Lentil soup: recipes with photos

A tasty, nutritious and unusually healthy product of plant origin - lentils, which was grown on the territory of Russia a little more than a hundred years ago, in the last 10-15 years has experienced its “rebirth” again.

This culture began to be used in the preparation of dishes of Slavic cuisines, as well as European, Mediterranean, and Oriental.

This article will discuss recipes for lentil soups (with photos), cooked in meat or vegetable broth.

History

According to history, in the 90s of the XIX century, the inhabitants of Russia experienced severe drought and famine. Many crops died: buckwheat, wheat, rye, and so on. People were on the verge of despair from hopelessness and lack of food. But they remembered the lentils, which helped to save from hunger.

It’s just that at that time a huge number of these legumes grew on the territory of Russian lands (the sown area is 1 million hectares).

By its nature, lentils are unpretentious - grows in any soil and in different conditions. And from ready-made legumes, you can cook not only cereals and first courses, but also bread, meatballs, sausages, pastries and so on.

It is also known that the BC was used by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Among the former, these were noble pharaohs, and among the latter, poor people.

Also, this product is widely used in cooking among residents of Asia and the Mediterranean countries.

About the usefulness of lentils

This plant product, in addition to the described qualities, is also known for its nutritional properties, a high content of important vitamins and minerals.

First of all, this is a protein, which is about 60% contained in lentils. Due to the low calorie content, this indicator of the protein component makes these beans an indispensable ingredient for those who do not eat meat. Moreover, it is absorbed even better and easier.

Also there are fats, natural sugar, starch, fiber, vitamins A, E, B, PP. Vitamin C is also found in sprouted legumes.

Macro and microelements: iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, silicon, zinc, iodine and others.

In medicine, hundreds of years ago, lentils were recommended to be used by people in case of disturbance of mental balance, since it also has a calming effect. But this quality has been preserved in the plant to this day.

The high content of folic acid makes the product indispensable for pregnant women. Also, dishes from these legumes are recommended for preventive purposes in diseases such as gastritis, ulcers, cancer of the rectum and mammary glands, and diabetes mellitus.

Growing and harvesting

It is surprising that at present such an important and useful plant is practically not grown on the territory of the Slavic countries. Lentils just keep up unevenly, and this requires exclusively manual collection.

The high degree of application of mechanisms for such purposes is not suitable for this culture. Therefore, these legumes are grown and exported mainly to the countries of the East, India, where it is possible to collect lentils manually.

Tasty first courses, which will be an excellent decoration of the dining table, as well as a source of many useful elements for the whole family - lentil soups prepared according to recipes along with vegetables, meat, spices and other legumes, are discussed later in the article.

Classic soup recipe

This is the easiest way to prepare the first lentil dish, which, in addition to the main ingredient, contains salt, vinegar, garlic and herbs.

Description of the process and components:

1. Wash lentils of any kind (200 grams) well and pour into a bowl.
2. Add 1 liter of drinking water and boil the broth until tender.
3. At the end of the cooking process add salt (5 grams), chopped garlic (20 grams), vinegar (10 milliliters).

Serve a dish with finely chopped fresh (or dried) herbs and rye bread.

With soy sauce and potatoes

A recipe for soup with lentils and vegetables, which can be prepared at any time of the year, will be a real find for the hostess of a large family. After all, such a dish can be tasty and satisfying to feed both children and adults.

Ingredients and cooking steps:

1. Soak lentils (100 g) in water or just wash.
2. Pour into a container and add 2 liters of drinking water.
3. Cook until the component softens.
4. Peel the potatoes (200 g) and chop into large pieces.
5. Grind carrots (100 g), celery stalk (1 piece) and onions (100 g).
6. Pass the vegetables alternately in vegetable oil (30 milliliters): first onions, carrots, celery. Potatoes separately.
7. Pour the ingredients into the broth.
8. Add salt (10 g), ground black pepper (3 g), dried garlic (5 g).
9. Season the dish with soy sauce (15 milliliters) and lemon juice (5 milliliters)
10. Cook another 15 minutes.
    

Lentil Soup

A unique dish that is the most popular in Turkey. Each housewife has a secret of cooking lentil soup puree , the recipe of which is kept secret. But it is known that the specialty of the dish is given by the spice of cumin and mint leaves.

Ingredients and cooking steps:

1. Pour 30 grams of rice with water for 10 minutes, then remove the liquid.
2. Wash red lentils (200 g).
3. Chop onion finely (100 g) and sauté in vegetable oil (20 milliliters) in a deep frying pan or cast-iron pan.
4. Dice fresh tomatoes (150 g) into cubes, pour into onion, stew.
5. Add rice and lentils, mix.
6. After 5 minutes, pour the ingredients 1.7 liters of water and cook until lentils are soft.
7. Then grind the finished dish with a blender and boil for a few more minutes.
8. At the end of the cooking process add salt (15 g), black pepper (5 g), zira (5 g), lemon juice (10 milliliters), crushed dried mint leaves (4 g).

Serve the soup with homemade crackers or chopped capsicum.

Italian soup

This dish will surprise real gourmets who prefer original first courses with sausages and lentils.

The meat component is the pride of Italians, since real sausages are made exclusively from a mixture of pork and beef meat, ground to the state of minced meat and seasoned with fennel.

Cooking lentil soup step by step (recipe with photo):

1. Pour 100 grams of lentils with water and set aside for 60 minutes.
   
2. Chop onion finely (100 grams) and sauté in vegetable oil (30 milliliters).
3. Grind sausages (4 pieces) and pour into onions, fry.
4. Chop the carrots (100 grams) into strips and add to the ingredients.
   
5. Pour lentils into a bowl and add 1 liter of water or broth, cook for 30 minutes.
6. Add salt (10 grams), oregano (2 grams), fresh garlic (chopped through the garlic) and ground black pepper (3 grams) to the dish.
7. Cook another 20 minutes.

Serve the soup with finely chopped fresh parsley.

Minestrone

This first lentil dish is also of Italian origin. Prepared in meat broth or water with the addition of a sufficiently large number of vegetables, herbs and spices. The soup has a thick consistency.

Ingredients and Preparation:

1. Wash and boil lentils (100 grams).
2. Chop potatoes (100 grams), onions (80 grams) and garlic (10 grams) in small pieces.
3. Cut the bacon (200 grams) into medium pieces and fry in vegetable oil (20 milliliters) in a deep bowl, add garlic.
4. After 5 minutes put the onions and passer along with the ingredients.
5. Cut canned tomatoes into cubes (500 grams), pour with the juice into a container for the prepared products, simmer for several minutes.
6. Add potatoes and broth (3 liters), cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
7. Put the finished lentils in the soup, add finely chopped celery (10 grams), salt (15 grams), ground black pepper (5 grams) and basil.

Mexican Lentil Soup

A rich first course cooked in chicken stock. It contains lentils, peas, beans, dried and fresh vegetables, as well as a variety of spices.

This soup has a lot of protein component, and therefore (at will) meat can be excluded altogether.

Components and cooking:

1. Put white and red beans (50 grams), dry peas (50 grams), multi-colored lentils (50 grams) in a deep container, mix.
2. Add spices to the beans (turmeric, ground black pepper, basil, cumin 1 gram each), mix and set aside.
3. Finely chop the potatoes (200 grams) and chicken (150 grams), cook the broth (30 minutes).
4. Put the boiled data components in a bowl, and pour the legumes with spices into the liquid, also add dried tomato, parsley, garlic.
5. Cook the soup for 40 minutes, then put the potatoes and meat back, add finely chopped onions (100 grams).
6. After 15 minutes, salt the dish (15 grams) and remove from the stove.

If not sharp enough, it is recommended to add ground chili pepper. Serve a delicious lentil soup prepared according to the recipe, with chopped fresh herbs, corn tortillas and sour cream sauce.

Feta Soup

An amazingly healthy, dietary and original first course - with lentils, various root vegetables, Indian spices, Italian cheese.

Such a soup can easily surprise even the most demanding gourmet. And be sure to please the family, relatives and friends.

Ingredients and Preparation:

1. Carrots (200 grams), rutabaga (150 grams), onions (100 grams), parsnip (150 grams) and garlic (10 grams) are pre-prepared - peeled and chopped.
2. Wash red lentils (200 grams).
3. Passer root vegetables and lentils in vegetable oil (40 milliliters) in a deep container.
4. Add tomato paste (100 milliliters) and a mixture of Indian spices to garam masala (10 grams), cook for 5 minutes.
5. Pre-boil drinking water (1.2 liters) and pour the ingredients.
6. Grind vegetable or meat broth cube (1 piece) and pour into a container.
7. Cook the soup until lentils are soft (about 20-30 minutes).
8. At the end of the cooking process add salt (15 grams), ground black pepper (4 grams), lemon juice (30 milliliters).

Serve a dish with feta cheese (20 grams per serving) and finely chopped fresh herbs.

Lentil vegetable soup in a slow cooker

This dish, cooked in a multifunctional kitchen appliance, will delight loved ones and relatives with a special combination of products, satiety and aroma.

According to this recipe, red lentil soup can be cooked sometimes when you want to arrange a small family holiday by treating yourself to an unusual dinner.

Cooking time - 3 hours 40 minutes. Serve recommended with chopped finely fresh herbs and homemade crackers.

Components and cooking steps:

1. Pour red lentils (150 grams) with water and set aside.
2. Peel the onion (80 grams), carrots (100 grams) and garlic (15 grams) finely.
3. Sauté in a bowl in vegetable oil (50 milliliters) in the Baking program (20 minutes).
4. Peel fresh mushrooms (300 grams) and potatoes (150 grams), wash and chop into large pieces.
5. Put vegetables to the fried ingredients, add bay leaf (5 grams) and drinking water (2 liters), cook in the “Stew” program (60 minutes).
6. Then pour lentils, salt (15 grams) and thyme (5 grams), cook for 60 minutes in the "Stew" program.
7. After the signal, turn on “Heating” and simmer the dish for another 60 minutes.

When serving, sprinkle with delicious parsley soup prepared according to the recipe for a multicooker.

Summary

For the first courses, the main component (lentils) can be selected in different varieties: French, red, orange, yellow, green, brown. It is recommended to combine several types at once.

In any case, the recipes of lentil soup are easy to prepare, and the finished dish is different with excellent taste, nutrition and health - for both children and adults.