Late Fall Red Lentil Soup

So, this fall has been especially warm-Con MUCHO GUSTO El Nino!!! This has allowed me to harvest much later than normal.  I still have Brussels sprouts, leeks, kale, and herbs growing out there! I did however, harvest a big bowl of eggplant a few weeks back. I don’t refrigerate them. This may sound weird, but homegrown eggplants stay quite firm for a long time. I find that as soon as I put them into the fridge, they begin to get soft. So-the bowl has sat on the counter, and called to me to add it to many of the dishes I have been cooking, which served as the inspiration of this soup. That and all the other produce I had on hand (I love soup for that reason!).

My family thinks they don’t like eggplant. They do…they just don’t realize they’re eating it! Once eggplant cooks down, it creates a cream-like texture, as it does in this soup. I used my overabundance of eggplant, and combined it with typical Italian seasonings like garlic, thyme, rosemary, and tomatoes.  When the weather started to change, I harvested my more delicate crops like tomatoes and eggplant. The tomatoes that hadn’t turned red yet, so I brought them inside, and they have been ripening in the window.  We’re just starting to use some of them, and they were picked about 2 weeks ago.  There is an ingredient in this soup that you may not be familiar with, and is not Italian in its profile. It’s curry leaves! I love curry leaves. They are a new found love to me. No, they are not how curry is made. There is a curry plant, different than the blend of spices that goes into making curry seasoning.  I find they add a depth of flavor similar to a bay leaf, but more interesting. You could use bay leaf in the recipe in its place, but I HIGHLY encourage you to visit your local Indian market and ask them for curry leaves. They come in a branch, and are very inexpensive. I paid $3 for 3 good sized stems. What you don’t use, can be frozen, but they will lose their green color. It’s ok, they’ll still taste great! Left overs are also great added to rice or other grains while they’re cooking. Unlike bay leaves, these leaves can be eaten and pureed into the soup (you can also remove them). Try them. You’ll love them!

Red lentils are used in this soup because I wanted to make sure I had a hearty, creamy soup. Red lentils are best for this task. They lose their shape in the cooking process, and create a rich, thick, comforting texture. This soup, like most, thicken as it sits. It’s great to double the batch (we I always do) to freeze leftovers for busy weeknight meals. To boost the nutritional value of this soup, add in dark leafy greens like kale right before serving.

Ingredients:

• Mirepoix: 1 cup each: carrots, celery, onion-small dice (no need to peel carrots)
• 1 cup red or green pepper, small dice
• 2 cups eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 1/2 tbsp fresh)
• 2 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tbsp fresh, minced)
• 1 branch or 10 curry leaves (if you can’t find these, add 2 small bay leaves or 1 large)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes, or 1 pt. canned
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups red lentils
• 1 cup corn
• 2 cups cannellini beans or 1 can, rinsed and drained

Instructions:

1. If desired, heat pot, and add mirepoix along with 1-2 tbsp water to prevent sticking. Sauté until onions have softened and begun to turn golden. This step can be omitted.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except beans. If you like more texture, add corn and beans after pureeing. 
3. Cook until lentils have softened and become creamy, about 30 minutes.
4. Using a stick blender, puree some of the soup.
5. Add in cannellini beans and serve! To boost nutritional value, add in dark leafy greens like kale right before serving.

Nutritional Benefits:

• High in fiber-great for regulating blood sugar, digestive health, reducing blood pressure, and increasing satiety
• High in plant-based protein, good for healing/repairing tissues
• High in antioxidants-great for fighting disease!
• Gluten free, vegan-great for reducing inflammation in the body
• No added sugars, refined ingredients

5.0 from 1 reviews

Late Fall Red Lentil Soup

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Late Fall Red Lentil Soup-made with red lentils and curry leaves, along with other fall veggies, this soup packs in the flavor and the nutrients! Creamy and hearty!

Author: www.gardenfreshfoodie.com

Recipe type: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Mirepoix: 1 cup each: carrots, celery, onion-small dice (no need to peel carrots)
• 1 cup red or green pepper, small dice
• 2 cups eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1½ tsp dried thyme (or 1½ tbsp fresh)
• 2 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tbsp fresh, minced)
• 1 branch or 10 curry leaves (if you can't find these, add 2 small bay leaves or 1 large)
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cups fresh tomatoes, or 1 pt. canned
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups red lentils
• 1 cup corn
• 2 cups cannellini beans or 1 can, rinsed and drained

Instructions

1. If desired, heat pot, and add mirepoix along with 1-2 tbsp water to prevent sticking. Sauté until onions have softened and begun to turn golden. This step can be omitted.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except beans. If you like more texture, add corn and beans after pureeing.
3. Cook until lentils have softened and become creamy, about 30 minutes.
4. Using a stick blender, puree some of the soup.
5. Add in cannellini beans and serve! To boost nutritional value, add in dark leafy greens like kale right before serving.

Notes

Potassium 580 mg, 42% Vitamin A, 18% plant-based iron, 12% Vitamin C, 4% calcium, based on 8 servings

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ⅛ Calories: 214 Fat: .5 g Saturated fat: 0 g Carbohydrates: 40 g Fiber: 10.3 g Protein: 14.8 g Cholesterol: 0n mg

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