This is a robust, healthy and hearty lentil soup which is delicious served on its own or served with a slice of freshly baked bread. This soup is quick to prepare and really comes together with little fuss. This is what I call a healthy comfort food which will warm and fill you up!
As I sit writing this blog, I can hear the sound of gently falling rain. The month of September officially signifies “springtime” in Cape Town but we have been having some much-needed rain and the weather has been rather chilly. I am definitely not complaining because after the long period of drought we have experienced, I am actually beyond grateful to the Lord for the rain and the way in which all the dams have supernaturally filled up. The overall dam levels at this time last year was 37.5% full and currently, the dam levels are at 70% full. Now, this is something worth celebrating, don’t you think!
This cold and rainy weather had me feeling for some delicious soup. After pondering what exactly I felt like making, I was reminded of a lentil soup recipe that my mom made years back. This lentil soup brought back fond memories and it was a soup that everyone raved about. The problem was finding the recipe…
I rummaged through the old recipes files and was beyond thankful when I eventually found the original recipe. I then used the original recipe as a base and adapted it by making some small adjustments and adding in some fresh basil. I find that adding some fresh herbs to any recipe really does add a punch of flavor. The soup turned out so amazing that there was barely leftovers and two days later I decided to make another batch with the leftover veggies I had. The amazing thing about this lentil soup is that it freezes really well so you can make it in advance which is an added bonus. The chicken stock can also be replaced with vegetable stock for a vegan alternative.
Give it a try and please let me know what you think of this lentil soup recipe!
Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Large Onions (Chopped)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (Grated)
- 3 Large Carrots (Diced)
- 4 Stalks Celery (Chopped) [2 Long Stalk or 4 Short Stalks]
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Lentils
- 6 Cups Chicken Stock [Can be replaced with vegetable stock]
- 1-2 Cups Water
- 1 Can Peeled Tomatoes (Chopped) [400g]
- 2 Cups Cabbage (Sliced)
- 30 Grams Basil (Chopped)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large casserole pot and saute the onions and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Add the carrots, celery, chilli flakes, paprika and bay leaves and saute for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the salt, lentils, chicken stock, 1 cup of water and the chopped tomatoes. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and cook covered at a gentle simmer for 35 minutes.
- Stir in the cabbage and basil. At this stage if you would like the soup a bit thinner you can add in the additional cup of water. Simmer for a further 15 minutes.
- Serve with croutons or fresh bread.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutritional information for convenience and as a courtesy only.
