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Things may be very busy right now, but there’s always time to make one of my favorites — Red Lentil Soup! It doesn’t take a lot of time (and if you want to save time, buy your veggies already cut up!). You wouldn’t think that kids would be crazy about a red lentil soup that’s filled with vegetables, would you? But this one is delicious! Adapted from a Red Lentil Soup recipe by Annemarie Colbin at her Natural Gourmet Institute — my mother took a class there and learned how to make this delicious, hearty soup. She makes it often and I started making it often too, when my oldest son (who was small at the time) liked it. I changed it slightly – I add more carrots and celery and I vary the greens. I find that fresh baby spinach tastes the best in it. The soup is vegan, gluten-free, and packed with veggies, fiber, and vitamins. If you can get your picky eater to try it, they’ll love it. My picky eater actually likes this soup and my husband and I do too!
Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
One 2 quart container Trader Joe’s Mirepoix (or use one onion, 2 large carrots, 5 ribs celery, chopped up).
Olive Oil (to coat pan)
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt (I like kosher or sea salt)
2 cup red lentils (I rinse them in a mesh colander)
8-10 cups water
1/2 lb of kale, or substitute fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach, escarole or swiss chard (cut into bite size pieces). One bag of Trader Joe’s Kale (fresh or frozen) will work well.
Instructions:
Saute’ the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil. Add spices, salt, red lentils and 6 cups of the water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Watch to make sure all the water doesn’t burn out and the soup doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Add 2 to 4 cups of water with the salt and cook for 15 minutes.
Then add greens and cook a few minutes more. This soup freezes well. Serve with whole grain bread or crackers.
My notes: I usually triple the recipe so I can serve it for a few days. My picky eater likes this, so I will serve this while he’s hungry, as dinner starts.
Delicious and Easy Red Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- One 2 quart container Mirepoix or use one onion, 2 large carrots, 5 ribs celery, chopped up. I got my Mirepoix from Trader Joe’s
- Olive Oil to coat bottom pan
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt I like kosher or sea salt
- 2 cup red lentils I rinse them in a mesh colander
- sh colander)
- 8-10 cups water
- 1/2 lb of kale or substitute fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach, escarole or swiss chard (cut into bite size pieces). One bag of Trader Joe’s Kale (fresh or frozen) will work well.
Instructions
- Saute’ the onion, carrots <g class=”gr_ gr_157 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep” id=”157″ data-gr-id=”157″>and</g> celery in olive oil.
- Add spices, salt, red lentils and 6 cups of the water.
- Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Watch to make sure all the water doesn’t burn out and the soup doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Add 2 to 4 cups of water with the salt and cook for 15 minutes.
- Then add greens and cook a few minutes more.
- Serve with whole grain bread or crackers.
- This soup freezes well.
I love lentil soup! I’ll give this a go. 🙂
I adore lentil soup, as does the whole family, although maybe not to the degree I do. I will need to pick up that mirepoix next time I am at Trader Joe’s! I have never seen it before.
I love Lentil soup and make it for the family and your easy lentil soup recipe looks delicious and I want to make it. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!