Mental Lentil Soup. A silly name, but a hearty, tasty meal. It has a deep, rich flavor.
Lentil Soup (or Mental Lentil Soup as our kids called it). Deliciously vegan and gluten free.
Mental Lentil Soup is a good peasant meal.
My kids called this soup “Mental Soup” so I incorporated their name for it and call it Mental Lentil Soup. It’s robust and scrumptious, and good for a rainy day. But when our younger daughters were growing up, they were not fond of trying new foods and I admit, they did not like it. Don and I love it, and I think you might like it, too. The original recipe came from an old cookbook called Greek Cooking.
The basic recipe is delicious, but you can easily change the whole flavor of it by adding a ham bone or a few different spices. If you like a spicy soup, you can add turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and roasted red peppers for an entirely different flavor.
Serve with Crusty French Bread or a grilled cheese sandwich and a salad for a flavorful peasant supper. I generally add a little bit of vinegar to my soup when I eat it. The vinegar gives it a tangy flavor.
What You Need
Your kitchen should have the very best tools you can afford. At the least, buy yourself a good set of pans (affiliate link), a slow cooker (affiliate link), measuring cups and spoons (affiliate link), and the best set of chef’s knives (affiliate link) you can afford. Also be sure to get a full sized food processor (affiliate link) and a mini food processor (affiliate link). These tools are essential for any well-equipped kitchen!
Mental Lentil Soup Recipe
PrintMental Lentil Soup
Vegan lentil soup with a tomato base
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Course, Soup
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 pound dry lentils
- 8 1/2 cups water
- 1 6–ounce can tomato paste
- 2 vegetable or beef bouillon cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the onions and carrots in the olive oil until the onions are transparent.
- Add water, lentils, bouillon and spices and cook for about 30 minutes until lentils are tender but not mushy.
- Skim off the foam as it comes to the surface and stir the soup occasionally as you cook it.
- Add the tomato paste and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Optional Ingredients: Add 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground mace for a Caribbean flavor! Or add some chopped red pepper, a bay leave and 1/2 teaspoon of oregano for a Mediterranean flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cup of Mental Lentil Soup
- Calories: 343
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 284.7 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.7 g
- Fiber: 10.9 g
- Protein: 20.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
Keywords: Lentil Soup
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Recipe Nutrition Information
This recipe is GF, DF, NF, SF, EF, V, VG*
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Mental Lentil Soup Nutrition Label. Each serving is about 1.5 cup.
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Homemade Lentil Soup. We call it Mental Lentil Soup for fun. It’s awesome. Vegan & GF.
Hearty, flavorful, Mediterranean Lentil Soup. #lentilsoup #mediterraneanrecipes #souprecipes #lentilsouprecipe #vegan #glutenfree #vegetarian #recipes #nationalmeatout #meditterranean #recipeideashop
*Allergen Key
GF = Gluten free | DF = Dairy free | NF = Nut free | SF = Soy free | EF = Egg free | CF = Corn free | V = Vegetarian | VG = Vegan
Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked “gluten free,” etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.
This post was first published on Recipe Idea Shop October 7, 2016 and updated December 7, 2021.
Your Mother taught me to use vinegar in my bean soup!
★★★★★
Yes, Diana. She taught me that trick, too. I love bean or lentil soup with a little vinegar!
★★★★★