Recipe: Sam's Soyrizo Soup (vegan)

Sam is the kind of friend who will show up to your house with snacks to share, cook a full vegan meal, and then help clean everything up afterward. Each time that he’s made this soup for us over the years I have eaten multiple bowls (which says a lot because I’m pretty picky when it comes to soups!). The combination of hearty veggies, melt-in-your-mouth lentils, and savory Soyrizo broth make for a flavorful, nutritious soup perfect for the colder seasons. You can only imagine how excited I was recently when I received an email from Sam with his recipe typed up so I can make it any time I want (especially appreciated during quarantine). Sam’s Soyrizo Soup is perfect for making in big batches and enjoying as leftovers throughout the week-- if there is any left over!  

*This soup may be a little spicy for those who are heat sensitive (the Soyrizo itself is a little spicy). Personally I love adding some extra peppers to kick up the heat, so I recommend adjusting it to suit your taste!

*Also note that cooking times may vary slightly based on your stove, so make sure to check on your veggies and adjust the timing as you see fit. 
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Sam’s Soyrizo Soup
Vegan, 4-5 servings
Ingredients 

• ~2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 medium Onion (chopped) (yellow or white) 
• 5-10 Baby Carrots (chopped) (or 1-2 full sized carrots. Rainbow carrots also add nice color) 
• 2 stalks of Celery (chopped)
• 4 cloves of Garlic (chopped)
• 1 can of Garbanzo Beans (drained)
• 1 package of Soyrizo (Sam uses Trader Joe's brand, I use El Burrito's)
• Water (about 7 cups, add more later on if needed) 
• 3/4 cup Red Lentils (dried)
• Broccoli (chopped) (1 medium head or 1/2 a bag of florets from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 small Zucchini or Yellow/Summer Squash (chopped)
• Corn (about 3/4 cup fresh or frozen)
• Spinach (several handfuls)

Optional Ingredients

• 1 Jalapeño (chopped) (add extra or sub for a spicier pepper if you want more heat!)

Directions

1. In a big pot on medium-low heat cook the onion in your oil of choice for 1-2 minutes, or until it starts to become slightly translucent. 
2. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes (stirring often).
3. Move all the ingredients to one side of the pot and add a little more oil to the empty side. Then throw the garlic in the oil and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the garbanzo beans, stir, and cook for 3-4 minutes. 
5. Add the Soyrizo by breaking it up and mixing it in (the size of the pieces isn't too important-- by the end it will have a consistency similar to the lentils). Then add the water, lentils, and (optional) jalapeño. Stir it all together, turn up the stove to medium-high heat, and wait for it to boil. Once it starts boiling switch the heat back to medium-low and simmer for 12 minutes.
6. Add the broccoli and let it simmer for 5 more minutes. 
7. Add the corn and zucchini/squash and simmer for 6 more minutes.
8. Add spinach and simmer for 2 more minutes or until it has wilted. 
9. Serve and enjoy!  (Consider serving with a pinch of black pepper or a tiny bit of sriracha to taste)

I can already tell that this soup will be one of my go-to recipes this winter. Given how much I enjoy this dish I’m always surprised by how easy and quick it is to make-- most of my time and effort just goes into chopping up vegetables. I hope you like this soup as much as I do, and if you decide to make it please let me know how it turns out! 

***A special thanks to Sam Muse for cooking this soup for us with love and care on several occasions, typing up his recipe, sharing it, and suggesting that I post it! While I helped with editing, formatting, and photography Sam is the true culinary MVP and deserves major credit.

​Note: I choose to call it a soup, but technically it might fall somewhere between a soup and a stew. It has enough chunky veggies and substance to be called a stew, with relatively less water content in proportion to the other ingredients. However the broth is thin like a soup, and there still is a good bit of it. I think “soup” sounds better in the title so we'll go with that!