In the dark winter months, when we yearn for comfort food, this creamy lentil and carrot soup is not only filling but deliciously good for you. It’s full of nourishing red lentils, which bring an unctuous thickness to the soup. We’re also loading up on carrots, an essential support for our immune system during the cold months – adding in turmeric and ginger for good measure. What’s not to love about this budget-friendly, gut-friendly, fibre-full, and protein-rich bowl of goodness?
Health benefits of red lentils
Unlike their green and brown cousins that hold their shape, in this lentil and carrot soup, the red lentils turn into a beautiful and silky texture. This means there is no need to add any dairy. They are an incredible source of plant-based protein, making this soup filling enough for your main evening meal. The main benefits of cooking and eating red lentils are:
- Excellent source of plant protein – around 9-18g per cooked cup
- High in fibre – rich in prebiotic fibre, red lentils feed our good gut bacteria
- Anti-inflammatory – see below
- Help regulate blood sugar – keeping us fuller for longer with slow release energy
- Rich in essential vitamins and minerals – such as folate, iron, magnesium and potassium
Going for anti-inflammatory gold
The vibrant orange gold of this lentil carrot soup appeals to all your comfort senses in the dark and grey weather. The carrots not only bring that beta-carotene orange, but also a boost of Vitamin A. This helps support your immune system and gives your skin a healthy winter glow. In addition to this, the ginger and the ‘golden’ turmeric not only enhance the colour but bring anti-inflammatory benefits to help fight those winter sniffles.
Other lentil and carrot recipes
See below for other recipes on the blog using lentils and carrots:
- Carrot and lentil Bolognese
- Spicy coconut chicken and lentil traybake
- Roasted warm carrot and lentil salad
This is a filling soup, but if you want to serve some sourdough bread alongside it, you will definitely not go hungry for a few hours! Check out my overnight sourdough recipe here.
Once you have a base soup like this, you can use it to add in leftover vegetables from the fridge if you wish. I often like to increase the vegetable count by adding in a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves or chopped kale.
If you’re looking to make this into a complete meal, or simply add in some extra protein, you could do this in the form of 250g of cooked chickpeas/can of chickpeas (if you’re looking to keep this vegan), or shredded, cooked chicken (2-3 thighs should do it). Stir either of these ingredients into the soup 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
Definitely. This soup freezes very well.
Creamy Lentil and Carrot Soup
Equipment
- Medium casserole dish with lid
- Small non-stick frying pan
- Spice grinder or pestle and mortar
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 300 g carrots finely diced
- 2 celery sticks finely diced
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp paprika
- 300 ml passata
- 1000 ml vegetable stock
- 300 g red lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds optional
Instructions
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium to large casserole dish (with a lid) and add in the diced onion, celery and carrot and cook over a medium heat until softened – about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a dry non-stick small frying pan, toast your mustard and cumin seeds until fragrant. Crush them either in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
- When the vegetables are softened, add in the grated garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add in your ground mustard seeds and cumin seeds, along with the turmeric, ground coriander, and paprika. Stir and cook for a minute or so.
- Pour in the passata, the vegetable stock, add the red lentils and the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cover for 45 minutes, giving a stir every 10 minutes to stop it sticking on the bottom.
- After 40 minutes, if you are adding additional protein, do so now – see note below.
- Simmer for a further 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the the lemon juice.
- Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds if using, and prepare to be full of delicious, healthy goodness!
Notes
- This is a filling soup, but if you want to serve some sourdough bread alongside it, you will definitely not go hungry for a few hours! Check out my recipe here.
- Once you have a base soup like this, you can use it to add in leftover vegetables from the fridge if you wish. I often like to increase the vegetable count by adding in a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves or chopped kale.
- Additional protein – make this into a complete meal and add in some extra protein in the form of 250g of cooked chickpeas/can of chickpeas if you’re looking to keep this vegan or shredded, cooked chicken (2-3 thighs should do it). Stir either of these ingredients into the soup 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
- This soup will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, or it freezes particularly well. Great for batch-cooking.
