[Recipe + Video] Vegan 'Sancocho' (Root Stew)

For the vegans and vegetarians who still love their sancocho (root stew) I've created a simple vegan 'sancocho' recipe that is hearty and filling.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword meatless sancocho, sancocho without meat, vegetarian sancocho

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 344kcal

Author Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves crushed
1 teaspoon oregano (dry leaves) or ½ teaspoon of powdered orégano
1 cup yellow split peas
1 quart vegetable broth [1 liter] or homemade vegetable broth recipe
1 cup dry mushrooms (about 2 oz [57 g]) of dry porcini (see notes)
¼ pound yuca (cassava) [0.24 kg], peeled and cut into small pieces
¼ pound yautía (malanga) [0.24 kg] (optional)
¼ pound auyama (kabocha squash) [0.24 kg]
1 plantain (green, unripe) cut into ½" slices
¼ pound ñame (yam, read more) [0.24 kg] (optional)
1 corn cob cut into ½" slices (optional)
1 bunch cilantro and parsley, chopped
1½ teaspoon salt (or more, to taste),
½ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground) (or more, to taste)
Agrio de naranja to serve (optional)

Instructions

Sauteing vegetables: Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, orégano, and split peas.
Cook and stir for a few seconds.
Simmering: Add 1 qt [1lt] of vegetable broth plus 1 qt [1lt] of water. Cover and lower temperature. Simmer until the split peas are very soft. Add more water to maintain the same level and stir when it becomes necessary.
Cooking roots: When the split peas are cooked through, add the dry mushrooms, cassava, malanga, plantain, pumpkin, yam, and corn.
Simmer covered over medium heat until all the vegetables and roots are cooked through.
Seasoning: Chop the cilantro and parsley and add to the pot.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serving: Serve with bitter orange vinegar on the side and accompany with white rice and some slices of avocado.

Video

Notes

I used dry porcini mushrooms, which are available commercially, or you can make yourself and has a very "meaty" taste.

To make the dry mushrooms, wash and pat-dry ¼ lb big porcini mushrooms. Place on an oiled baking pan, sprinkle with salt and cook in the oven at 200 ºF for one hour. Remove from the oven. Cool to room temperature and cut into "spoon-sized" pieces.

You need a 6 qt pot or bigger.

Nutrition