Epic Lentils Gumbo

In series: Kitchen

This recipe is a staple of mine - I always post it as the first content for a new blog or similar personal site. The “fabulous new blog” mentioned in the first sentence refers to a blog I wrote in 2017, heh. Enjoy the gumbo!

To kickstart my fabulous new blog I shall introduce you to one of the greatest and easiest recipes I know. It was taught to me by an amazing ex-colleague around 2012.

The final product will be a “soup” which is thick enough to be eaten with a fork. It’s vegan unless you choose otherwise (sometimes I add cream cheese for taste)

Ingredients

You will need:

  • 1-2 red onions (or plain)
  • 5-10 cloves of garlic (the more the better)
  • 2-3 carrots
  • 3-4 potatoes
  • (other vegetables, like zuccini, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip, sweet potato, mushrooms etc.)
  • 500g - 1000g (1-2 pounds) mashed tomatoes
  • 1-2 dl (~3/4 cup?) dry red lentils
  • a good splash of oil
  • a stock/broth cube/base or equivalent seasoning
  • Spices: curry (lots!), paprika (lots!), chili, basil and others that float your boat (ginger, peppers …?)
  • Non-vegan extra: a fistful of cream cheese or other “cooking cheese” (e.g. Koskenlaskija) (n.b. in 2017 vegan cheeses hardly existed, in 2025 there might actually be meaningful vegan alternatives)

Do this

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot
  2. Slice the onions and garlic and toss them in the oil
  3. Add all spices in the oilgarlic
  4. Mix them for a while and let the onions soak it all
  5. Once you’re satisfied, add the more solid vegetables (potatoes, carrots) first and stir them a bit, then add the rest of the vegetables
  6. Add half a litre of water
  7. Add the stock cube, cleansed & soaked lentils and any other vegetables that you might still have remaining. Finally, add the tomato mash.
  8. Add the cheese (or equivalent) and mix it in.
  9. Let it be: simmer on low heat for 45-60 minutes at least. Take your time (hours) - it just gets better the more time you give it. Stir once in a while just to avoid burning something.
  10. If you have any fresh herbs for taste, add them last.

Once you take it off the stove and let it soak in, it will settle to a more solid form, if it’s not already.