Red lentil soup
Lentil soup makes a very affordable, nutritious, and tasty one-pot meal. It’s comfort food that is filling and quick to prepare almost everywhere, even on a small camping stove.
Key points
- Lentils are very inexpensive and come in many varieties
- They have a high protein and fibre content
- Red lentils have a soft texture and short cooking time
Lentils are among the most affordable staples and come in many varieties, from red, green, or brown, to black. Combined with grains, they provide complete proteins and are a perfect substitute for meat, also because their texture is similar to that of ground meat.
Red lentil soup can take as little as 30 minutes from start to finish. Other varieties may take longer, but all lentils soften quickly without prior soaking. Depending on what’s on hand it’s easy to flavour lentils with a wide variety of spices.
All lentils combine well with carrot, onion, potato, garlic, and celery, which are among the cheaper vegetables. Canned tomatoes are also an affordable addition. If stock or broth are available that’s great. Otherwise water will do.
Lentil soup freezes well. Therefore it might make sense to cook a big batch and enjoy this simple meal again on a busy day.
Online recipes for lentil soup abound. It’s easy to find one that fits personal preferences and matches whatever ingredients are on hand.
Sources for inspiration:
- Easy Red Lentil Soup by the kitchn
- Easy Greek Red Lentil Soup by THE MEDITERRANIAN DISH
- 35 Best Lentil Soup Recipes That Are the Perfect Hearty Bowls for Chilly Nights by Country Living
