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gochujang lentils in bowls with bell pepper and onion
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5 from 11 votes

Gochujang Lentils Stir fry

1 Pan Gochujang lentils stir fry with veggies, with pickled cucumber, is a super quick weekday meal. Serve over rice or noodles or in lettuce wraps! It’s easy and packed with flavor!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Keyword: gochujang lentils
Servings: 4
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the pickled cucumber:

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar white or rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water

For the gochujang lentils:

  • 15 ounce can of lentils drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste or 2 cloves of minced garlic and a 1/2-inch piece of ginger minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion, chopped into 3/4-inch slices or cubes
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped into 3/4-1 inch cubes
  • 1/2 green bell pepper or other color bell pepper, chopped into 3/4-1 inch cubes
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or use tamari for gluten free
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water (or used tapioca starch)

To serve:

  • rice or noodles as needed
  • chopped green onion and sesame seeds for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the pickled cucumber:

  • Slice the cucumber. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to a small bowl, mixing well. Add in the cucumber and press it into the brine. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before using. Make the rice or noodles in the meantime.

Make the gochujang lentils

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, ginger-garlic paste, and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then mix in the soy sauce, gochujang, rice vinegar, and maple syrup.
  • Bring the sauce mixture to a boil, then mix the cornstarch into the water and add to the skillet. Bring it back to a boil, then add the lentils, tossing well to coat.
  • Simmer the lentil mixture for 2-3 minutes for the flavors to meld and for the sauce to thicken a little bit more. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. For more heat, add some red pepper flakes or some gochugaru flakes, then switch off the heat.

To serve:

  • Add some rice or noodles to a plate. Add a good helping of the lentils. Top with some of the pickled cucumber, chopped green onion, and sesame seeds, and serve. Or serve the lentils and cucumber in lettuce wraps
  • Store the gochujang lentils, pickled cucumber, and the rice separately. Reheat the lentils and the rice separately, and then assemble into a bowl and serve.

Video

Notes

Gluten-free : Use tamari and gluten-free gochujang and serve over rice or rice noodles 
You can make this dish with chickpeas instead of lentils, as well. Just use a can of chickpeas and simmer for a few minutes longer.
To make this with tofu, crisp up about 10 ounces of tofu in some oil and add to the sauce at the same point as you'd add the lentils.

Nutrition

Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 558IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 4mg