Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup | Bibbyskitchen recipes (2024)

FAQs

Do lentils need to be soaked before making soup? ›

The other good news: Lentils don't need to soak as beans do (though you do need to sort and rinse them before cooking). Different types of lentils cook in different amounts of time. Red lentils are the fastest cooking and they dissolve as they cook and make for a smooth soup.

Why does my lentil soup taste bland? Lentils have a relatively mild taste and take well to seasonings. To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor.

Roast or caramelize your vegetables before adding them to your soup to bring out their natural sweetness. Add ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, soy sauce, miso, or seaweed to enhance the flavor of your soup. Use fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or thyme to add fresh flavor to your soup.

SPICE IT UP

You can can add almost any spice to a soup to help it taste better, but here are a few of my favorites: Italian seasoning: this blend of dried herbs works great with tomato-based soups, lentil soups, and more. Smoked paprika: this vibrant spice helps to add smokiness, a subtle sweetness, and depth of flavor.

You're fine to eat unrinsed lentils. The only real reason to rinse it to remove possible dirt, and perhaps a tad of starch.

Soaking: Unlike beans, lentils are small and cook relatively quick (in general, about 20-30 minutes) so they don't require pre-soaking. However, soaking lentils for a few hours or overnight may improve the digestibility of starches in lentils and an overnight soak can also reduce cooking time by about half.

Another reason that lentils are known for causing gas and bloating is because they are high in what's called raffinose. Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO) are known to cause stomach discomfort and bloating because the human body lacks the enzyme required to break them down within the digestive tract.

Lentils are frequently cooked with strong spices, which can cause indigestion in some people. Lentils are a good source of potassium, however, too many lentils in the diet can cause hyperkalemia (symptoms may include vomiting, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and difficulty breathing) in people with poor kidney function.

Many people experience digestive discomfort after consuming lentils because they are rich in fiber. Consuming too much fiber can lead to symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation and other digestive issues. Since fiber-rich foods like lentils cause gas, increase your consumption of them slowly.

What gives vegetable soup that depth of flavor? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

Adding Worcestershire Sauce To Soups

It will work in a broad range of dishes from your favorite French onion soup to velvety tomato bisque. It definitely does a great job of amping up the meaty flavors of a beef stew as well as giving vegetable soups a flavor lift, too.

Mushy, overcooked lentils are far from tasty. Cooking them at a rapid simmer can lead to them splitting their skins from the pressure and thus lead to mushy results. Follow this tip: Trust that a gentle simmer will cook the lentils perfectly.

The best side dishes to serve with lentil soup are yellow rice, quinoa, cannellini beans, brown rice, zucchini noodles, Israeli couscous, wheat berries, naan bread, garlic bread, Greek salad, grilled cheese sandwich, sautéed spinach, roasted vegetables, and pita chips.

Heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat, add the garlic, carrots and bouillon powder (see below), then fry gently for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Add the lentils, then pour in 1 litre of water and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.

How To Soak Right? Soaking lentils for two- eight hours is mostly recommended. In a bowl add the dal and rinse it with water, changing the water 3-4 times and clean it gently by stroking with your fingers. Now add water to a bowl and soak the dal for about 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the type of lentil.

Editor: First, I wonder how old your lentils are. If they're more than a year or two old, they will often stay crunchy in the middle no matter how long you cook them! Another trick is to wait to add salt or acidic ingredients until near the end of cooking. Take a look at our post on cooking lentils for some more help!

Lentils aren't rice—they don't need to absorb every last drop of cooking liquid. They're more like pasta: best cooked in an abundance of water or stock. Bring your liquid up to a boil, add your lentils, then turn down your heat to a simmer for at least 25-30 minutes.

Cook It Longer

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.