Monday, June 3, 2019

How To Make Easy Lentil Soup From Scratch

By Sandra Anderson


Soups are a great way to enjoy a meal and relax with great flavor. They are also simple to make and enjoyed by pretty much everyone. Making a healthy stew is something of an art form but can be done with a little preparation and planning. Making an easy lentil soup provides excellent nutrition and a hearty meal that will fill you up. The ingredients are all fresh and healthy and it can be done in different forms that appeal to different palates.

Soups are generally very healthy meals. Using lentils makes it even more nutritious because it consists of various vegetables, broth, and protein-rich beans. Since it is made without meat, it can be made for vegans as well. For people with health issues, this type of meal is a great source of vitamins.

Lentils do not need to be soaked prior to cooking. There are many different types of beans that do need to be presoaked for hours before cooking them with the other ingredients, lentils do not fall into that category. It doesn't hurt them to be soaked if you want them to be even softer after cooking. Soaking them does make it easier to digest or if you plan on blending the mix when it is done.

Some prefer a thicker version while others like the vegetable soup version. It is easy to make the thicker version. You can just put the finished product into the blender. Be very careful about this since it may still be hot. It is best to let it cool a bit and make sure the lid is tight to prevent the hot liquid from splattering. Other people enjoy a thinner version where all the vegetables are still in their larger versions so they have the satisfaction of having something to bite into.

A lot of different ingredients can be added. Lentils are the basic form, but adding other vegetables enriches the flavor. Some will use things like chopped celery, diced carrots, onions, and include spices like oregano, a dry bay leaf, and basil for flavoring. Diced or stewed tomatoes are great to add because they thicken it up and add a great flavor to the mix. Spinach is also a great addition for the iron and other benefits that it offers.

To blend or not to blend? There are two thoughts here, and both are valid. Some enjoy the thicker version that is blended with the stewed tomatoes. This provides a nice thick stew that goes down smooth. The non-blended version is much like vegetable soup for those that like to add crackers to their bowl. The vegetables are all visible and the stock is a clear broth. Both styles are delicious. Be cautious when blending any hot mixture to avoid burns.

You can serve the meal with different types of bread. Some enjoy a good Naan bread or English muffins. Others prefer cornbread and heartier flavors. Still more enjoy adding oyster crackers to their bowl. These are also great with a fresh garden salad with some nice dressing on the side.

Any weather is great for making soups. They are healthy, filling, and make a great meal by themselves. Adding in a fresh salad or homemade honey cornbread will really make it special. This is something that kids and adults enjoy and making it from scratch helps to make it as healthy as possible.




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