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–+ servings

Lentil-Vegetable Soup - Hearty and Delicious

Pasta and vegetables are sauteed and cooked with tomatoes and seasoning; then cooked lentils are added and the soup is simmered to blend flavors. Serve with crusty bread and butter for ahearty and satisfying one-dish meal.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 4 people
Calories 236 kcal

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker and accessories preferred; if not available, it will take longer to cook the lentils (see Recipe Notes for cooking directions without pressure cooker)

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup whole green lentils if not available, use brown/black lentils (orange inside, also called whole Masoor, Sabut Masoor)
  • 1 1/2 cups water for cooking lentils in pressure
  • 1/2 cup small pasta - mini shells are perfect if not available, small macaroni OK too; small alphabet shaped pasta OK; large pasta is not recommended for this soup;; pearl couscous is OK too (looks la bit like tapioca)- regular couscous is not suitable
  • 1 1/2 cups tomatoes 3-4 medium - diced small Select very ripe, dark red tomatoes for good color and flavor
  • 2 leaf Bay leaf: break into 2-3 pieces each, divide into 2 portions
  • 1/4 tsp whole black pepper divide into 2 portions
  • 1/2 cup carrots - halved lengthwise, then sliced into half moon shapes - about 1/8 inch (2-3 .mm) thick baby carrots are perfect thickness; if carrots are "fat", cut the halves into quarters lengthwise, then slice
  • 1/2 cup celery - chopped use the wide portion of the celery sticks; save the thinner portions of the stems and leaves for another use
  • 1/2 cup onions;- chopped any kind OK (red, white, yellow)
  • 1 tsp fresh garlic--2-3 medium cloves - finely chopped fresh garlic is best; if not available, garlic powder ids OK- use sparingly, about 1/4 tsp; if using bottled minced garlic, flavor will be different -use sparingly, about 1/4 tsp- adjust later as per preference
  • 1 tsp oil peanut oil preferred; other oil OK too; do NOT use extra virgin olive ol for sauteeing vegetables
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp salt adjust as per taste preference
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne -ground (red chilli powder) adjust as per taste preference
  • 1 1/2 tsp Paprika -divide into 2 portions (1/2 tsp + 1 tsp) if not available, use any variety of bright red colored mild chili powder - Byadgi/Bedgi Mirchi, Kashmiri Mirch, Guajillo/New Mexico chili pepper, etc; use as needed for preferred color/spice level
  • 4-5 cups Water adjust as desired for preferred consistency of soup
  • 2 tsp Olive oil - 2 tsp Extra-Virgin Olive oil preferred; if not available, any edibl oil OK; peanut/sesame oil taste excellent

Garnish

  • 1/4 cup Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) - optional scatter on top of soup after ladling into bowls; if not available, OK to omit; can also use 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, fresh parsley or thinly cliced green onions (green part)
  • 2 tbsp Asiago cheese- shredded finely - optional scatter on top of soup after ladling into bowls;if not available, Parmesan is OK too
  • 1 tbsp chili oil - optional serve on the side (1/2 tsp cayenne/red chilli powder + 2 tbsp oil - any preferred oil OK- peanut oil is excellent; use paprika for making chili oil if you want red color and flavor but no extra spiciness
  • 1 whole lemon or lime- cut into wedges serve on the side

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the lentils and place in a pressure cooker nsert container; add 1 1/2 ccups water, one bay leaf and 1/8 tsp whole black pepper. Place it on the rack and cook 3-4 min at full pressure. Allow pressure to release normally.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Slice the carrots, and chop the onions, celery and garlic
  • In a 4 quart saucepan//wok, heat 1 tsp oil; add remaining bay leaf; and peppercorns and cumin seeds;
  • Add the chopped vegetables; stir, cover an cook for 3-4 min on medium heat,
  • Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes.
    diced tomatoes
  • Add the tomatoes and pasta shells to the sauteed vegetables. Add salt, stir, cover and cook for 6-7 min on low-medium heat. The pasta absorbs all the flavors while it cooks.
  • Stir 2-3 times along the way, to ensure it doesn't burn on the bottom. Also set a pot of water to boil on the side.
  • Add about 2 cups of hot water to the vegetable-pasta mixture; add remaining seasonings and simmer on low heat, uncovered, for about 5 -6 min.
  • By this time, the pressure from the cooker should be released. Ideally, the lentils should be fully cooked but not become mushy. this can be a bit tricky, because lentils cook so easily. However, if the lentils do become a little mushy, it's still OK.. The final texture of the soup will be a bit different, but it will still be delicious.
  • Add the cooked lentils to the simmering vegetables and pasta. Transfer the residual lentils and cooking liquid from the cooking container by swirling with 1/2 cup of hot water. Add this to the soup. Add more hot water as needed (about 1/2-1 cup) to adjust the consistency of the soup, but don't make it too watery at this stage. You can add more water at the end if you think it is too thick.
  • Stir and taste a spoonful. Adjust salt and spice level as desired. Simmer on low-medium heat for 6-7 min
  • If the soup has thickened too much, add a little hot water. Drizzle olive oil on the hot soup and add paprika. Gently stir the paprika into the oil with a spoon/fork. This adds a rich color and flavor to the soup. Turn heat off if not serving immediately. Bring to a boil just before serving.
  • Ladle into bowls and serve with the prepared garnish options: Cilantro, Parsley, green onions, Asiago cheese, chili oil, Garlic-Parmesan croutons. Also put out warm slices of a crusty baguette, along with butter.
  • Enjoy your hearty and delicious meal!

Notes

Cooking lentils without pressure cooker:
Method 1:
Rinse and soak the lentils 2-3 hours (overnight is OK too); When beginning o cook the soup, prepare a steamer pot for steaming the lentils. Start heating the steamer pot. Meanwhile, drain the water from the soaked lentils, transfer to a stainless steel plate that fits into the steamer pot. Poke the spices into the lentils, so their flavor gets infused into the lentils as they cook. Place the plate inside the hot steamer, and cook for 20 min on medium-high heat. Turn heat off and allow to cool, undisturbed for about 5 min. The lentils should be fully cooked by this time. Remaining directions as described in the recipe.
Method 2:
Set a pot of water to boil with about 2 cups water. Rinse and drain the dried lentils and add to the boiling water in the pan. Bring it back to a boil, and simmer, partially covered for about 20 min. Check for done-ness: they should be fully cooked, before adding to the soup. You should not need to add more water - if it looks like it might burn, decrease the heat and add 1/2 cup water. Remaining directions as described in the recipe.
Storing Leftovers:
Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If longer storage is needed, it is OK to freeze it - it will be good upto a month or so. While thawing the frozen soup, set it on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature naturally. Then heat, either on the stove-top or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 10gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 669mgPotassium: 584mgFiber: 10gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3563IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Asiago cheese, bay leaf, Carrots, celery, green lentils, hearty soup, Moroccan-style, mushroom soup, pasta, peppercorn, shell pasta, tomato-based soup, vegan soup
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