet: vegan, high-protein, dairy-free
• Pot: one
• Protein: lentils, vegan sausage and vegan bacon
• Secret: miso and nutritional yeast stirred in at the end

The Formula

• 1. Crisp something smoky. Brown vegan bacon and sausage first, then use the same pot.
• 2. Bloom a flavor base. Tomato paste, harissa and smoked paprika cooked until dark and fragrant.
• 3. Simmer something hearty. Sweet potato, orzo and lentils make it a full meal.
• 4. Finish with umami. Miso and nutritional yeast off the heat, with kale for freshness.

Key Ingredients

• Vegan bacon and vegan Italian sausage: crisped first for smoky, savory bites. Use either one, or both.
• Sweet potato: adds sweetness to balance the harissa and makes the soup hearty.
• Canned lentils: fast plant protein with no soaking. Rinse them first.
• Orzo: small rice-shaped pasta that cooks right in the soup.
• Harissa and smoked paprika: warm, smoky heat. Harissa varies in spice, so start small.
• Tomato paste: cooked until it darkens for a rich, slow-simmered flavor.
• White miso and nutritional yeast: the secret to a deep, savory, almost cheesy broth.
• Kale: wilted in at the end for color and greens.

How to Make Harissa Lentil Soup

1. Crisp the vegan bacon and sausage

Brown the chopped vegan bacon and sliced sausage in olive oil for 5 to 6 minutes until crisp, then set them aside. They go back on top at the end so they stay crunchy.

2. Build the flavor base

In the same pot, soften the onion, add the garlic, then stir in the tomato paste, harissa and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the paste turns a shade darker.

3. Simmer the sweet potato

Add the diced sweet potato and broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 8 minutes.

4. Cook the orzo

Stir in the orzo and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo and sweet potato are tender. Add more broth if it gets too thick.

5. Add the lentils and kale

Stir in the rinsed lentils and chopped kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the kale wilts.

6. Finish with miso and nooch

Take the pot off the heat. Whisk the miso with a ladle of broth, then stir it in with the nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Top and serve

Ladle into bowls, pile on the crispy vegan bacon and sausage, and serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Tips

• Let the vegan meats get properly crisp and keep them out of the pot until serving so they stay crunchy.
• Cook the tomato paste and harissa until they turn a shade darker. That is where the deep flavor comes from.
• Stir the orzo often so it does not stick to the bottom.
• Always add miso off the heat.

Easy Variations

• Swap the greens: spinach or Swiss chard instead of kale.
• Swap the grain: small shells, ditalini, rice or quinoa instead of orzo. Use rice or quinoa for gluten-free.
• Swap the squash: butternut squash or regular potatoes instead of sweet potato.
• Make it creamy: stir in ½ cup coconut milk or cashew cream at the end.

Serving and Storage

Serve with crusty bread and a squeeze of lemon. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge. The orzo keeps absorbing broth, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating.

More Cozy Vegan Soups

• Field Roast One-Pot Vegan Zuppa Toscana
• High-Protein Black Bean Lentil Soup
• Easy Orzo Zucchini Vegetable Soup
• Moroccan Lentil Soup

Smoky Harissa Lentil Soup with Vegan Sausage, Sweet Potato and Orzo

A hearty one-pot vegan soup with crispy vegan bacon and Italian sausage, sweet potato, lentils, orzo and kale in a smoky harissa tomato broth made rich with miso and nutritional yeast.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

Crispy Vegan Meats

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 strips vegan bacon chopped
• 2 links vegan Italian sausage about 7 oz, sliced into coins

Soup

• 1 small onion diced, optional
• 3 cloves garlic minced, optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa paste to taste
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 medium sweet potato about 12 oz, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
• 6 cups vegetable broth plus more as needed
• ¾ cup orzo
• 1 can (15 oz) lentils drained and rinsed
• 3 cups kale stems removed, chopped
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• salt and black pepper to taste
• lemon wedges optional, to serve

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the vegan bacon and sausage and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp. Transfer to a plate, leaving the oil in the pot.
• Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft, then the garlic for 30 seconds.
• Stir in the tomato paste, harissa and smoked paprika and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste darkens slightly.
• Add the sweet potato and broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes.
• Stir in the orzo and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick, until the orzo and sweet potato are tender. Add more broth if it gets too thick.
• Add the lentils and kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the kale wilts.
• Take the pot off the heat. Whisk the miso with a ladle of broth until smooth, then stir it in along with the nutritional yeast. Season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle into bowls and top with the crispy vegan bacon and sausage, with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Orzo keeps absorbing broth as it sits. For meal prep, cook it separately or loosen leftovers with extra broth when reheating. Keeps 4 days in the fridge.

Harissa Lentil Soup FAQ