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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Mexican Lentil Soup ( Vegan)


Mexican vegan lentil soup


This flavorful Mexican lentil soup contains fresh garlic, ground cumin, and chopped cilantro-all  tasty Mexican spices. With the addition of diced tomatoes, red and hot peppers, and fresh lemon juice, the lentils morph into a creamy soup that is both satisfying and delicioius.

Talk about clean eating- garlic, cumin, and cilantro are full of powerful antioxidants and the soup is full of health giving colorful vegetables and protein/fiber rich lentils.  Just real food that is good for you.

It's easy to make too. Lentils cook up somewhat quickly, so you can prep and cook this delicious soup in just under an hour. The hearty soup makes a lovely presentation whether you plan to serve it to your family or to company as a meal starter, and it freezes well too. So, if you are just two people, make a pot and freeze the rest for another night. ( It's always fun to have something you can just pull out of the freezer)

I decided to use my immersion blender to blend the soup lightly just before serving it. The light blending made all the difference, so don't skip that step! And make sure to add lot's of freshly chopped cilantro to each bowl. Personally , I do not like hot chili peppers BUT you might, so add it if you like! What a soup!! Enjoy

This soup would go great with my Homemade Mango Salsa or my Vegan Avocado Caprese Appetizer

Do you eat soup in the summer?
I do . In fact, I eat soup all year round any time of the day.
But if you don't , just pin the recipe for the fall when you might be ready for a nice bowl of delicious hot soup!

This naturally gluten free soup is also vegan and can be made into a full meal by adding  a 1/4 cup of cooked brown rice or 1/4 cup of cooked quinoa to each bowl ( Although it doesn't need it) .



bowl of vegan Mexican lentil soup
A piece of garlic dropped into the bowl and it's in all the photos!!!

bowl of soup vegan, Mexican, lentil

Author: Judee Algazi from Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time 45  minutes
Serves : 6-8 bowls
Freezes

Ingredients: 
2 teaspoons olive oil or olive oil spray
1 medium red onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped fine
1 medium red pepper , diced
1 and 1/4  cups of brown or green lentils, uncooked
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes ( I used organic and no BPA cans) low salt if possible
5 cups water
5 cups vegetable broth
2-3 teaspoons of cumin ( or to your taste)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro plus 1/2 cup to use to garnish each bowl
Optional: hot pepper to taste

Directions: 
In a large wide soup pot, saute the onions and red peppers in the oil for two minutes ( stirring). Add the garlic and lentils and saute an additional minute or two . Next add the can of diced tomatoes, water, broth, and 2 teaspoons of the cumin. Bring to a boil,  turn down to a simmer, and cook until lentils begin to soften about 1/2 hour. Add the lemon juice and cilantro, stir and taste. If you love cumin, add the additional ground cumin. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Turn off soup. Using an immersion blender, place the stick into the soup pot and blend lightly. Serve and top with freshly chopped cilantro in each bowl.

My Notes: Top each bowl of soup with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, some shredded cheddar cheese, or extra lemon juice ..or add some GF corn tortilla strips for a Mexican tortilla lentil soup. We  enjoyed our soup vegan and just added lots of fresh chopped cilantro and a touch of extra lemon juice.. This soup freezes well too. I blended it before freezing.

15 comments:

  1. I absolutely love soup - the ultimate comfort food. Lentils are such a fantastic plant based protein and I love the idea of using the Mexican seasonings to make this soup! I'm really looking forward to trying this recipe.

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  2. Jen,
    I 'm with you. I absolutely love soup too and the Mexican flavors puts it over the edge.

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  3. The soup lover in me is kvelling over this soup. When the weather gets a little colder, this is on my list, to make or maybe, I won't wait until then.

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    1. If you must wait until it gets cooler, it will be worth it. It's a delicious soup.

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  4. This looks delicious! The flavors sound so good together. Thanks for sharing on the Healthy Living Link Party!

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    1. Oh.. the flavors are wonderful and they do go together so well. You will love the soup

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  5. This sounds great! I love using lentils in soups!

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  6. I agree that lentils taste great in soup. They seem to impart a wonderful hearty flavor as well as make the soup satisfying.

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  7. Hi Judee,
    What a great Lentil Soup, this looks so good. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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    1. Full Plate Thursday is one of my favorites. So happy to share each week. Thanks Mz Helen

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  8. I bet this is delicious! I love soup once cooler temps arrive here in UT. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. I understand, many people just don't eat soup in hot weather. Hope you pinned it for later

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  9. I am a lentil soup lover, so I could eat this soup every day! Thank you for sharing this healthy and delectable Mexican Lentil Soup recipe with us on the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I'm pinning and sharing.

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  10. I like lentils too and could eat this soup maybe once a week. I hope you get to try it for yourself.

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  11. Sounds delicious. I love lentils in soup! :)

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