Lentil Soup with Vegetables (Vegan)

This soup is a good way to use up any veggies, like those carrots and celery stalks which have been lingering for too long in the fridge, and for me, now that it is springtime, the parsnips and sunchokes I recently harvested from my backyard. The legume and veggie combo makes this comforting soup a very nutritious meal, while gaging to keep the recipe vegan.

Lentil Soup with Vegetables (Vegan) –

Sopa de lentejas con verduras (vegana)

Printable recipe: Lentil Soup with Vegetables (Vegan)

Ingredients

1 ½ cups dry lentils, or two 540 ml cans
½ medium white onion; peeled
2 stalks celery; washed, ends removed
3-4 root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, sunchokes, etc.); washed, peeled, and ends removed
1 bunch cilantro; washed
1 tbsp oil
¼ cup tomato paste
Water, as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegan bacon strips, optional

If using dry lentils: Remove pebbles and damaged lentils, then rinse and drain. Place in a large pan and fill with water to cover lentils. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook, covered, until soft, about 20 minutes; reserve. If using cans: open and reserve, including liquid.

Finely chop onions, celery, root veggies and cilantro. For my root veggies, I cubed one carrot, and two parsnips, and sliced one sunchoke, for contrast:

In a large pot, warm up oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for two minutes; add celery and continue cooking for another minute. Add root veggies (photo below, left), cooking and stirring for another two minutes. Add four cups of hot water (photo below, right):

Cover pot, and let cook for ten to fifteen minutes, just until the veggies are tender.

Uncover, add chopped cilantro (reserving some for garnish) and tomato paste (photo below, left). Incorporate reserved lentils, along with liquid, and more water, as needed, mixing with all the veggies (photo below, right):

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five more minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste:

Optional: while the soup is simmering, fry vegan bacon strips, as directed in the package, about two minutes per side:

Serve soup topped with a sprinkle of reserved cilantro, and vegan bacon bits (if using):

Fridge and garden veggies are all well spent with the humble lentils, without paying a princely sum, but making a hearty soup that is filling, and nutritious enough to be a meal. Springtime is here, so spread out your welcome doormat, and invite a friend for lunch. Soup’s on!