Tri-Textured Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Course: Featured Recipes, SoupsServings
6
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
1
hour30
minutesCalories
224
kcalI set out to create a lentil soup that was as good as the one I used to order from my local Mediterranean joint, Sultan’s. The flavors are as good and with a bit more texture, I think it’s better. With a zillion grams of protein and endless reheating potential, it’s one of those recipes I aspire to make every Sunday night. It’s tricky because lentil soup definitely isn’t pretty. But this one-pot lentil soup recipe doesn’t need to be. Easy and super tasty, this is simply the best lentil soup recipe.
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tsp salt
1/2 lb (8 oz) lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp curry
Directions
- Prep
- Add olive oil to a large pot and heat (use water for WFPB)
- Once heated, add chopped onions, carrots, celery, and salt
- Cook for 8 minutes (or until onions are translucent)
- Add lentils, tomatoes, vegetable broth, and spices
- Bring to a boil
- Cover, reduce heat, and cook for 30-40 minutes (until lentils are tender)
- Blend
- Let your mixture cool for 15 minutes (safe, but optional)
- Add 1/4 to 3/4 of the mixture to your blender container
- Blend on low for 10 seconds
- Pour half of what you blended back into the pot with the unblended mixture
- Blend what is left in the container on high for another 10-15 seconds until smooth
- Serve
- Add double-blended mixture back to the pot (you should have 3 textures)
- Stir it up, serve it hot, and enjoy
Notes
- Spices: Cumin is the main spice in this recipe. The other spices are optional and can be varied based on what you have (coriander, thyme, curry, red pepper flakes, etc).
- Texture: You can adjust the texture to your preference – some restaurants serve it fully blended, others not blended at all. We suggest three textures as instructed. Blending a portion with an immersion blender works well, too.
- Instant Pot instructions: Start on sauté mode and after adding all ingredients, pressure cook on high for 15 minutes.
- WFPB: Make this WFPB (Whole Food Plant Based) by sautéing vegetables in water instead of oil.
- Garnish: Garnish with something colorful like parsley and crushed red pepper to enhance presentation.
- Depth: Add depth – Include 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste during the sautéing step
- Vegetable boost: Add a handful of fresh spinach or kale at the end of cooking
- Brighten with acid: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving will balance flavors
- Finish with fresh herbs: Add fresh chopped cilantro, parsley, or mint just before serving
- Yield: This recipe yields approximately 4-6 servings (about 1.5 cups per serving)
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