Creamy vegetable soup with red lentils

Name: Creamy vegetable soup with red lentils
Ingredients: red lentils; a green onion; two large carrots; a red bell pepper; a dried onion; 3 cloves of garlic; a parsnip; a piece of celery; a cube of butter; 1.5 liters of vegetable broth; salt to taste; a pinch of pepper; a bay leaf; cumin to taste; a few fresh mint leaves; optional: croutons; fresh basil; and sour cream for serving.

Soups - Creamy vegetable soup with red lentils by Rodica H. - Recipia

Creamy Vegetable Soup with Red Lentils I started cooking red lentils in a creamy soup because the vegetables provide a subtle, balanced flavor. In this recipe, I use onion, carrots, bell pepper, parsnip, celery, and garlic, and the lentils are cooked together with vegetable broth. In the end, the soup can be served plain or with sour cream, croutons, and fresh basil. Adding mint during blending subtly changes the flavor, and cumin should be used sparingly. Quick Info Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified Cooking time: not specified; the vegetables are cooked until tender, and the lentils simmer for a few minutes after the soup starts boiling Servings: exact quantity not specified Difficulty: easy Recipe type: creamy vegetable soup with red lentils Ingredients 1 cup red lentils 1 green onion 2 large carrots 1 red bell pepper 1 onion 3 garlic cloves 1 parsnip 1 piece of celery 1 cube of butter 1.5 liters vegetable broth salt, to taste a pinch of pepper 1 bay leaf cumin, to taste a few fresh mint leaves For serving, optional: croutons fresh basil sour cream Preparation Method 1. Prepare the vegetables Peel the onion and chop it finely. Clean and chop the carrots, bell pepper, garlic, parsnip, celery, and green onion as desired. It's not necessary for all the vegetables to be cut to the same size, as they will be blended at the end. 2. Sauté the onion in butter Place the butter in a pot and add the chopped onion. Cook over medium heat until it becomes translucent. There's no need to brown it; just let it soften at this stage. 3. Cook the vegetables Add the remaining chopped vegetables to the onion. Cover the pot with a lid and cook over medium heat until they begin to soften. The time may vary depending on the size of the pieces and the pot used, so check the vegetables before adding the lentils. 4. Add the lentils and broth Rinse the red lentils, then add them to the pot over the vegetables. Pour in the 1.5 liters of vegetable broth and stir gently. 5. Season and continue boiling When the soup begins to boil, add salt, pepper, bay leaf, and cumin. Continue boiling for a few minutes until the lentils are cooked. Remove the bay leaf after 2-3 minutes of boiling. It has a strong flavor and can overpower the other ingredients if left in the soup for too long. Cumin also has a distinct flavor and may not be to everyone's liking. Start with a small amount. If you prefer a stronger taste, it's better to sprinkle it separately on the plate than to overload the entire soup. 6. Let the soup cool slightly Turn off the heat and let the soup cool a bit. It doesn't need to be cold, but it will be easier to blend and handle once it stops boiling. 7. Blend the soup Blend the vegetables along with the mint leaves, gradually adding the broth in which they cooked. Pour in the liquid little by little until you reach the desired consistency. If you prefer a thicker creamy soup, use less broth at first. For a more fluid texture, gradually add more liquid. Taste and adjust the salt or pepper if needed. 8. Serve Pour the soup into bowls or deep plates. Add sour cream, croutons, and fresh basil as desired. Serve hot. Why I make this recipe often It's a simple way to include lentils in a regular dish without complicated preparation. The soup uses various vegetables, is blended at the end, and can be easily adjusted for texture. The flavor greatly depends on the amount of celery, cumin, mint, and spices, so the recipe may turn out differently each time, depending on the vegetables used. Another advantage is that the main ingredients cook in the same pot. There's no need to prepare the lentils separately; just rinse them before adding. Tips and Variations Tips Chop the vegetables into small enough pieces to cook relatively easily. The size doesn't have to be perfectly uniform, but very large pieces will take longer to cook. Don't add all the cumin at the beginning if you're unsure of how strong you like it. It's easier to adjust the flavor directly on the plate. Remove the bay leaf after 2-3 minutes of boiling. It shouldn't be blended with the other ingredients. Add the broth gradually while blending. This way, you can better control the consistency and avoid making the soup too watery. Let the soup cool slightly before blending. Besides being easier to handle, it prevents working with boiling liquid. Substitutions Vegetable broth can be used as is in the original recipe. No alternative is specified, and the final flavor depends on the base used. If you don't have green onion, it can be omitted, but no replacement quantity is indicated in the basic recipe. The dried onion remains the ingredient used at the beginning, as it is sautéed in butter. Sour cream is only for serving, so it can be omitted without changing the preparation steps of the soup. The same applies to croutons and basil. Variations You can adjust the flavor by varying the amount of mint and cumin. Mint is added during blending, while cumin can be added to the soup or sprinkled separately on the plate. The consistency can be modified according to preference. Use more or less of the broth in which the vegetables cooked when blending. For a different presentation, serve the soup with sour cream, croutons, and fresh basil. If you prefer the vegetable flavors to be more prominent, you can serve it with just a bit of pepper and a few basil leaves. Serving Ideas The soup is served hot, in bowls or deep plates. Sour cream is added to taste, and croutons are added at the end to prevent them from getting soggy before serving. Fresh basil completes the dish without being included in the boiling process. Cumin can be added separately directly to the plate. This is a good solution if those you are cooking for do not prefer a strong cumin flavor. Frequently Asked Questions Do red lentils need to be soaked beforehand? No. In the recipe, the lentils are rinsed and added directly over the cooked vegetables, along with the vegetable broth. No soaking step is mentioned. When should the bay leaf be removed? The bay leaf should be removed after 2-3 minutes of boiling. It has a strong flavor and should not be left in for the entire cooking time. Can I add more cumin? Yes, but carefully. Cumin has a distinct flavor and can easily dominate the soup. It's safer to start with a small amount and add more if needed directly on the plate. Is the mint cooked with the vegetables? No. The mint leaves are added during blending after the soup has been turned off and has cooled slightly. How do I adjust the thickness of the soup? Gradually add the broth in which the vegetables cooked while blending. A smaller amount of liquid will yield a thicker soup, while more liquid will result in a thinner consistency. Nutritional Values The values are estimated, as the recipe does not specify exact quantities for all the vegetables, and sour cream and croutons are optional. As a reference, for a serving calculated from dividing into four portions, without toppings, the soup may have approximately: 180-260 kcal 7-10 g protein 28-40 g carbohydrates 5-9 g fats Lentils mainly contribute vegetable protein and carbohydrates, while butter adds some fats. Sour cream and croutons increase the energy value, depending on the amount used. Storage and Reheating Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container. It’s best to add sour cream, croutons, and basil only at serving time, not before storage. When reheating, warm the soup until it is hot and stir before serving. If it seems thicker after storage, adjust the consistency with a little liquid, added gradually. Reheat only the amount you plan to consume.

Creamy vegetable soup with red lentils

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