Use red lentils for a quick cooking soup.

Living in the mid-Atlantic states our winter weather is very variable. If we have winds from the south, like today, it is warm enough to walk around without a coat. However, tomorrow’s high may only be in the 30s or 40s if the wind is out of the north. On days when we have a surprise cold snap a wonderful steaming bowl of soup is on the menu. Here’s a hearty soup recipe that will cook up in approximately 30 minutes from scratch. I’ve used it for years now and we love it every time.

Please note all the amounts are approximate, because I just throw this soup together. You don’t really need to measure anything except the lentils.

Red Lentil Soup

  • Fill 3qt  pot ¾ of the way full with water
  • 1-3 tsp salt (depending on your tastes)
  • 1 cup of several of your favorite soup veggies: frozen lima beans, frozen or fresh peas, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, even leftover veggies work great
  • Italian herb blend (start with 1 tsp on each of the herbs, then adjust to taste)
  • Dried basil
  • Tarragon
  • Thyme
  • Marjoram
  • 1 cup red lentils (must be red to cook fast)

Put pot on to boil, add salt, vegetables, and herbs. Bring to boil and boil for about 5 minutes. Then add the lentils and cook for another 10-15 minutes until lentils and veggies are cooked to your liking.

You can have tamari, pepper, ghee, or yogurt for people to add according to their liking. I particularly like it with a little extra freshly ground pepper, a dab of ghee, and a couple good sized scoops of yogurt in it, which gives it a nice tang.

Serve with homemade pumpernickel rolls (which I let the bread maker knead) with vegetarian or vegan sharp cheddar melted over it and you’ve got a healthy, nourishing, comfort lunch. We had it today and it was awesome!