With cold weather, nothing is more appealing than a warm soup or stew. What better way to supply that craving than with a healthy lentil soup? Sometimes we feel like eating hearty recipes, which perhaps because of their high fat content are not the most appropriate if we want to lose weight or eat more often.
This is a lighter version of the usual recipe for lentils with chorizo. Besides the great nutritional value provided by lentils, a source of iron and fibre, we have to add the benefits of preparing them with vegetables. A first or main dish that, without a doubt, keeps the stomach full.
Ingredients for the Healthy Lentil Soup Recipe:
1. Start the recipe for healthy lentil soup by letting the vegetables sit in water the night before.
2. Continue cleaning and cutting the onion, carrot, zucchini, pepper, leek, tomatoes and garlic cloves.
3. Then put some olive oil in a pot over medium heat, in which all the vegetables will be poached for the healthy lentil soup recipe. It will take 10/12 minutes.
4. When this time has passed, leave over a low heat for another 5 minutes together with a pinch of pepper and the bay leaf.
5. The next step is to put the lentils in the same pot and pour cold water until they are covered and exceed 5 centimetres. Keep over a medium heat for 30 or 40 minutes, even for 1 hour depending on the type of lentil. It is best to taste them as the hour approaches and so decide if they need more cooking. If required, more water can be added during the process.
6. It is the potatoes’ turn. These light lentil soup cannot miss the potatoes, as they are perfect if you want it to be a main dish. However, it is an optional ingredient. Peel and cut the potatoes into medium-sized pieces and add to the cooking when there are about 20/25 minutes left.
7. Taste the healthy lentil soup in case they need to be seasoned with salt and serve.
In Spain we have products of very good quality, such as those recognized with the Designation of Origin. Our advice is to make this recipe with a product from our country. For example, the Lentils from La Armuña or from Tierra de Campos enjoy great prestige.
