Ode to the most delicious breakfast ever! This vegan biscuits and lentil gravy recipe is cozy, satisfying, and sure to please.
I've been making this lentil gravy for years. It's the best biscuit gravy ever!
You can also add vegan sausage crumbles, my signature sheet-pan vegan bacon recipe, or tempeh breakfast sausage patties to make it even more special.
Table of Contents
Oil-free Sweet Potato Biscuits
Mashed sweet potatoes make delicious vegan biscuits without adding butter or even a flax egg.
It's the same principle I use for sweet potato pizza crust or vegan flatbread, just adding more leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda).
Add thyme and rosemary for a savory, herby taste to accentuate that yummy gravy.
How to Make Lentil Gravy
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I've changed my approach over the years to make this an easier, one-pot recipe. Just saute the onions, add the spices, then cook the lentils in vegetable broth.
For leftover cooked lentils, you'll need 3 ¾ cups. Skip over simmering the lentils in the recipe steps. Blend with 1 cup of broth as directed.
To blend or not to blend - a matter of preference.
I like to puree the cooked lentils with the rest of the gravy ingredients to create a smoother texture. I’ve also not bothered with this step if the lentils I used broke down on their own while cooking.
I made pureeing optional in the instructions because it depends on your preferences. It also might come down to your available blending devices. Sometimes, it’s one thing to grab an immersion wand and quite another to drag out the blender or food processor.
Serving Suggestions
In our house, biscuits and gravy is a Christmas morning tradition. It’s one of those perfect holiday recipes because it’s special. And because it's a holiday, I make the gravy a day ahead and precook the sweet potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Green or brown lentils are best for lentil gravy because they retain their shape and texture. Red lentils, especially split red lentils break down for a creamier gravy.
Store lentil gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove over low heat. You can also freeze lentil gravy for 3 months.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Vegan Biscuits and Lentil Gravy Recipe
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Ingredients
Lentil Gravy Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups green lentils - rinsed, about 3 ¾ cups cooked
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 small onion - diced, 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch - or all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Sweet Potato Biscuits Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet potato - mashed, 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 cups whole wheat flour - see notes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 cup plant milk - oat, almond, soy or another non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- If you need to cook the sweet potato, peel and dice it into small cubes. Add it to a medium pot, covered with water. Simmer the sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash after cooking.
How to make lentil gravy
- Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat and add the onion. Stir to soften the onion before adding the garlic, thyme and smoked paprika.
- Add 5 cups of vegetable broth and the lentils. Bring the ingredients to a low simmer, cover the pot. Simmer the lentils until they start to break down (35-40) minutes.
- Rinse 1 ½ cups dried lentils and add them to a medium pot along with 5 cups vegetable broth (or the equivalent of water and stock cubes), plus 1 Tbsp. dried thyme. Bring the pot to a boil and turn down the heat, cover the pot and let the lentils simmer until tender (about 40 minutes).
- In a small bowl or glass jar whisk 1 cup vegetable broth, with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar.
- Once the lentils have cooked, add the cornstarch mixture to the pot. Remove the gravy from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the gravy. Alternatively, transfer a few cups of lentils to a blender.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper. Add more broth if the gravy is too thick.
How to make sweet potato biscuits
- Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl or glass, mix ½ cup plant milk with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, and ½ teaspon dried thyme.
- Use a fork to mash the sweet potato into the dry ingredients.
- Add the plant milk and vinegar. Continue adding plant milk until you have a dough that will hold together. Sweet potatoes can be very sticky, so adjust the milk and flour.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it flat to around ¾ inch in thickness. Using a biscuit cutter or glass dipped in flour, press straight down without twisting and cut the biscuits. You should end up with 8-10 depending on the size of the cutter you are using (1 ½ inches in diameter is a good guide).
- Place the biscuits on the baking sheet and bake until the tops are lightly brown, 9-11 minutes.
- Serve with warm lentil gravy.
Notes
- Prep time includes boiling sweet potato cubes for 15 minutes.
- Strong wheat or gluten-free flour can also be used. For flour lighter than whole wheat, you may need to add less plant milk.
- Store leftover gravy in an airtight container for 4 days for freeze for 3 months.
- Lentil gravy can be made in advance.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Gabrielle Bradley
Hi! I LOVE Sausage gravy and biscuits! Since I became vegan, I thought I had to give it up! Then i found you! Glory be!!! My question is in the making of the sausage. It calls for seitan and Then it says “vital wheat gluten”. Can I use the powdered VWG of do I need to. make Seitan first? Thank you!
Denise
Hi, you will just use the vital wheat gluten (seitan) as a dry mix. It serves as a binder for your sausage patties. Just put it in dry and mix up the patties. This is one of our absolute favorite recipes. I hope you love it as much as we do. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. D.
Gabrielle
Thank you for your speedy reply!!! I’ll be making this tomorrow!
Brit
I made the lentil gravy tonight for mashed potatoes. I LOVED it. I had to sub liquid smoke for the worcetshire sauce because that’s what I had. As a vegan, it’s SO nice to have a gravy that actually adds protein and nutrition to the overall dish!
Denise
Good call on the substitute. Oh, lentil gravy - it's fantastic. I've got it on the Thanksgiving menu.