Recipe: Super fast lentil soup

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This lentil soup is so easy, it almost feels like cheating. I literally can put a pot of soup together and it's ready to eat in 20 minutes, maybe less! - without an Instant Cooker (Instapot)!

And it's pretty nutritious and filling, and really inexpensive, too.

The key is to use ONLY shelf-stable pantry staples. No chopping anything, because then there are dishes and you also need more TIME!

Not shown but also needed: SALT

I know, some people only use fresh onions and garlic, but hey. sometimes you don't want to get garlic on your hands, or make your eyes water from chopping onions! So I keep these dried versions in my pantry, and they're also great timesavers. I buy them in bulk from the spice store in my nearby shuk. (If you live in my area, get in touch with me to join the WhatsApp group for deliveries from the spice store in the Teverya shuk!)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups red lentils
• 1-2 tablespoons dried fried onions
• 1-2 tablespoons dried garlic
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot paprika flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 liters boiling water

Pick over and rinse lentils. Put lentils, dried onions, garlic, and paprika flakes in a medium size pot. Add boiling water. Bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes, then turn the flame down, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Add salt and pepper, and mix well. Serve hot.

Croutons of any kind make a great addition (leftover bread makes great croutons)!

I like this soup just the way it is, but I've also been known to add leftover vegetable soup to the pot once the lentils are soft, and turn it into lentil-vegetable soup. Or sometimes I'll toss in some cooked noodles. You can also play with the spice ratios. Nothing here is set in stone -make it your own!

I hope you like this time-saving and very inexpensive soup recipe! Let me know!

Black Lentil Soup

Yum.

Black Lentil Soup is SO much more flavorful and delicious than Green Lentil Soup.

Yes, black lentils are a little more expensive, BUT very worthwhile for this soup. It is a difference of a couple of shekels, I believe. If you can't do that right now, this soup also works well with other varieties of lentils.

This recipe is so easy! In addition,  you can vary it somewhat to your preferences by adjusting the quantities and types of vegetables. Feel free to get creative! I actually made it a bit heartier today by adding a couple of diced potatoes to the pot.

Black Lentil Soup

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
4-6 carrots, sliced or diced
6+ cups water
500g black lentils
seasonings: salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, whatever else you like


Pick over the lentils (there are often stones in the black lentils) and rinse them. Set them aside. Heat olive oil in soup pot. Add chopped onion, chopped garlic, diced celery and carrots to olive oil. cook till onion is starting to carmelize. Add 6 or more cups water (depending on your pot) and the lentils. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-30 min. Add seasonings (I used pasley, salt, pepper, and oregano, sometimes smoked paprika), and simmer a few more minutes. It should be nice and thick and fragrant when you serve it...

My family loves to pair this with fresh rolls, but garlic bread or pitot works well too! 

This can be a quick meal on it's own, or the start to a bigger meal.
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Lentil Soup (Vegan)

This Shabbat I decided NOT to make my usual cholent.

Instead, I made this Crock Pot Lentil Soup which was a really great way for us to warm up at lunch! And it was so simple to make!

And, since we were just 3 for lunch, we have plenty of leftover soup for Melave Malka after Shabbat!

Here's the recipe:

Crock Pot Lentil Soup

1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small potato, diced
1 cup whole barley grains, soaked if possible, drained, and rinsed
500g whole red lentils, picked over and rinsed
water to fill the pot
salt and pepper to taste

Fill Crock-Pot with all the above ingredients. Cook on high for a couple of hours, then switch to low till lunchtime, or at least 5 more hours (although my low setting is not working well - it's TOO low, so I left it on high and it was perfect for lunch!)
Note: My crock pot is a 6 or 6.5L crock pot, like this one:


 

Meals

I am having trouble with food this summer! Everyone still needs to eat, but I sure don't feel like cooking.

Here's what I made today:

Homemade Garlic and Olive Oil Mini-Foccacia Breads (recipe some other time) (from the freezer, I made a large batch one day)
Red lentil soup with roasted red peppers and tomatoes (yes, it was served hot, and the kids complained. How would it work served cold? Maybe with some sour cream or something it would work? What do you think?)
Sliced Watermelon
Those who were still hungry ate seconds, or supplemented this meal with cottage cheese.


Soup recipe:
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large red pepper, diced
Saute above ingredients in olive oil (over medium heat) till the peppers begin to carmelize.
Add 1 diced tomato (large)
Cook, stirring frequently
Add: 2 cups red lentils (sorted and rinsed)
water or soup stock to fill the pot
salt, pepper to taste
Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 min - until the lentils are fully cooked and soft.