Triple Lentil and Cauliflower Soup

I was inspired to make a batch of this triple lentil soup when the Gulf Coast area where I live was hit by an ice storm in the end of January. A bowl of this soup did wonders in warming me up on a snowy Southern Alabama night (who would have thought it could snow here!). I originally posted this recipe on my blog, Vegan Runner Eats, and got some warm responses on social media.

This triple lentil and cauliflower soup is oil-free, packed with nutrition and fiber, and can easily become the next staple food on your dinner table! It’s quick to put together and may just give you a reason to clear your pantry from those handfuls of leftover dried lentils.

Find out more about this recipe here. ~ Alina

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

1 celery rib, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

Equal amounts of brown, red, and black lentils (see note*) to make 1 cup total

1 cup diced tomatoes, canned or fresh

2 cups cauliflower florets (see note**)

8 – 9 cups of vegetable broth (see my easy veggie broth recipe)

Cooked rice or any other grain (barley, quinoa, couscous), for serving

Spices:

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp assafetida (optional)

1/2 tsp garam masala (optional)

salt, pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Line a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven with 2-3 Tbsp of vegetable broth. Heat the pot on medium. When the broth gets bubbly, add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook 3-4 min, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables become soft. You may need to add more broth to prevent sticking.

2. While the vegetables are cooking, bring the rest of the broth to a boil in a separate pot.

3. Add cumin, turmeric, paprika and assafetida to the vegetables. Stir to distribute the spices, cook for 1 minute, adding more broth if needed.

4. Add rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes, and the rest of the hot vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 min, or until the lentils become soft (see note***). Stir in salt and pepper.

5. Once the lentils are soft, add cauliflower florets to the pot, cover, and cook the soup for 3 minutes more. (Avoid cooking the soup any longer as the cauliflower may turn into mush). Take the pot off the heat, stir in garam masala if using. Let the soup cool off for at least 10-15 min before serving.

6. To serve: ladle the soup in individual bowls, top with cooked rice or other grain of choice. Enjoy!

Notes:

*If you don’t have three different types of lentils available, you can easily use 1 cup of regular, brownish-greenish lentils.

**You can omit cauliflower or replace it with broccoli if you like.

***Red lentils tend to completely disintegrate in this soup, adding to a hearty texture, so in the end you might only see brown and black lentils floating in the soup.

 

Please follow and like us:

Submitted by: