Vegan Picadillo – Connoisseurus Veg

This vegan picadillo is made with spiced lentils and walnuts simmered up with juicy tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet raisins and pimento-stuffed green olives. Serve over rice for a comforting, delicious and healthy meal!

Sometimes, okay usually, when I learn about some new to me food item, my reaction is to get really excited and want to veganize it. This can happen even if I know nothing about the food. I just really like playing with new dishes and ingredients, and if somebody likes it, there’s usually something I can work with.

That was pretty much my reaction when I first learned about picadillo, and once I investigated, I wanted to make a vegan version even more. It’s basically a big old Latin American stew of ground beef with spices, olives and raisins.

I’m fascinated by the olives + raisins combo, or just olives and sweet flavors in general. My brain says “weird,” but it’s always delicious.

I decided to create my vegan picadillo using a mix of lentils and walnuts in place of meat, and as expected, it was delicious. The mix of flavors and textures in this one was magnificent. It’s easy to make, versatile, and great for meal prep.

How It’s Made

The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!

Start by cooking your lentils. You want them to be slightly undercooked. You can prep the remaining ingredients while the lentils simmer.

Heat your oil in a skillet and add diced onion and bell pepper. Sweat the veggies just until they soften up.

Add the walnuts, garlic and spices to the skillet. Sauté the mixture for just about a minute, stirring the whole time and watching it like a hawk to avoid burning anything.

Stir in the cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, and soy sauce. Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes, which should be just enough time for the lentils to finish cooking and the sauce to thicken up.

Take the skillet off of heat and stir in the olives and raisins. Season the mixture with some salt and pepper to taste.

Your vegan picadillo is ready to serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice!

Meal-Prep Tips

• The lentils can be cooked in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• The onion and bell pepper can be diced in advance and stored together in an airtight container in the fridge.

Leftovers & Storage

Leftover vegan picadillo keeps very well and can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Vegan Latin American Recipes

Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!

Vegan Picadillo

This vegan picadillo is made with spiced lentils and walnuts simmered up with juicy tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet raisins and pimento-stuffed green olives. Serve over rice for a comforting, delicious and healthy meal!

Ingredients

• 1
  cup
  dried brown lentils
• 2
  tablespoons
  olive oil
• 1
  medium onion,
  diced
• 1
  red bell pepper,
  diced
• 4
  garlic cloves,
  minced
• ½
  cup
  chopped walnuts
• 2
  teaspoons
  ground cumin
• 1
  teaspoon
  smoked paprika
• 1
  teaspoon
  dried oregano
• ½
  teaspoon
  ground cinnamon
• Pinch
  cloves
• 1
  (14 ounce/400 gram) can
  diced tomatoes
• 1
  (8 ounce/236 ml) can
  tomato sauce
• 1
  tablespoon
  red wine vinegar
• 1
  tablespoon
  soy sauce
• ⅔
  cup
  pimento-stuffed green olives
• ½
  cup
  raisins
• salt and pepper,
  to taste
• Chopped fresh cilantro,
  for serving
• Lime wedges,
  for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the lentils into a small saucepan and cover them with water. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil.

2. Lower the heat and allow the lentils to simmer until they’re almost fully cooked, but still a bit firm at their centers, about 20 minutes.

3. Drain the lentils into a colander.

4. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with the oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper.

5. Sweat the onion and pepper for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften, stirring frequently.

6. Add the garlic, walnuts, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cinnamon and cloves. Sauté the mixture for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

7. Stir in the cooked lentils, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook everything just until the lentils are tender and the sauce thickens up a bit, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the olives and raisins. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Divide onto plates and serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Picadillo

Amount Per Serving

Calories 305
Calories from Fat 119

% Daily Value*

Fat 13.2g20%

Saturated Fat 1.3g7%

Sodium 362mg15%

Potassium 682mg19%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 13.2g53%

Sugar 11.2g12%

Protein 12.7g25%

Calcium 80mg8%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.