Flu-fighting Lentil Bean Soup
A deeply comforting, anti-inflammatory soup packed with veggies, simmered in a lightly spiced broth and served with a dollop of lemon-tahini dressing.
I’m digging myself out of a food- and flavor-rut this month.
While this rut seems to show up every January, or after long bouts of travel when I’m not in my own kitchen, this month feels different.
I’ve tried flicking thru flavor-forward cookbooks like Baco (a gem!), rummaging through my spice shelves, ordering takeout from our favorite Ethiopian restaurant; yet my appetite and inspiration remains underwhelmed, lackluster and bored.
As a long-time mindful eater, this has felt curious, confusing and unsettling.
And as I explore this new realm of discomfort, I notice that even the slightest hint of flavor on my senses is delightful, reassuring, and worth savoring for as long as possible.
This soup brought me hope.
Laced with turmeric, ginger and garlic; brimming with celery, carrot, sweet potato and roasted pumpkin, studded with creamy lentils and beans and enlivened with a silky lemon-tahini dressing; this soup felt like a warm, cozy conversation with a friend who just gets you.
Familiar, soothing, invigorating and nourishing.
I found myself eagerly craving leftovers, which is always a promising sign!
Maybe you’ll crave it too?
Make a batch of this soup and dressing (recipe below), serve it up, savor every spoonful and tell me what you think in the comments!
xo, Mux 🧡
Recipe: Flu-fighting Lentil Bean Soup
Makes 3-4 servings | Gluten-free | Vegan
EQUIPMENT:
Large soup or stock-pot
Measuring cups and spoons (US)
INGREDIENTS:
For the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil (I used extra-virgin)
2 bay leaves
½ onion, chopped (approximately 1 cup)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon peppercorns (approximately 30)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-inch turmeric root, grated (2 tablespoons)
3-inch ginger root, grated (2-3 tablespoons)
4 celery stalks, chopped (3 cups)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (divided) 1/2 first and then again after water
1 ½ cups orange veggies, chopped (I used a mix of carrots and sweet potato)
½ cup whole (not split) lentils (soaked - see Advanced Prep), e.g. French green, puy, brown or black lentils
1 ½ cups cooked beans (drained and rinsed)
3 cups hot water
3 kale leaves shredded
Optional:
1 cup roasted pumpkin (chunks)
½ dried smoky chili (Morita), finely minced (or 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes)
For the lemon-tahini dollop:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon preserved lemon (peel and pith)
juice of ½ lemon (if you don’t have preserved lemon you can use lemon juice and add more to taste)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons water (or more) to thin
sea salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
(Advanced prep)
Soak your lentils for at least 2 hours in cold filtered water with a dash of baking soda. Soaking with baking soda makes them more digestible and less "gassy." Rinse and drain before using.
Boil 3 cups of filtered water in a kettle or small saucepan and set aside.
Prep all your veggies and spices and keep handy. If using roasted pumpkin, do that first. See below for instructions “To make Whole-Roasted Pumpkin.”
🍲(To make soup!)
Warm oil in a big stockpot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the bay leaf and chopped onion and stir until the onion is translucent. Then add cumin and fennel seeds, black peppercorns, garlic, turmeric and ginger and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then throw in the chopped celery and ½ teaspoon sea salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Next, add the carrots and sweet potato, soaked lentils, cooked beans and 3 cups of hot water. If using roasted pumpkin, you can add that now.
Stir well, cover the pot and bring to a boil by heating on high – then reduce the temperature to medium low until your soup gently simmers. Cover the simmering soup for about 20 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, make the lemon-tahini dressing (below).
After 20 minutes, check to make sure the lentils and sweet potato are tender. Stir well and taste for salt. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
Add the shredded kale and dried chili (or chili flakes), stir and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
If eating the soup as is, give it a generous squeeze of lemon (½ - 1 lemon), drizzle of olive oil and serve hot in individual bowls. If using lemon-tahini dressing, serve in bowls with a big dollop of dressing.
🍋 (To make Lemon-Tahini Dressing!)
Place olive oil, preserved lemon, tahini and lemon juice into a large jar or deep bowl.
Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add water slowly to thin, then adjust salt and lemon juice as needed.
Store in an airtight jar in the fridge. Enjoy within a week.
🎃 (To make Whole-Roasted Pumpkin!)
Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Wash your pumpkin (any pumpkin - kabocha, butternut squash, red kuri, etc) and gently pierce the skin with a knife in a few places. Do not peel.
Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 min -1 hour (you may need less if your pumpkin is smaller). Check at 45 minutes. The pumpkin is done when you’re able to stick a knife into it easily.
Once cooked, carefully remove the baking sheet and let the pumpkin cool before handling. Once cool enough to handle, you can break it apart with your hands (or cut it with a knife), scoop out the seeds and use the pulp. The pumpkin peel is edible, so I will typically leave it on after roasting, but feel free to remove it if you prefer.
NOTES:
The pumpkin is optional but makes the soup all the more comforting and immune-boosting with its impressive amounts of vitamin A (beta-carotene) levels.
The lemon-tahini dollop is also optional but makes the soup extra special.