Lentil Soup Recipe:
Curried Red Lentil-Spinach Soup Recipe

Unlike most other legumes, lentils do not have to be presoaked before cooking them. That means that you can whip up a batch of this tasty soup in no time at all.

It also means that opening a can of lentils takes almost as much time as cooking them from scratch! Don't bother with canned lentils - they almost always have added salt, they are more expensive than cooking dried lentils, and they don't taste as good anyway!

• olive oil
• canned tomato paste
• curry powder
• prepared vegetable stock
• dried red lentils

Buy these fresh ingredients

• green onions
• carrots
• potatoes
• spinach

Get out your equipment

• Essential
  • a large saucepan
  • a cutting board and sharp knife
  • a can opener
  • a large bowl
  • a vegetable peeler or brush

• Nice to have but not necessary
  • measuring cups and spoons (if not, just estimate)
  
  
  

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  The lentil soup recipe

  1 Tbsp/15 mL olive oil

  4 green onions, chopped

  3 medium carrots, diced

  1 medium potato, diced

  1 Tbsp/15 mL tomato paste

  1 tsp/5 mL curry powder

  2 1/2 cups/375 mL vegetable stock

  2 1/2 cups/375 mL water

  1 cup/250 mL dried red lentils

  2 cups/500 mL (packed) fresh spinach, stems removed

  In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
  Add the green onions, carrots and potato.
  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft.
  

  Stir in the tomato paste and curry powder.
  

  Add the stock, water and lentils.
  Bring to a boil.
  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  

  Meanwhile, wash the spinach in a large bowl.
  Chop the spinach.
  

  Check the soup.
  Are the lentils tender? If so, add the spinach.
  If not, let cook a bit longer, testing regularly until the lentils are done and then add the spinach.
  Stir to mix.
  

  Serve.
  
  

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  Substitutions
  • Use another vegetable oil in place of the olive oil.

  • Use minced sweet onion instead of chopped green onion.

  • Use green lentils - but be aware that they will take longer to cook.

  Ideas for making this recipe your own

  • Try using other leafy greens in place of the spinach. How about Swiss chard, or kale?

  • Add whatever vegetables you have on hand. Does frozen corn appeal to you? How about peas?

  • Make your own homemade vegetable stock.

  Tips

  • If your potato is thin skinned, there is no need to peel it. Just scrub it well.

  • Be sure to wash the spinach well. Spinach tends to be quite muddy! (Of course, you could always buy prewashed spinach - but it is more expensive.)
  
  
  

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  Menu suggestion

  Serve this dish with

  • French bread

  • a green salad with Yogurt Dressing
    
    

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    If you enjoy this lentil soup recipe, you may also like these other soup recipes:
    • Carrot-Parsnip Soup
    • Pesto Soup
      
      

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