A warm lentil and zucchini soup like this is an essential treat for me even in the warm season. One might celebrate ten years of blogging with a nice cake, but I’m skipping sweets, even if they’re not that sweet (you can find plenty on the blog). Today, instead, I celebrate with a comforting soup and ingredients that represent me.
I have indeed used my kitchen allies, the red lentils and lemon thyme, and some small fresh and crunchy zucchini.
How long does it take to bring to the table? Just 20 minutes (plus cooling).
Here are some other light summer recipes to try:
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, Spring, Summer and Autumn
- Energy 288.48 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 45.07 (g) of which sugars 4.62 (g)
- Proteins 16.80 (g)
- Fat 6.14 (g) of which saturated 0.93 (g)of which unsaturated 0.89 (g)
- Fibers 6.03 (g)
- Sodium 285.45 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Warm Lentil and Zucchini Soup
- 3 zucchini
- 2.5 oz red lentils
- 1.7 cups water
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bunch lemon thyme
- 1 tsp aromatic herbs
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 slice whole grain bread
- 1 pinch salt (sodium-free)
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
- 1 ladle
Steps for Warm Lentil and Zucchini Soup
Wash thoroughly, trim and slice the zucchini.
Rinse the peeled red lentils well.
In a pot, add zucchini, lentils, peeled garlic clove, fresh lemon thyme leaves, and the teaspoon of mixed dried herbs. Add water, the pinch of sodium-free salt, and stir.
Cook on medium/low heat with a lid for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, plate, let cool, add lemon juice, and more thyme leaves, or if you prefer, hemp or chia seeds.
Serve with whole grain bread
Advice
Advice
You can prepare the soup the night before and take it cold to work the next day.
In summer, do not leave the soup at room temperature for too long.
Variations
You can vary the vegetables; in summer, try the soup by adding Tropea onion or replacing zucchini with carrots or turnips.
You can use unpeeled lentils, in which case let everything cook for 40 minutes and add more water during cooking.
In this soup there is practically no sodium, but if you have no issues, I recommend adding a teaspoon of rice miso to enhance the flavor once the heat is off.
If you prefer, add a teaspoon of soy sauce instead of miso.
Or you can traditionally sprinkle some Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast to enrich the soup.
Finally, if you prefer, add a sprinkle of pepper or oleaginous seeds like hemp or chia.
Storage
Store the soup in the fridge and heat slightly just before serving.
I find it very convenient to store in vacuum-sealed glass containers.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Do kids like the soup?
Sure, if they’re already used to enjoying chunky soups, otherwise I recommend making it smooth using an immersion blender. As you know, red lentils are the most digestible and the first legume ever offered to even small children.
Is it necessary to add the lemon juice?
Lemon juice not only helps fix the iron from the lentils and vegetables contained in the dish, it’s also an excellent flavor enhancer, give it a try.
How long does this soup keep in the fridge?
The soup keeps for no more than two days.
