VEGAN LENTIL SOUP

~ Minimalist Baker

2 T. water or oil of choice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small shallots or 1/2 white onion, diced
4 large carrots, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/4 t. salt, divided
1/4 t. pepper, divided
3 c. yellow or baby red potatoes, roughly chopped into bite-size pieces
4 c. vegetable broth
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme
1 c. green or brown lentils, rinsed and drained.
2 c. chopped kale, collard greens, or other sturdy greens

Heat large pot over medium heat, then add water or oil, garlic, shallots or onion, carrots, and celery. Season with some of the salt and pepper. Saute 4-5 minutes or until slightly tender and golden brown. If garlic begins to burn, turn the heat down.

Add potatoes and remaining salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and rosemary or thyme, then increase heat to medium high until soup is at a rolling simmer.  Stir in lentils and return to simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes, until lentils and potatoes are tender. Stir in greens; cover 3-4 minutes until wilted.

Adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt, pepper, or fresh herbs. Add more broth to thin soup, if desired.

Makes about nine cups.

Notes: We make this with shallots, red potatoes, rosemary, brown lentils, and kale.

LEMON LENTIL SOUP

~ Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love, written by Sarah Matheny 

4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3/4 t. coriander
4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. red lentils
1/4 c. lemon juice
3 T. raw cashews
1 1/2 c. chopped spinach
2 T. chopped parsley
salt & pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray, saute carrots, celery, and coriander over medium-high heat for five minutes or until tender. Add broth and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender, but not mushy.

Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and cashews in food processor or blender. When lentils are done, stir in lemon-cashew cream, spinach, and parsley. Stir until thoroughly blended. Season with salt & pepper.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: The lemon flavor isn't very strong, so we add some extra lemon juice.

LENTIL & FETA SALAD

~ Budget Bytes: Over 100 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half, written by Beth Moncel

1 c. brown lentils
1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
2 oz. feta, crumbled

Fill medium saucepan with water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add lentils and return water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until lentils are tender, but not mushy. Drain lentils and cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add cooled lentils and stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes just under three cups.

Notes: This is great on its own, but I often serve it over a bed of lettuce or spinach as a hearty salad.

 

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HONEY BAKED LENTILS

~ More with Less: A World Community Cookbook

1 lb. lentils
1 small bay leaf
2 t. salt
5 c. water
1 t. dry mustard
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 T. soy sauce
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. water
1/3 c. honey

In a Dutch oven or saucepan, combine lentils, bay leaf, salt, and five cups of water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine dry mustard, ginger, soy sauce, onions, and one cup of water. Add mixture to lentils, then pour honey on top.

Cover tightly and bake for one hour. Serve over rice.

Notes: We make this in a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven and it's done baking after about 45 minutes.

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LENTIL & PASTA SOUP MIX FOR GROUND BEEF

~ Food.com

JAR MIX

1/2 c. dry split peas

1/3 c. beef bouillon granules

1/4 c. pearl barley

1/3 c. dry lentils

1/4 c. dried minced onion

2 t. Italian seasoning

1/2 c. uncooked long grain rice

1/2 c. alphabet or other small noodles

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground beef

3 qt. water (or less, if you'd like a thicker soup)

28 oz. can diced tomatoes

In a 1 1/2 pint jar, layer the first eight ingredients in the order listed. Seal tightly. 

DIRECTIONS FOR RECIPIENT

To prepare soup, carefully remove noodles from the top of jar and set aside. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown beef; drain. Add water, tomatoes, and soup mix. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add noodles, then cover and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until all ingredients are tender.

Makes just over one gallon.

Notes: We were given this mix with the noodles in a plastic bag, which was nice because we didn't have to fish little noodles out of the jar when we made the soup. I would recommend doing it that way.

LENTIL & PASTA STEW

~ Taste of Home Slow Cooker Throughout the Year

1/2 lb. smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, chopped
3 T. olive oil
3 T. butter
1 c. peeled, cubed potatoes
3/4 c. sliced carrots
1 celery rib, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
5 c. beef broth
1 c. dried lentils
1 c. canned diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 t. pepper
1/4 t. salt
1 c. uncooked ditalini or other small pasta
shredded Romano cheese

In a large skillet, brown kielbasa in oil and butter. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion, stirring for three minutes over medium heat. Transfer to 4-5 quart crockpot, then add broth, lentils, tomatoes, bay leafy, pepper, and salt. Cover and cook 8-10 hours on low or until lentils are tender. Cook pasta to desired tenderness, then drain and stir into crockpot. Discard bay leaf and sprinkle individual servings with cheese.

Notes: We use Parmesan instead of Romano, as that's what we always have on hand.

RED LENTIL & VEGGIE SOUP

~ Bethany Weathersby

oil
onion, chopped
garlic, chopped
celery, sliced
carrot, grated
butternut squash puree
water
red lentils
seasonings of your choice (we use bay leaves, ginger, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and/or red pepper flakes)

Heat a small amount of oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally until browned. Add celery and carrot, stirring occasionally until slightly softened. Stir in puree, water, lentils, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils have softened.

Notes: Other than having a pint-sized jar of butternut puree, I didn't measure anything, so just do whatever amounts will fill the stomachs in your home.

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH LENTILS

~ Better Homes and Gardens magazine - October 2013

1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. lentils, rinsed and well drained
1 T. olive oil
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 t. curry powder
1 t. cumin
26 oz. chicken broth
15 oz. pumpkin puree
salt and pepper, to taste

In a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven cook onion, pepper, and lentils in hot oil over medium-high heat for two minutes. Whisk in ginger, curry powder, cumin, broth, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: I skip the curry, use a little extra ginger, and whip the immersion blender through the pot before serving the soup.

SWEET POTATO, CARROT, APPLE, & RED LENTIL SOUP

~ allrecipes

1/4 c. butter
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. red lentils
1/2 t. minced fresh ginger
1/2 t. pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. paprika
4 c. vegetable broth
plain yogurt

Melt the butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Place the sweet potatoes, carrots, apple, and onion in the pot; stir until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the lentils, ginger, pepper, salt, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and broth into the pot with the apple and vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low.  Cover and simmer until the lentils and vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup or, working in batches and filling the blender halfway with each batch, pour the soup into a blender, puree until smooth, then pour into a new bowl or pot.

If you used a regular blender, then return the pureed soup to the cooking pot.  Bring soup back to a simmer over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Add water as needed to thin the soup to desired consistency. Serve with yogurt for garnish.

Notes: Sometimes I use coconut oil instead of butter. It's also good mixed with quinoa if you want to add more protein while keeping it a vegetarian dish.

BROWN RICE LENTIL SALAD

~ allrecipes

1 c. uncooked brown rice

2 c. water

2 t. chicken bouillon

2 c. cooked lentils

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

2/3 c. green onion, thinly sliced

2 T. chopped parsley

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 T. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 t. lime juice

4 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the rice, water and bouillon to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Cool.

In a bowl, combine the rice, lentils, tomato, onions and parsley. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over rice mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes: I use either use plain water or chicken broth instead of water and bouillon and serve it over lettuce and/or spinach leaves. In order to streamline things, I put one cup uncooked rice, one cup dried lentils, and four cups water or broth in a rice cooker and cook them together.

LENTIL & BLACK BEAN CHILI

~ Kelly Leonard at Cooking for the Guys

1 T. oil
1 large onion, chopped
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 c. vegetable broth
1 1/2 c. dried lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 t. chili powder
2 t. ground cumin
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in oil over medium heat until soft. Add tomatoes, broth and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 20 min.

Add remaining ingredients and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.

Notes: I use diced tomatoes instead of crushed, two cups of crockpot beans instead of canned, add one cup of grated carrot, then serve it over brown rice and top with sour cream. It's delicious!!

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - beans

SPINACH LENTIL SOUP

~ allrecipes

1/3 c. uncooked white rice
2/3 c. water
1 t. vegetable oil
4 oz. kielbasa, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
6 c. water
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. dry lentils
10 oz. fresh spinach, chopped

In a pot, bring the rice and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the kielbasa until lightly browned. Mix in onion, carrot, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until tender. Stir in 6 cups water, broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.

Stir the cooked rice and spinach into the soup, then continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

Makes about ten cups.

Notes: This is fine made as directed, but I always modify it a bit. First, I use brown rice and add it and the 2/3 cup of water to the pot along with the lentils. Second, I make sure to use 8 cups of liquid, but vary how much each of broth and water according to the mood I'm in or what's on hand. Third, I often use Aidell's chicken & apple sausage instead of kielbasa. Finally, I throw in 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic, double the kielbasa, and add a couple extra carrots. It's delicious!

SLOW COOKER LENTIL & HAM SOUP

~ allrecipes

1 c. dried lentils
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. diced cooked ham
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. black pepper
32 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
8 t. tomato sauce

In a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker combine the lentils, celery, carrots, onion, garlic and ham. Season with basil, oregano, thyme, the bay leaf and pepper. Stir in the chicken broth, water and tomato sauce. Cover; cook on low for 11 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Notes: I double this for our family, using one can of tomato sauce and one cup of water instead of doubling the amounts called for. It's perfect, neither too watery nor too thick. Our soup is ready to eat in 9-10 hours, so just keep an eye on yours. While the taste won't change, you don't want your lentils to overcook to the point of disintegrating.

ORANGE LENTIL SOUP

~ Rachel Smart's Recipes

1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
1 1/3 c. lentils
3/4 c. orange juice
2 carrots, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. thyme
4 c. broth
1/2 c. water

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil at bottom of pan, then add all other ingredients. Simmer 40 minutes until lentils are tender.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: The orange flavor is pretty mild, so I use extra juice in place of the water. Sometimes I grate the carrots instead of chopping them.

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - beans

BAKED LENTILS & VEGETABLES WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE

~ 365 Easy One-Dish Meals

2 c. lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 1/4 c. hot water
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. marjoram
1/4 t. sage
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 T. chopped parsley
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9x13-inch dish or shallow 3 1/2-4 qt. oval casserole, combine lentils, water, onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, marjoram, sage, and tomatoes with their liquid. Mix well.

Cover tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and stir in carrots, green beans, and parsley. Cover and bake 35-40 minutes longer, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves. Sprinkle top with cheese and return to oven until cheese melts.

LENTILS & RICE

~ Hillbilly Housewife

3/4 cup dried lentils
3/4 cup brown rice
4 c. tap water
4 bouillon cubes (or 4 t.)
2 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder

In 2 quart saucepan bring water to boil. As it's heating add all other ingredients. Bring to rapid boil, then reduce heat to low. Put on the lid and simmer 45-50 minutes. The water should be mostly absorbed.

Makes about 4 cups.

Notes: You can use four cups of your favorite broth instead of the water and bouillon or just use plain water. I often use plain water, no broth or bouillon, and it still tastes great. If you want to free up a burner, then go ahead and make this in a rice cooker.

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - beans

LEBANESE-STYLE RED LENTIL SOUP

~ allrecipes

6 c. chicken stock
1 lb. red lentils
3 T. olive oil
1 T. minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1 T. cumin
1/2 t. cayenne
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
3/4 c. fresh lemon juice

Bring stock & lentils to a boil in large pan over high heat, then reduce to med-low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion, cooking until onion has softened and become translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir into lentils and season with cumin and cayenne. Continue simmering until lentils are tender, about 10 minutes. Puree. Add cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.

Makes about eight cups.

Notes: I like to add the chopped cilantro before I puree everything.  I've used dried minced onion and some water in place of a regular onion in a pinch and it tasted fine.