It’s another dairy-free soup post. That’s because they are easy to make, cheap and a great way of getting vegetables into the girls. This one, in particular, has been a favourite for years. Not only is it suitable for using up leftover vegetables lying in the bottom of the refrigerator drawer but the lentils are a good, cheap source of dairy-free protein. This homemade soup makes an excellent midweek dairy-free meal.
- lentils are a good source of protein
- great for using up vegetables
- makes a substantial meal
- cheap and easy to make
- can be made in advance
- can be frozen
- cooks in less than an hour
- serves 6-8 people
Dairy-Free Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 litres of gammon stock vegetable stock
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 onions
- Approx 1/4 – 1/2 a cabbage
- Approx 1/2 swede
- 500g carrots
- 200g red lentils
- Any leftover pieces of gammon ham
- salt and pepper
Method
Set the lentils to soak in some cold water while you prepare the other ingredients. Dice the onions. Peel and chop the carrots and swede. Wash and shred the cabbage. Add the onions, carrots, swede and cabbage to a large saucepan together with the chopped tomatoes and stock. DO NOT add any salt at this stage. Bring the ingredients to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until all the vegetables are softened. This should be around 25 – 30 minutes.
Drain the lentils in a sieve and then run them under the cold tap to give wash away as much dust as possible. Add the lentils to the saucepan and continue cooking until softened. Make sure that you stir the pot every few minutes to ensure the lentils do not stick or burn. The cooking time for the lentils should be around 10-15 minutes but check the cooking instructions on the packet.
Once cooked, allow cooling for a few minutes before blending with an immersion blender to your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper if required. You should not add salt before cooking lentils as this can make them go tough and it is best to soak them first if you can.
Add any chopped gammon to the dairy-free soup and serve with your favourite bread. This makes a particularly hearty soup that makes a great meal.
Most of the ingredients are available quite cheaply. If you are on a tight budget then I highly recommend giving this soup a go as it is very filling and makes plenty to feed a family. It also freezes well if you want to batch-cook.
Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 litres gammon or vegetable stock
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 onions
- ¼-½ cabbage
- ½ swede
- 500g carrots
- 200g dried red lentils
- leftover gammon pieces (optional)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set the lentils to soak in some cold water while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Peel and chop the carrots and swede.
- Wash and shred the cabbage
- Dice the onions,
- Add the onions, carrots, swede and cabbage to a large saucepan, together with the chopped tomatoes and stock.
- DO NOT add any salt at this stage.
- Bring the ingredients to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until all the vegetables are softened. This should be around 25 - 30 minutes.
- Drain the lentils in a sieve and then run them under the cold tap to wash away as much dust as possible.
- Add the lentils to the saucepan and continue cooking until the lentils are soft, making sure you stir the saucepan every few minutes to prevent the lentils from burning.
- The cooking time for the lentils should be around 10-15 minutes but check the pack for guidelines.
- Once cooked, remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before blending with an immersion blender to your desired consistency.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- If using leftover gammon, cut the meat into small diced pieces and add to the soup,
- Serve with your favourite bread.
