Lentil Soup Recipes

Greek Lentil Soup

I love lentil soup! Here's the one I came up with from trying various recipes. I call it Greek Lentil Soup because some of the ingredients are those that my Papa would have used :-)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. brown lentils
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
• 1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 quart water
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 pinch dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place lentils in a large saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water. Place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain lentils into a colander. Pour olive oil in to the large saucepan and place over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook while stirring until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.

Pour in lentils, 1 quart water, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the lentils have softened, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add an additional amount of water during cooking if desired.

By Deeli from Richland, WA

Moroccan Lentil Soup

This is originally from Grit Magazine. I tinkered around with it to make it suit my tastes. It is my favorite lentil soup, hearty, full of vegetables, and exotic spices. Lentils taste real good, are very nutritious, and cook up quickly. People have been eating them for a long time - they are referred to in the Bible as "pottage".

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups sliced celery
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. thyme
• 1 Tbsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. mint leaves (optional)
• 1 lb. sliced carrots
• 1 lb. sliced parsnips
• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 lb. lentils
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup V-8 juice
• 5-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 medium bunch of kale
• 1 handful of roughly chopped cilantro

Directions:

Heat a large soup pot. Add the olive oil, onion, and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, and garlic and saute 3 minutes. (sauteing will bring the flavor of the coriander and cumin out) Add the carrots, parsnips and turkey (ground lamb is good too) and saute a few minutes, then the rest of the ingredients, except for the cilantro. I take the kale off the rib, but I don't throw the ribs away - I slice them up, throw them in the pot, and they get nice and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Skim any foam.

Cook with the lid on to keep it from getting too dry for about 40, 45 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. Garnishing with fresh mint is very good. Serve with rice, cous cous or quinoa.

Servings:	12
Time:	20 Minutes Preparation Time 45 Minutes Cooking Time

Source: Originally from Grit Magazine.

By Copasetic 1 from North Royalton, OH

Curried Lentil Soup

This is something I invented while writing an article in my Zine about cooking 5 meals, 4 people for $10! This is one of the recipes that I made from this and my hubby LOVES it even though he doesn't like lentils normally. A definite hit with anyone who has had it. Costs under $2 to make and serves 4 as a meal or 6 as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 cup green/brown lentils
• 1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

Directions:

Fry onion in a little oil, then add carrots, salt, and curry. Stir for about a minute, then add lentils, tomatoes. Fill the empty can of tomatoes with water and add to pot. Bring to boil, then simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked. Blend the soup and serve with bread!

By Lisa from Halifax

Spinach Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup carrots,shredded
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups of water
• 1 jar of salsa (16 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
• 3/4 tsp. of salt
• 1 (10 oz.) package of fresh spinach, torn

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute carrots and onion in oil until tender. Add the water, salsa, lentils, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach; simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.

By Raymonde from North Bay, Ontario

Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup dried lentils
• water
• 4 oz. salt pork, cubed
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 garlic clove, chopped
• 4 cups beef stock
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 1/4 tsp. salt
• dash pepper
• 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar, (opt)

Directions

Place lentils in large saucepan; add water to cover and let stand overnight. Drain, reserving liquid. Add water to liquid to make 6 cups. Heat salt pork in a skillet; add onions and garlic and saute' until onions are tender but not browned. Combine measured liquid, beef stock, celery, carrots, cloves, bay leaves, salt, pepper, the onion mixture and the lentils in a large heavy saucepan. Cover and simmer about 4 hours, or until lentils are soft. Add vinegar; remove bay leaves. Makes about 9 cups or 8-10 servings.

By Robin from Washington, IA

Tomato Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 to 4 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup thin sliced carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 2 cans of stewed tomatoes (or more as desired)

Directions:

Wash lentils and place in soup pot with the salt, peppercorns, bay leaf, carrots, celery, and beef broth. Fry bacon pieces and add to soup. Saute onions in bacon fat until transparent. Add to soup with stewed tomatoes. Simmer gently 45 minutes to an hour.

By Connie from Cotter, AR

Grandma's Lentil Soup

My grandmother lived to a ripe old age of 99. She was brought up in the Pennsylvania Dutch area. Being frugal, she taught me this unusual way to make this lentil soup. It reminds me of the classic children's story "The Stone Soup".

Ingredients:

• 1 half bag uncooked lentil beans
• 4 peeled and washed potatoes, cubed
• 1 large onion studded with whole cloves
• 6 hot dogs sliced thin
• 2 quarts salted water, salt to taste

Directions:

Clean and sort the lentils (remove any foreign matter). Add them to the salted water. Add the whole onion and cubed potatoes. Bring it up to boiling, stirring while coming to a boil. Let them simmer for up to an hour.

Finally, add the sliced hot dogs and bring it up to boil again. Allow to simmer for another 45 minutes. It will thicken up, adding some sliced carrots for some color is also optional.

Serve with some hot rolls, and enjoy a warm, wonderful, inexpensive, winter meal.

This will keep, refrigerated up to a week. You may have to add extra water when it gets too thick.

By Sandra from Montvale, NJ

Jicama Lentil Barley Soup

Even in the Spring and Summer I love soup and a slow cooker is the way to go to keep the kitchen cooled down ;-)

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups ground chicken (I prefer dark meat)
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cups jicama, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 3/4 cup dry lentils
• 1/3 cup pearl barley
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes (for a less thick soup do not drain)

Directions:

Heat oil in a skillet and cook chicken and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and drain.

Transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in the jicama, celery, lentils, barley, broth, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Add the diced tomatoes and cook 2 hours longer.

By Deeli

Hamburger Lentil Soup

Good vegetables and tomato juice in this soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 2-3 onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, chunked
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 qt. tomato juice
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 2 cup lentils
• 1 qt. water
• 1/2 tsp. marjoram
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:

Brown hamburger; drain. Add all vegetables, tomato juice, and salt. Simmer until vegetables are partially tender. Add lentils, water, marjoram, and brown sugar. Simmer several hours. Watch closely to make sure it doesn't stick.

By Robin from Washington, IA