I just had to share this wonderful, vegetarian (and indeed vegan) soup from the recipe book I reviewed last week: My New Roots by Sarah Britton
In her book (and on her blog) Sarah calls this soup her 4 Corners Lentil Soup because it has been tried and loved by people from all over the world. One taste of this soup and it is easy to see how it has become so popular!
Sarah’s recipe is pretty simple, but I have made a couple of adaptations to make it even easy peasier – like using olive oil instead of coconut oil (not something I usually keep in my cupboards) and only using 1 onion and 3 garlic cloves to cut down on prep time – if you want to see the original recipe, check it out on her blog, which is also called My New Roots.
The thing I love about this recipe is it is very nutritious and cheap and made almost entirely out of things I always have in the kitchen, meaning it’s a great fall-back plan if my dinner plans get changed at the last minute! It’s also the sort of thing that would be fabulous to make a big batch of and freeze for quick and easy weekday lunches or simple weeknight suppers. It’s about a million times more nutritious than a takeaway or a ready meal! I like this soup all on its own, but you might want to serve it with bread.
Tomato and Red Lentil Soup (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed or grated
- 2 cm ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 200 g dried red lentils
- 1 litre water or vegetable stock or chicken stock if you don’t need this to be veggie
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped
Method
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Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a wide, deep pan and add the diced onion. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes until the onions have softened but are not brown.
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Add in the garlic, ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper. Lower the heat and fry for 1 more minute. Then add in the tinned tomatoes, lentils, water or stock and some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are really soft. Stir occasionally.
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When the soup is ready, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and add more water if you think the soup is looking too thick.
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Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with fresh coriander.
I am linking this up to Cook Blog Share, Recipe of the Week, Brilliant Blog Posts and #LessMeat Link Up.
I love the sound of this soup Eb. Mr E & I love lentil soups, they’re so filling and nutritious – perfect for chillier days or after a long walk. I’m guessing you used tinned red lentils in the mix. Certainly will give this a go,
Angela x
Thanks, Angela! Me too, red lentils are just great for adding a bit of oomph to soups…I do another nice one involving root veg and lentils too, though I haven’t made that one for a while…must remedy that soon! I use dried lentils in this recipe (I have amended the recipe to make that clear – thanks for the spot), though I’m sure you could use tinned red lentils too. Let me know that you think if you do try it 🙂 Eb x
I love a good lentil soup. This sounds perfect on a cold day.
Me too! It’s the perfect food for a cold winter’s day! Thanks for commenting 🙂 Eb x
I always think lentils are a bit under used. I should really use them in more soups…… this looks so tasty!
Thanks, Kate. Totally agree about the lentils (and beans for that matter) – totally underrated but actually a fabulous healthy ingredient that tastes wonderful. I often chuck some in soups for extra oomph and nutritiousness 🙂 Eb x
I love using lentil as a meat substitute and to bulk out soups. This soup looks delicious and is full of goodness! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Lentils are lovely…as a meat substitute…and in their own right. Great little ingredient. I really think I need to make more with lentils!! Thanks for commenting 🙂 Eb x
I have made this soup several times and I love it. The first time I made it I only had canned tomatoes with green chiles so I added those and it gives it a great kick. This time, I actually followed the link to the original recipe and tried that, adding leeks, more garlic, etc. and I will say, I prefer your version. Thanks for a great, hearty soup that is quick and easy to make!!
Aw, thanks for this lovely comment, Jacki. So pleased to hear you like my version. It is really one of my favourites too! Eb x