Vegan Dirty Rice with Black Beluga Lentils and TVP WFPB Oil-Free

A healthy veganized version of the Louisiana classic. Black lentils create a visually appealing color contrast in this multi-textured, protein packed, juicy rice dish. Onions, celery and green bell pepper, a.k.a. the cajun holy trinity, anchor the flavor, while a combination of umami and herbal seasonings add complexity. Much like the traditional version, this rice is more than just a side dish.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Anti Inflammatory Diet, Cajun, Creole, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegan Fusion, Vegetarian, WFPB, WFPBNO, Whole Food Plant-Based

Servings

Equipment

small cooking pot
Medium Cooking Pot (or large skillet)
small bowl

Ingredients

2 cubes vegan 'beef' bouillon (sub with vegetable or vegan 'chicken' bouillon)
1 cup brown rice (I use brown basmati)
⅓ cup dry black lentils, rinsed and picked through (brown or green lentils also work)
⅓ cup texturized vegetable protein (TVP)
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
½ cup onions, finely chopped
½ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
½ cup celery, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning mix
2 teaspoons Shiitake mushroom powder
1 teaspoon tomato powder (or 2 teaspoons of tomato paste)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
salt and black pepper to toaste (optional)

Instructions

Place one of the bouillon cubes and 3-1/2 cups of water in a small pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add brown rice and lentils to the pot. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until rice and lentils are fully cooked. If there's extra liquid, don't strain it away, just leave the pot covered. This step can be done way ahead of time, or while you're preparing your other ingredients.
Place the other bouillon cube in a small bowl or large measuring cup that holds at least two cups of water. A large pyrex measuring cup with a spout is perfect for this. Pour two cups of hot water over the bouillon cube and dissolve to create a stock.
Place TVP in a small bowl, then pour about 2/3 cup of the stock you created over TVP and set aside.
Pour about 1/4 of your remaining stock into a medium sized pot or large skillet and bring to a boil over high heat keeping the remaining stock close at hand.
When the stock starts to boil, bring the heat down medium-high and add the onions, green bell pepper, celery and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes adding small amounts of stock every minute or two to keep vegetables from burning or sticking as stock boils down. Do this until the onions are translucent.
Add the pre-soaked TVP to the sautéd veggies, mix and keep cooking for three more minutes, adding more broth a little at a time.
Now add Cajun seasoning, mushroom powder, and tomato powder (or paste). Continue to sauté, adding stock a little at a time until you've used up all of your stock. Be patient, you're creating fabulous layered flavor. Stop sautéing and turn off heat when your mixture looks like a thick sauce. It should be wet but not soupy.
Add parsley, green onions and cooked rice and lentils to your seasoned veggie and TVP mix and blend. You may need to heat up your dirty rice a bit, especially if your rice and lentils are not piping hot.
Taste before deciding if you need to use salt and pepper. You may also want to add a little more Cajun seasoning.
Serve hot!

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