Last night I cooked a spelt and lentil soup, with added potatoes.
It is a spelt and lentil soup that is very classic, made with the traditional soffritto of celery, carrot, and onion (and with very little oil). Rosemary, potatoes, and that’s it.
Unlike previous soups (of cicerchie and of green soy) and unlike what I did for tomato and rosemary lentils, for this spelt and lentil soup you can proceed without soaking: neither the lentils nor the spelt.
In general, lentils are hulled, and there are also thin-skinned varieties that do not require soaking, while for thick-skinned lentils soaking is necessary. Usually, this information is indicated on the package or, at least, the packages will indicate ‘no soaking required.’ Then it can happen, as it has happened to me in the past, that nothing is written on the package, and in this case, it’s better to proceed with soaking (at least a couple of hours).
Regarding the spelt, I’ve come across recipes where soaking was indicated, but I must say that on the spelt packages I’ve bought over time, even varying the brands, I’ve never found instructions to that effect, only to wash it.
In any case, washing is always necessary, both for legumes and cereals, to remove any debris and impurities.
Ready for the recipe?
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 6 oz green lentils
- 5 1/4 oz pearled spelt
- 2 potatoes (large)
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- as needed vegetable broth (about 1.5 liters)
- pepper
- grated Parmesan (optional)
Tools
- Food Chopper
- Steel Pan
- Lid
- Peeler
Steps
Rinse the lentils and discard any floating lentils.
Rinse the spelt and drain.
Chop the carrot, onion, and celery and briefly sauté them with the oil and rosemary in a saucepan.
Add the spelt and lentils and let them absorb the flavors for a few minutes, stirring with a spoon.
Add vegetable broth (or water) until covered.
Add the tomato sauce.
Cook with the lid on for 15 minutes over low heat, then add the peeled and chopped potatoes.
Add more vegetable broth.
Continue cooking until the potatoes and the whole soup are cooked (another 10-15 minutes).
👉 The cooking time may vary according to the variety of lentils used; the spelt I used has a cooking time indicated on the package of 20 minutes, but usually, for our taste, it needs at least 5 more minutes. If in doubt that spelt and lentils don’t cook at the same time, you can opt for separate cooking and then combine them during the last few minutes of cooking.Keep some vegetable broth warm to add if needed.
👉 For the amount of vegetable broth, I indicated 1.5 liters, which seems more or less the amount I used, but honestly, I didn’t verify precisely how much I used in total, having added it during cooking.Prepare a mixture of garlic and rosemary and add it to the soup at the end of cooking, and stir.
Serve with a drizzle of raw oil, a sprinkle of pepper, and a tablespoon of Parmesan (optional).Enjoy your meal!
Salt-Free Tips
I remind you that I cook without added salt.
To flavor this soup without adding salt, besides Parmesan (or other grated cheese) and garlic+rosemary added at the end of cooking, I recommend:
– substituting pepper with chili pepper
– adding more aromatic herbs, like sage and thyme
– adding spices, such as a pinch of turmeric or a couple of cloves
– preferring a soup consistency that is not too liquid.
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Decrease salt gradually, the palate must get used to it gradually and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin …
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint …
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts …
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange …
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules and gomasio.
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally, allow yourself a deviation from the rule. It is good for the mood and helps you persevere.
If you don’t want or can’t give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by adding salt according to your habits.
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WW Propoints Diet Info
For those interested in the WW Propoints diet, the point count for this recipe is 8.6 points per serving + 1 point if you want to add 1 tablespoon of Parmesan. 🙂 Happy dieting! 😉
