When the evenings get a bit colder, there’s nothing better than a warm and comforting soup. This red lentil and vegetable soup is the perfect recipe because it is simple to prepare, cost-effective, and incredibly versatile. Peeled red lentils cook quickly and blend with the vegetables you already have in your fridge, turning into a nourishing and tasty dish. You can customize it with whatever you have available – carrots, zucchini, celery, squash, or potatoes – without fear of making a mistake. Light yet hearty, this soup is ideal for bringing health, warmth, and comfort to the table in a single bowl.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cost-effective
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz peeled red lentils
- 1 potato
- 1 zucchini
- 1 carrot
- 1 slice squash (to taste)
- broccoli (a few florets, to taste)
- Half onion
- Half stalk celery
- as needed vegetable broth
- spices (curry, turmeric, sweet paprika, to taste)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- basil (to taste)
Tools
- Pan
- Small pot
- Cutting board
- Peeler
Preparation
Clean the celery and onion, peel the carrot, squash, and potato, trim the zucchini, separate the florets of the broccoli.
Chop the celery and onion, cut all other vegetables into chunks.
Transfer everything into a pan, add a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt, and 1-2 teaspoons of spices to taste (curry, turmeric, sweet paprika, or others).
Sauté over medium heat for a few minutes (1), stirring with a wooden spoon.
Add the peeled red lentils (2) and cover with the hot vegetable broth.
Put a lid on, lower the heat a bit, and let it cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender (this will take about 15-20 minutes). Add more broth if necessary.
It’s normal for the lentils to break down during cooking since they are peeled.
At the end, adjust the salt and optionally add some basil leaves for flavor. If you prefer, you can blend part of the soup, I left it as it was.
The red lentil and vegetable soup is ready, serve it hot or warm, adding a drizzle of raw oil.
Tips and Notes
You can prepare the soup a few hours in advance and reheat it as needed.
You can vary the vegetables based on what you have at home, for example by adding boiled beans or green beans, spinach, cauliflower, etc.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use other types of lentils?
Of course, you can use classic green lentils or lentils from Castelluccio. In this case, you will probably need to extend the cooking times.
Can I omit the spices?
The spices make the soup even more flavorful and comforting, but if you don’t like them you can omit them.
