Red Lentil Veggie Soup
These cold, winter days call for comfort foods that warm my tummy. This soup is so jam packed with nourishing ingredients. I can't decide which one is the all-star here, so I'll highlight a few!
Let's start with bone broth. The bone broth I use in this recipe is homemade from chicken bones (see notes below if you want to use an alternate liquid). Bone broth is one of the most healing foods you can consume. It's full of collagen and minerals that help to repair the gut, boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and encourage liver detoxification from the glycine and potassium it contains.
Carrots are one of my favourite vegetables. They contain high levels of vitamin A, and are a great source of vitamin K, fibre, and biotin. Next we have sweet potatoes which are loaded with carotenes, vitamin C and vitamin B6.
Lentils are high in fibre and protein, but relatively low in calories. They help to balance the body's pH level because they are a very alkaline source of protein. I love cooking with red lentils because I find them to be so adaptable. They cook quickly and blend in well with other flavours. The garlic, ginger, onions and turmeric combine to make this soup an anti-inflammatory powerhouse!
My whole family enjoys this dish. My toddler and baby gobble it right up! My baby is nearly one and has had each of these ingredients separately prior to having this soup, so I feel comfortable feeding it to him knowing he won't have a reaction. I add more salt to the servings that I give to myself and my husband. I also add one or two Thai green chillies to the recipe if I don't plan on giving it to my kids.
Red Lentil Veggie Soup
This dish is so nourishing and warming during the winter months, I can't stop making it. The combination of red lentils, carrots, sweet potatoes and bone broth make this soup a complete meal.
1 cup red lentils (soaked and rinsed well)
1 medium sweet potato (peeled and chopped )
2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
1/2 cup red onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped finely )
1 cube fresh ginger root (peeled and chopped finely )
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp dried coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp pink or sea salt (add more to taste)
1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
4 cups bone broth or water or vegetable stock (I like to do 3 cups of bone broth and 1 cup of water)
1-2 Thai green chilies, chopped (if you like some spice!)
Start by measuring out 1 cup of red lentils and let them soak in cold water. By the time you've prepped the rest of the recipe, it’s usually enough time for them to soak (about 20 minutes).
Peel the sweet potato and carrots, then chop them into cubes. Dice the red onion and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Make sure to remove the skin from the ginger first.
The lentils will have expanded quite a bit after being soaked.
Using a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the lentils well with cold water, until the water runs clear.
In a medium sauce pan, add the coconut oil, onion, garlic and ginger, on medium heat. Stir them around frequently until the onions run clear and begin to brown.
Add the bone broth (or liquid combination of your choice) to the saucepan. Then add the rinsed lentils, sweet potato, carrots, dried coriander, turmeric, sea salt and fresh parsley. Give it all a good stir.
Turn the heat up to high and bring the liquid to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer/low and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Stir the soup occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom. Just be sure to add the lid back on quickly after you’ve finished stirring.
After 20ish minutes, the veggies should be quite soft. Use a hand masher to mash up the soup, leaving it slightly chunky. You could also pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender and blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes to make a smoother consistency.
Serve immediately and enjoy! Put the leftovers in the fridge to enjoy for a few days. The soup will thicken up quite a bit in the fridge, so I like to add a bit of water to the soup when I reheat it on the stove.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think of it in the comments below! Any questions about the recipe instructions or ingredients used can also be asked in the comments. Happy cooking folks!