Tag Archives: red lentils

Split Pea, Lentil, & Potato Soup

 

As the weather turns foul and temperatures drop, I find myself craving thick, hearty, hot soups. There is nothing quite so cozy as sitting on the couch in slippers and PJs with a steaming bowl of goodness while the wind blows, and perhaps the snow falls.

One of my all-time favorite soup bases is the humble potato. Potatoes are so delicious and go well with just about anything, with no super-strong flavor of their own. I’ve previously shared my addictive Loaded Baked Potato Soup and copycat Zuppa Toscana recipes, both of which are sure to please.

One night, with three baked potatoes in my refrigerator and a small bag of split peas in the pantry I’d picked up on a whim, I decided to make the ultimate cold weather comfort soup.

I didn’t want just split pea soup, mostly because I didn’t have a lot of them and I also didn’t have a ham bone. All the recipes say use a ham bone.

So potatoes were the chosen base. I put on a pot of water, and threw them in first. Then I dumped my little bag of peas in, and it still seemed to need something. One more thing.

I looked over on my counter, where I keep several jars (just like these square glass stackable jars) of bulk ingredients that I buy whenever I’m at sprouts and feel adventurous. I especially love pretty colored things. And there it was, the perfect missing ingredient.

Orange Lentils.

You can of course use brown or green lentils as well. With some kale from the fridge and other spices, this turned into a thick, hearty, dreamy soup.

And as a bonus, it is accidentally vegan! But trust me when I say it is so completely delicious. You may crave it all winter long. You’ve been warned.

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Ingredients:

  • 3 small baked potatoes
  • 2/3 cup green split peas
  • 1/2 cup lentils
  • 1/2 cup torn kale
  • 1 tbsp dried onion
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp garlic salt

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Step 1: In a sauce pot, throw in diced baked potato, peas, and lentils. Cover with water, plus about 1 inch. If your potatoes aren’t cooked yet, boil those for 15 minutes before adding the other legumes.

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Step 2: After boiling about 10-15 minutes, add in the kale and seasonings. Stir well, and continue to simmer another 10 minutes or so. The longer you simmer the soup, the more the ingredients will fall apart.

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If you don’t like chunks, you can certainly use an immersion blender or a regular blender in batches to create a puree. But I liked the slightly chunky potato and the still-detectable little peas and lentils.

This soup is so incredible, I ended up having it three meals in a row.

 

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Lentils & Wild Rice Bake

 

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This recipe came together on a whim, just because I had recently purchased some pretty ingredients at Sprouts. I wanted something hearty and healthy, but also quick and not too time intensive. Lentils are filled with fiber, and wild rice is packed with vitamins.

Toss in a few veggies and broth, and we have a well-rounded meal. I had some diced ham left over from a few days prior, so I threw that in as well. Feel free to not use that to keep this dish vegetarian, and just bulk up on more added veggies, whatever you got in the fridge.

Ingredients:

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Step 1: In a small pan, mix the rice and lentils with the water or broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30-40 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid sticking, and add water if needed.

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Step 2: Slice the onion and pepper thinly, and cook in the oil in a pan over medium heat until softened, about 5-10 minutes.

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Step 3: Take the lentils and rice off the heat and put into a large bowl. Mix in the cooked veggies and meat if using. You could also add in any fresh herbs if you want, like parsley, sage, or garlic.

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Step 4: Pour the rice and lentils into a greased 8×8 pan, and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes uncovered. This develops a nice crisp coating on the rice bake.

This makes about four hearty servings. Even the picky carnivore loved it!

 

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