Best Lentil Soup
This quick vegan lentil soup recipe uses largely cupboard goods. Before you begin cooking, make sure you have all of your ingredients prepared. The recipe makes four large bowls of soup or six more modest meals.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 medium yellow or white onion diced.
- Peel and cut 2 carrots. Press or mince 4 garlic cloves.
- Ingredients: 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 1 teaspoon curry powder.
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
- 1 large can 28 oz. Diced tomatoes, lightly drained
- 1 cup brown or green lentils cleaned and rinsed
- 4 cups veggie broth 2 cups water.
- 1 teaspoon salt add more to taste.
- A pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale with tough ribs removed.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ to 1 full lemon to taste.
- Cook Mode Prevent the screen from going dark.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem excessive, but it gives a delightful richness and heartiness to this healthful soup.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Combine the garlic, cumin, curry powder, and thyme. Cook for about 30 seconds or until aromatic, stirring regularly. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and simmer for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, to intensify the taste.
- Pour in the lentils, broth, and water. Combine 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with fresh ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover and decrease heat to a slow simmer. Cook for 25–30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked but still maintain their shape.
- Add 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Secure the lid, cover it with a tea towel to protect your hand from steam, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender to mix a part of the soup.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the greens are tender enough to your preference. Remove the pot from the heat and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice until the flavors are bursting. For a hotter soup, add an extra pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
- Serve while heated. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for several months.
Notes
1. Lentils: This should work with all lentils except Puy lentils (French lentils, little dark brown/black ones that retain their shape). Red, yellow, brown, and green. The soup's colour will be slightly different.
Cook times vary slightly, so start checking if the lentils are done after about 30 minutes. If possible, use dried lentils for this recipe. Better texture and flavor than canned. To make this with canned lentils, use two 400g/14oz cans (drained and rinsed) and reduce the broth by one cup. Simmer liquid for 20 minutes before adding lentils, then cook for a further 15 minutes.
2. Storage: This freezes quite well! Or keeps in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Cook times vary slightly, so start checking if the lentils are done after about 30 minutes. If possible, use dried lentils for this recipe. Better texture and flavor than canned. To make this with canned lentils, use two 400g/14oz cans (drained and rinsed) and reduce the broth by one cup. Simmer liquid for 20 minutes before adding lentils, then cook for a further 15 minutes.
2. Storage: This freezes quite well! Or keeps in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!