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.
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.