Vegan Mince [Video+Recipe] Pastelones and Empanadas Filling

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red onion (minced)
• 4 large portobello mushroom caps ((or 8 porcini), minced)
• 1 red bell pepper (minced)
• 1/2 cup dry lentils ([120 g] brown lentils, raw, rinsed)
• 1 teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)
• 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano (dry, ground)
• 1 teaspoon salt ((or more, to taste))
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup minced curly parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   --- 1. Sauteing onion ---

2. 2

   Sauteing onion: Heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until it has turned translucent.

3. 3

   --- 2. Sauteing vegetables ---

4. 4

   Sauteing vegetables: Stir in the lentils. Stir. Add freshly-cracked black pepper, thyme, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Cook stirring until everything is heated through.Add the mushrooms, and stir to mix. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir.

5. 5

   --- 3. Simmering ---

6. 6

   Simmering: Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but still whole.During this time, stir it every ten minutes to cook uniformly. The vegetables will keep releasing liquid, which is what the lentils will cook in. If it ever dries too much, add a couple of tablespoons of water to prevent it from scorching.

7. 7

   --- 4. Seasoning ---

8. 8

   Seasoning: Add soy sauce and stir. Taste and add more salt if you find it necessary (I did).Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.

9. 9

   --- 5. Serving ---

10. 10

    Serving: Serve as a standalone vegan main dish, or use to stuff pastelones, picaderas, or empanadas.