LENTIL VEGETABLE SOUP
We absolutely love soup recipes and adore today’s recipe for lentil soup. Not only is it easy to make but it’s really easy to customize! This soup is light and hearty, and best of all, healthy (similar to our chicken veggie soup and light chicken tortilla soup)! It’s loaded with big chunks of carrots and celery and has a kick to it thanks to red pepper flakes. Of course, if you don’t want the added heat, you can certainly omit that ingredient. Sometimes we like to add ground sausage or pulled rotisserie chicken to bulk it up a bit. This lentil vegetable soup can be made in 45 minutes on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot. The time will be about the same- just with the Instant Pot you have the option of letting it “keep warm” for several hours if you plan on making it ahead of time.
WHAT ARE LENTILS?
Lentils are mini legumes that are packed full of nutrients like protein, fiber and minerals. They’re basically little superfoods. While there are several varieties of lentils, the most common types are: brown, red, green, French green, and black. For this recipe you will want to choose, brown, green or French green. These lentils tend to hold their shape more when cooked for longer periods of time. To prevent them from splitting, we’re going to saute them and use a little bit of acid in the form of vinegar and tomato. The lentils will cook as the soup simmers.
HOW TO MAKE LENTIL SOUP
WHAT TO SERVE WITH lentil SOUP:
Crusty bread, garlic bread, breadsticks, grilled cheese Green salad (some of our favorites include: Kale Salad and Homemade Caesar Salad) Fruit or fruit salad
STORE. Place in an air-tight container and keep in fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, place in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze. You can keep this in the freezer for 4-5 months. REHEAT. If frozen, place in fridge to thaw overnight. To reheat, place in pot and cook on low-medium heat until heated through and ready to serve.
For more light soup recipes:
Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
