Healthy Lentil Soup
Some of us have a month or so that somehow it’s hard to deal with for whatever reason. I’m not a winter person therefore I have two that I find tough to cope with: January and February. When these two are behind, I feel relieve knowing that it’s just a matter of weeks before the nice weather comes up.
Having said that, March can be long as well with wonky weather, perhaps a couple snow storms, heavy rain and so on. Before we finally can say goodbye to winter and welcome with open arms spring and summer, there’s still a way to go so in the interim, I make soups… hot of course!
Over the years, I shared numerous recipes like Creamy Cabbage, Hot & Sour, Cream of Asparagus, Split Pea & Ham, Avgolemono Chicken, Bay Scallops Chowder, French Onion, Creamy Tomato Basil & Parmesan, Wonton, Beef Barley, and many more. Now let’s add another one to this comforting food list… my Healthy Lentil Soup!
Simple and easy to make, this savory soup is so great to enjoy when it’s still chilled outside. With beautiful ingredients along with the right seasonings, this recipe is far to be bland! It can be a nice appetizer but I prefer serving it as a meal with crusty bread that I dip in my bowl… yum!
With terrific flavors, this nutritious Healthy Lentil Soup is a must have on your menu rotation. It’s high in fiber and proteins, a great source of iron, rich in mineral, low in fat and good for the heart. Lentils are legume and this recipe is excellent if you want to shred a few pounds. It also freezes very well for up to 3 months.
In my recipe, I use two kinds of lentils; red and green. Being small, red lentils don’t need to be soaked. On the other hand, green does. I like to combine them together because red cooks a little faster due to its size. As it breaks down, it adds creaminess to the soup without having to use the immersion blender to achieve similar results. The kind I don’t recommend to use is black lentils as they hold their shape when cooked… save them for salads. Just before serving, I add some freshly squeezed lemon juice just to brighten it up and garnish with some parsley… it’s good for us!
Thick and comforting, this soup has great hearty flavor! It definitely falls into “I-feel-good” category! Ladle up a few bowls of this wholesome soup so you and your family can enjoy it on chilly days.
Bon Appétit!
Here are more delicious soup recipes for you to try…
– Udon Noodle Soup
– Corn Chowder
– Turkey Noodle Soup
– Minestrone Soup
– Carrot Soup with Mashed Potatoes
– West Coast Smoked Salmon Chowder
and for even more soup and chowder recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Soups
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody
Healthy Lentil Soup
Hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onions, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped tips & tricks
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or to taste
- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 1 cup red lentils, sorted
- 1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes, crushed
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (substitute low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1 tsp. dried basil leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 3 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks
Directions
- Add garlic and freshly ground black pepper; sauté for only 1 minute.
- Add lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, basil, oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir well, increase the heat to high and bring to a strong simmer. Skim off any foam that forms on top.
- Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
- Stir in lemon juice and taste and adjust if necessary. Ladle in warm serving bowls and sprinkle on parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Don't forget to rate and comment on this recipe!
