Sunday, March 30, 2014

Meatless Monday: Red Lentil Soup

We have a new favorite meal in our house.

It has kept us cozy during this ridiculously cold spring, and it costs only a few bucks for the whole meal. I'm not much of a recipe sharer, because I'm not much of a cook, but here's my friend Jenn's MIL's recipe for Red Lentil Soup. I hope you'll find it a healthy, delicious addition to your repertoire. Recipe can be halved, but I make the whole thing, because, yum.

Ingredients:

2 cups red lentils (rinsed)
2 onions, chopped
4 T tomato paste
2 med potatoes, sliced or shredded w/peeler
2 carrots, shredded w/peeler
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
water

Steps:

1. Bring 2 cups of red lentils to boil in water in medium pot. Boil until soft. There's usually some water still left in there. That's fine. Set aside
2. In LARGE pot, brown your chopped onions. (I use pre-chopped, frozen onions, and like to brown them very dark in a smidge of olive oil)
3. Add 4 T tomato paste to onions and cook a few minutes
4. Add 6 tall glasses of water to the paste and onions and bring to a boil.
5. Shred your potatoes and carrots w/ a potato peeler. Add to the water mixture and boil 5 min.
6. Drain your lentils
7. Add your lentils and 1/2 cup of rice to the boiling water.
8. Boil additional 15-20 min
9. Enjoy w/ generous dashes of salt and pepper and fresh lemon juice on top

This is a good weeknight dinner, b/c it's easy to keep these ingredients on hand.


19 comments:

  1. Sounds wonderful! Will be trying it soon down here in chilly Willimasburg, Va. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Is that a half cup of uncooked rice? Does it need to be quick cooking?

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  3. If it does not stop snowing and raining by tomorrow morning, I am going to freak out. And the wind!

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  4. This sounds so good! I love meatless meals, thanks for sharing.

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  5. Yummy! I love lentils and I love soup. I usually put ham in my lentil soup, but this sounds good too!

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  6. @Jessica-- uncooked rice. Just went back and made that change. Thanks!

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  7. Sounds yummy! We love soups in the colder months (I'm just hoping I won't have to eat soup very much longer, I'm ready for Spring ;) )

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  8. sounds delicious and something that Grandpa "B" could manage well (both the preparing and the disposing - eating).

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  9. Sounds yummy. I'll have to check if I have red lentils. Could you measure roughly how much is a "tall glass"? Because my tall glasses range from 10-16 oz - big difference!

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  10. Good question, owlfan! I'd say 12 oz. This soup thickens up, so adding extra water would be fine, too.

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  11. This does sound delish and hearty!

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  12. Sounds good! And it's gluten free which is great for us. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. This sounds so cozy and delicious - especially with the weather we have been having lately!

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  14. This sounds so very lovely! I miss soup, especially during winters (and springs) like this one. (Why do I miss it? Because my husband is nuts and doesn't believe that soup is a meal).

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  15. This sounds so perfect for winters (and springs) like this one! Now, if only I can convince my husband that soup is a viable dinner option.

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  16. I'll have to try this one out...I am 40 years old and have never had lentils...so I think it's about time! :)

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  17. True story - the word 'lentil' scares me because I'm just not sure how to find it in the store or cook it...so I always click away. ONE DAY I will be brave and find the lentil aisle - because it does always sound so good. xoxo

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  18. Thanks for the recipe, it sounds yummy!

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  19. We love lentils, but I've never made them for soup. I will have to try this!

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