Something other than butter.
Something other than sugar.
Something other than bacon and breakfast.
I feel healthy and strong and clear skinned and shiny haired. And I totally want tater tots .
I know you don’t necessarily come here for healthy stuff like ginger and lentils.
I just can’t possibly eat all the muffins and scones and biscuits I make… and this is the mess I eat in real life.
This lentil soup is simple and straightforward.
I used French lentils. They come with an accent. They’re a speckled green and cook up plump and with a touch of crunch. They don’t turn to mush like brown lentils sometimes do. Ginger and garlic give this soup all its flavor. The more ginger, the more of a kick your soup will be. The amount of garlic added depends entirely on whether or not you have anyone to whisper to or make out with.
I added cumin, cayenne pepper and lemon to the soup because… it’s soup. Anything goes.
Ginger and Lentil Soup
adapted from Essential New York Time Cookbook
serves 8
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped small
3 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 tablespoons ginger, grated or finely diced
3 cups water
3 to 4 carrots, sliced
1 pound French lentils
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
grated Gruyere cheese for serving
cooked couscous for serving
Take some time to sift through the lentils. Do it. Sometimes you find little rocks and pebbles. Those are bad for the teeth. I found a rock in my lentils… check through! After picking through the lentils, place in a colander and rinse with cool water. Set aside.
Chop onions, garlic and grate ginger and chop carrots.
Place a large pot over medium heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add onions. Cook until transparent and slightly browned. Add garlic, ginger and carrots and and cook, while stirring, for 1 minute. Add cumin and cayenne pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the water to the hot pot and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot as the liquid sizzles. Add lentils and broth and simmer for about 45 minutes, until lentils have softened. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Finish with lemon.
Serve with grated cheese and/or couscous.
Soup will last, in an airtight container in the fridge, for about a week. Soup is also great to keep in the freezer. It’s a win.
Adi
Just made this for dinner tonight (and for the whole week!). It was absolutely delicious! I really appreciate the serving suggestion of couscous and gruyere – it was a really nice touch.
lauren
i love beans! i know the people around me must not (the gases.. the horror!) but i’m excited to make a large pot of this. muhahaha!
heidi
i really love this soup, joy! i’ve made it twice now and am excited to do it again!
i’ve enjoyed your blog for a couple years now and am finally getting around to commenting! i love your heartfelt, funny, honest posts – it’s what keeps me coming back (not to mention the beautiful pictures and delicious variety of food!)
withinseason
This was great – especially after heavy eating all week. FYI: I subbed for gruyere with parmesan. I also did not have any garlic (i know!!), so went big on the ginger and used fresh chives at the very end on top with the cheese. Delish.
joythebaker
nice job! sounds delicious!
catherine
1lb of lentils = how many cups???
looks great!
Claire
Loved this! Took away the additions you made and kept it simple with just salt and pepper. Added really thick chunks of bacon, though. Totally recommend doing this.
Tanya
Thank you for this! I love it! I can’t wait to make it at home. It seems super easy to make.
Claire
This is cooking on my stove right now, and smells amazing. So excited!
Anna
I love the savory, meal-type dishes! I’m always looking for new healthy meal ideas that can be used for a few days. Thanks Joy!
Katie
Totally unrelated to the lentils:
The man in my life just bought me this for my birthday. Thought you might enjoy it, too:
https://popchartlab.com/index.php/poster_detail/the_splendiferous_array_of_culinary_tools/
I swoon over men who understand my love for whisks.