Red Lentil Vegetable Soup (Vegan)
 
Prep Time
Cook Time
Total Time
 
A delicious, high protein low fat and very quick to prepare meal, perfect for cold wintery nights. Get a meal on the table in less than one hour - even faster if you do meal prep the day before. Makes great leftovers.
Created by:
Recipe Type: Light Meals
Cuisine: Vegan
Number Servings: 6
What You Need
  • 1 large white onion, chopped (2 cups)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 large carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin
  • 5 dried pequin pepper pods
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 2-1/4 cups dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cans water (use the crushed tomatoes can)
  • 4 vegetable bouillon cubes with herbs (Rapunzel)
  • 4 cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed and thinly sliced (half a 5 oz package)
  • 4 Tablespoons (or to taste) fresh Meyer lemon juice or Balsamic vinegar
  • Kosher or Himalayan pink salt to taste
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste
How to Do It
  1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium flame. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; let cook for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes, pequin peppers, and bouillon cubes. Pour in 4 cans water and the lentils.
  3. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice or vinegar and sliced spinach. Let pot sit on stove, covered, for another 10-15 minutes.
  5. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Serve with crusty sourdough, cornbread or garlic bread.
Extras
If you use green lentils, the soup will need to cook at least 45 minutes as they take longer to cook than red lentils do.
Recipe by Blacks Going Vegan! at http://blacksgoingvegan.com/red-lentil-vegetable-soup-vegan/