I started my real food journey almost five years ago. My body was in need of a lot of healing at that time. I had eaten a very poor standard American diet full of processed foods for many years. When I began my journey I decided to become a vegan. I did well on my vegan diet. I lost 58 pounds, my skin cleared up and I felt healthy for the first time in my life.
Today I am no longer a vegan. I do still cook many of my favorite vegan dishes on a regular basis, though. One of my favorite vegan dishes is lentil soup. I would eat lentil soup almost every day when I first started my vegan diet.
I make this soup much more healthier than I use to. I use fresh ingredients (no cans) and I use sprouted lentils. Sprouting increases the nutrients of lentils and makes them easier to digest.
How To Sprout Lentils
Soak 2 cups of lentils in 4 cups of water. Allow lentils to soak for 6-8 hours (I usually do this overnight). Rinse the soaked lentils and place them in a jar. I like to use a sprouting lid on my jar. This makes sprouted a lot easier. Rinse the lentils every 6-8 hours. The lentils will begin to sprout during the first 24 hours of sprouting. Once lentils have sprouted you can keep them in the refrigerator to use in your recipes.
How to make sprouted lentil soup
After you’ve sprouted your lentils, your first step is to gather all your other ingredients. These include:
- 4 cups sprouted lentils
- 6 cups mineral rich vegetable broth or homemade bone broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 green chili or jalapeno pepper, chopped (add more or less according to your spicy preference)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced or shredded
Then, of course, you’ll need your toppings, like:
- shredded raw cheese or pepper jack cheese
- onions, chopped
- salsa
- sour cream
- avocado
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, start assembling by pouring broth, lentils, and seasonings in a medium size pot. Then bring to a boil and simmer until lentils are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove two cups of lentils and puree them in a blender or food processor. Add the puree back to the soup, then add diced carrots and bell pepper.
Cook until the vegetables are tender – roughly 20 minutes. Then remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
A Note About Broth
I prefer to use homemade broth because it is healthier and full of minerals. I highly recommend you use homemade chicken bone broth or mineral rich vegetable broth.
Did you enjoy this soup recipe? Then you’ll love these other recipes…
Spicy Sprouted Lentil Soup
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
Equipment Needed
- 1 medium to large size pot
- food processor or blender
- sharp knife for cutting veggies
Ingredients
- 4 cups sprouted lentils
- 6 cups mineral rich vegetable broth or homemade bone broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 green chili or jalapeno pepper, chopped (add more or less according to your spicy preference)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced or shredded
Toppings (optional)
- shredded raw cheese or pepper jack cheese
- onions, chopped
- salsa
- sour cream
- avocado
Instructions
- Pour broth, lentils and seasonings in a medium size pot.
- Bring to a boil and simmer until lentils are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove 2 cups of lentils and puree them in food processor or blender. Add lentil puree back to soup. Add diced carrots and bell pepper to soup.
- Continue to cook until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.
- Top each bowl with your favorite toppings. Serve with Baked Coconut Oil Corn Tortilla Chips and a slice of lime.
