My Favourite Soups
Perhaps you expected a green soup? (LOL), I expected to see green too. If you love green soups try the mung bean, commonly known as Green Gram or Golden Gram. Besides soup, lentils are also used as ingredients in baking. You can mash boiled lentils and use them for scones (biscuits), brownies, cakes, pancakes and even cookies. In fact any recipe that calls for mashed ingredients like potatoes can be substituted with lentils. They can also be used for making burgers in combination with other ingredients like chickpeas, brown rice, quinoa, wheat or even barley. A little while ago I made some Curried Rice and Lentils. It was one of the best meatless meals I ever had. I prefer combining rice with the red lentils because both cook in twelve minutes. The green lentils take about 40 minutes to cook. It depends on whether you want them al dente or completely mushed up.
I always serve lentil soup with naan or chapati. I’m afraid I don’t have the best naan making skills, but I’ve promised to give myself a crush course on naan making, one of these fine days. It’s somewhere on my 1km long to-do-list. Okay dear friends I need my 7 hours of sleep tonight or do they recommend 8? Have a good night, good day or good morning. I hope your corner of the world is exciting. Enjoy Friday.
Here is what laird lentils look like. They are also called large green lentils. You can use any other green lentil if you don’t find Laird.
- Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup finely diced carrots
- ½ cup finely diced bell peppers
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup Italian strained tomatoes (or crushed tomatoes)
- 200g (1 cup) Laird green lentils, thoroughly rinsed (or other green lentil)
- 3-5 fully cooked, grilled or broiled sausages, sliced
- 1250ml (5 cups) vegetable, beef or chicken broth (stock)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start
Heat oil in a heavy based pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, bell peppers and bay leaf and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Add garlic, rosemary, paprika and chilli flakes and cook stirring for 3 minutes,
Then add the soy sauce, tomato paste and crushed tomato and stir for another two minutes.
Finally add the lentils and stir until thoroughly mixed
then add 4 cups of stock (broth), increase heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until lentils are fully cooked.
Meanwhile cook, fry or grill sausages until fully cooked then slice thinly
Once the lentils are cooked, adjust seasoning, remove bay leaf, stir in sliced sausages and serve. If the soup is too thick, add more stock
I enjoyed the sausage version of this soup
It was very nice.
Laird Lentil Soup with Sausage
Preparation time: 15 minutes; Cooking Time: 40-45 minutes; Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup finely diced carrots
- ½ cup finely diced bell peppers
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup strained Italian tomatoes (or crushed tomato)
- 200g (1 cup) Laird lentils, rinsed thoroughly (or other green lentil)
- 3-5 fully cooked, grilled or broiled sausages, sliced
- 1250ml (5 cups) vegetable, beef or chicken broth (stock)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy based pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, bell peppers and bay leaf and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Add garlic, rosemary, paprika and chilli flakes and cook stirring for 3 minutes, Then add the soy sauce, tomato paste and crushed tomato and stir for another two minutes.
- Finally add the lentils and stir until thoroughly mixed then add 4 cups of stock (broth), increase heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until lentils are fully cooked. Adjust seasoning at this point, stir in sliced sausages and serve. If the soup is too thick, add more stock.
- You can also blend 1-2 cups of the soup and pour back into the pot and then add sausages or you can blend the soup smooth, then add the sausages and serve.
- The served soup can sprinkled with some grated Parmesan cheese, or chopped cilantro or parsley; a dollop of sour cream or whatever please you.
- Last Updated: May 3, 2018
myfavouritepastime.com
My Favourite Pastime 
Oh this takes me straight back to my childhood! My mother would also add some carrot and potatoes to the soup. Yum!
My mother always cooked stew or soup with potatoes. It’s the one ingredient that never missed. if my soup was served without potatoes, I bawled for potatoes….good old days they were!
Liz
I really enjoy the combination of pork with lentils, Liz. It’s a favorite comfort food for me. Your spice mix is different from those that we use and I bet thy result in a very flavorful dish. Maybe it’s time I make another pot of lentils. 🙂
I hope you and yours are doing well, Liz. I hate to jinx us but Winter just might be loosening its grip on us. I certainly hope so. 🙂
Hi John,
I’m terribly sorry there is one page of messages I totally overlooked and just realized that today. What spices do you use? I’m curious. Perhaps next time I make it I can try your mixture of spices. We have had great weather in the past few days but there is some snow forecasted for next week. Can you imagine that? Thanks, John and enjoy your weekend and hugs to Max.
Liz
Hi Liz, I love green lentils. They are so filling and healthy and can be cooked in so many ways. I love cooking them with butternut squash or leftover chicken. Thanks for the recipe.
Oh yes I have some left over chicken, I even had to freeze it because I had not decided what to do with it! Thanks for the tip. Enjoy Sunday!
Liz
This looks and sounds delicious. It would go well poured over some rice too I think.
Oh yes, Lignum, you can eat it with some rice too. It tastes really nice.
Liz
This soup of yours looks absolutely scrumptious! Lentil soup or stew is one of those dishes I always look forward to when its cold. Here in Spain are highly popular, but we usually have them with chorizo (together with salt pork sometimes).
Enjoy your weekend, LIz!
HI Rosa,
This would taste nice with Chorizo too and salted pork. Thanks for complimenting the soup!
Liz
Well, with 6-10 inches of snow heading our way, this looks like a good choice! If I can just get to a store for the lentils . . .
Omg 6-10 inches. You must be living North of Ontario. We had 20 inches of snow yesterday in the Maritimes. I really felt for them. I don’t envy you. I hope it’s the last bout before spring sneaks back. You”ll probably eat soup next week. Enjoy the weekend and keep warm!
Liz
Mmm. this lentil soup looks great with naan! This may sound weird but I think I will eat this with steamed rice! 😉
Oh yes it goes very well with steamed rice too. It doesn’t sound weird at all!
Liz
This looks perfectly scrumptious and a great way to sneak some veggies and lentils into my sons’ diet (they will eat just about anything with sausage in it).
Hi,
Thanks for visiting me. You’ve motivated me to aim for 500 posts. Most kids love sausages. Mine do too. Have a lovely weekend!
Liz
Too funny, I made a very similar soup last week. I didn’t have time to photograph it though, I figure with our weather warming I’ll wait til next fall or winter to blog it. Mine was in the crockpot and I used smoked sausages. I love lentil soup too, it really is a heart and healthy meal. Enjoy your warming weather. It is raining here too so I will have some very energetic boys on my hands!
Mama D,
Ha ha we were on the same wave length. I just want to post everything now irrespective of the weather because I know summer will be a busy time for me. Sometimes I add smoked sausages too. The smokiness gives an even better taste. We have rain today and tomorrow and warm temperatures of 42F. My car is looking a bit clean…he he. Enjoy your weekend. I have to spend today going through messages! Best wishes!
Liz
I bet lentils and sausage pair wonderfully together. Both are so hearty – this soup is perfect for our rainy weather!
Oh yes, Lisa. I completely agree with you. I enjoyed the soup. Have a wonderful weekend!
Liz
oh wow! I have a new take on dealing green lentils! I usually soak my lentils. Do I need to soak it for this recipe? I hope not so I can have it for tonight’s dinner. 😛
Hey gal where have you been??? I’ve missed you terribly. It’s great to see you after a long spell of absence. You don’t need to soak split green lentils, they cook in 40 minutes or less. Yes you can have some tonight for dinner. Have a lovely weekend!
Liz
This is my kind of soup, Liz! You have got me salivating! Yum!
Thank you Chef. Have a lovely weekend!
Liz
Now you’re cookin’, kid! Try some split peas with the leftovers. The different texture adds to it! Wait until you see the smashing bread I made tonight!
Hi Judie
I am on my way to see that smashing bread. How I love fresh bread…enjoy the weekend
Liz
It’s just a tiny loaf that I was experimenting with. It came out great!
I’ve just been to search for the smashing bread. I did eat some Linguine with Basil Pesto. Send me a virtual piece, please!
Liz
On its way!
waiting, outside, even though it’s raining…..
Soon!
Ok…
Looks delicious. Perfect for the rain we are having in Sydney 🙂
It’s raining here too. something close to freezing rain. I love lentil soup!
Liz
Oh no, I can only imagine what it must be like having the cold. We’re lucky because it’s still quite humid despite the rain. I’ve been tucking into a warm pumpkin and rocket salad, with a chilli pecorino on top. Perfect for this weather 🙂
Omg I really envy you. I hope soon, I”ll be tucking in some salad too. I hope you enjoyed your salad. I can’t wait for temperatures to rise a little bit. Keep my fingers crossed. Enjoy Friday, it’s probably Friday by now I guess. I am soon drifting off to dreamland!
Liz
Thanks very much. I hope you enjoyed your day as well 🙂
My weekend was very busy, but I enjoyed it, overall. Have a great week ahead.
Liz