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Ridiculously Easy Lentil Soup

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Submitted by nilsen

Ridiculously easy lentil soup simmers brown lentils with sauteed onion and garlic, then finishes with fresh lemon juice. Eight ingredients, pantry-friendly, vegan.

YIELD

1 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

70 min

READY

1 hrs

Lentil soup doesn’t need to be complicated to be excellent. This one leans on pantry basics and clean technique: brown lentils simmered in plain water for 40 minutes, then joined by onion and garlic sauteed separately in olive oil. Doing the aromatics in their own pan is the quiet move that makes the difference. The onion turns sweet and translucent, and the garlic blooms without burning, which it absolutely would in the lentil pot.

The finishing splash of lemon juice is what pulls the whole soup into focus. Lentils taste earthy and a touch flat on their own; the acid wakes them up. Add half, taste, and add more if the soup needs more sparkle. Black pepper goes in generously, not as decoration.

Kitchen Tips

  • Rinse the lentils and pick through them for tiny stones before cooking.
  • Don’t add salt until after the first 40 minutes. Salt slows down the hydration of legumes and can keep them chalky.
  • Use brown or green lentils. Red lentils break down too fast and will turn the soup into a puree.
  • Leftovers thicken overnight. Thin with water or stock when reheating.
  • Swap the water for vegetable or chicken stock for a deeper, rounder base flavor.

Variations

  • Add a teaspoon of cumin or smoked paprika with the onions for a warmer, smokier bowl.
  • Stir in a handful of chopped spinach or kale during the last 5 minutes.
  • Finish with a swirl of yogurt and chopped fresh cilantro for a Middle Eastern twist.

Ingredients

1 ½ 355
CUPS ML LENTIL
7 1.7
CUPS L WATER
1 1
MEDIUM MEDIUM YELLOW ONION
chopped
4 4
CLOVES CLOVES GARLIC
minced
1 15
TABLESPOON ML OLIVE OIL
1 5
TEASPOON ML SALT
1
X BLACK PEPPER
freshly ground, to taste *
1
X LEMON JUICE
to taste *

Directions

Bring the lentils and water to a boil in a large soup pot, then reduce heat and simmer.

When the lentils have cooked for about 40 minutes, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onion is soft, then add the mixture to the lentils, along with the salt and plenty of black pepper.

Simmer for another 30 minutes or so.

Just before serving, add about half the lemon juice, then taste to see whether you want to add the rest.

Add more salt and/or pepper if you like.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 2111g (74.5 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 1219 11% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g 24%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2452mg 102%
Total Carbohydrate 65g 65%
Dietary Fiber 90g 362%
Sugars g
Protein 156g
Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 53%
Calcium 30% Iron 126%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, High Fiber
 
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