Winter soup with vegetables and red lentils

It’s cold and damp and our soul needs warmth and nourishment.

This recipe is a cross between three other soups that came about one day when I was hungry and cold and couldn’t settle for something entirely plain – not that this soup is fancy, in any way, just that it’s a lot heartier than what we usually make at home.

It kind of started as my grandmother’s traditional vegetable soup, which is very tasty and all, but this time it just wasn’t cutting it. I wanted something hot, hearty and thick (get your mind out of the gutter)- and that soup is pretty runny and light (get your mind out of the sewer). So, halfway through the cooking process, I decided that I wanted to add red lentils and some spices for warmth (inspired by harira soup). After I did that, I realized that now it was missing thickness and some acidity, which is where the baked beans and tomatoes came in (inspired by another one of yiayia’s recipes).

At every new twist and turn this culinary journey took, I almost threw the entire pot out. Every time, I almost convinced myself that I’d messed the whole thing up and wasted perfectly good ingredients. Especially when the cinnamon went in, I was positive I’d fucked up (I love cinnamon when it complements other smells, but I genuinely hate it when it’s overpowering). Thankfully, my “trust the process” mantra worked and logic prevailed, so I managed to see the soup to the end!

“Great success!“, as Borat would say.

I have since made this soup almost weekly, and I have constantly blabbered about it to colleagues and friends alike. Sorry guys, I’m just excited. 😅

Grab a bowl and grab a spoon, it’s time to to feed both the body and the soul with a hot bowl of this thick, hearty soup, made with staple ingredients that are easily found in the pantry.

This soup is vegan and perfect for any time of day, and is delicious on its own, but it is nicely complemented by greek yogurt (or sour cream) and croutons.

Below quantities are for 8-10 portions.

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Start by chopping the leek and spring onion in small pieces. Place in a large pot and sautee with some olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the grated courgettes and carrots and sautee for a few more minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the onions, chopped tomatoes and baked beans in a food processor, blend well and set aside for later. Don’t worry if it’s not entirely smooth, small chunks will just give our soup some extra texture!
4. In the pot, add the ginger, saffron, cinnamon and garlic. Stir well with the vegetables and allow them a few seconds to release their aroma.
5. Add the mixture from the food processor along with the lentils and stock cubes, and top up with 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to low.
6. Simmer until the lentils are cooked through, stirring occasionaly. I like a thick, stew-like consistency, so I tend let the soup simmer for up to 45′ on low heat, which evaporates a lot of the fluids and cooks the lentils almost to nothingness.

Hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know if you liked it. Would you do anything differently?

The Cactus