Quinoa Lentil Soup

May 9, 2011 · 0 comments

Quinoa Lentil Soup

By now, you may be wondering how many more variations of lentil soup I have up my sleeve. You will be either thrilled or horrified to know that the possibilities are endless! Yes, I like lentil soups. The addition of quinoa here makes this soup a substantial source of lean protein and fiber. On a cold day, few things hit the spot like a bowl of this hot, hearty soup.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dried brown lentils
1/4 cup quinoa
1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash red wine vinegar

In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, carrot and fennel and continue cooking for another few minutes. Add the stock, water, bay leaf, lentils, quinoa, tomatoes and their juice, thyme and basil. Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low until the lentils and quinoa are tender, about 20 minutes.
Taste for seasonings and if necessary, add the salt. Finish with a dash of red wine vinegar and serve hot.
Quick Tips
1. For my kids, I cooked up a bit of pasta to add to the soup. They seem more likely to try dishes if they see something familiar. Indeed, they ate the pasta and managed to get a bit of lentil, vegetable and quinoa in, too. Victory.
2. I didn’t add any cheese when I served this, but you might try some crumbled feta on top or a bit of grated Parmesan.
3. Prefer a smoother lentil soup? Puree in part for a varied texture or make it smooth, if that’s what you enjoy.
4. I used brown lentils because that’s what I had on hand. You can try red lentils or French green lentils as well, but you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Check the package directions for cooking times if you use another type of lentil.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Print

PDF