Recently, I have been lamenting spring. However, spring goes as quickly as it comes, so I’m trying to live in the moment and enjoy the cool weather before summer’s heat sets in. This creamy chickpea lentil soup is the perfect way to enjoy the last of winter’s cool weather.
Do you ever find yourself wishing you were somewhere else? Enjoying the moment is an important life skill, and I find sometimes it takes practice. I totally connect to life through food, so I stay in the moment by making seasonal dishes.
Once spring is here, I will move on past soup season. Very rarely do I make soup in the summer. Soup is warm and cozy, and usually not what I crave as temperatures are rising.
What end of winter dishes are you making now? Besides lentil soup, I have been working on a lasagna recipe, and noshing on more chickpea pasta in this pasta bake recipe, because I love turning the oven on during winter!
Variations to the Creamy Chickpea Lentil Soup recipe:
- Use whatever veggies you have on hand. I used carrots and kale, but the possibilities are endless. Collard greens, spinach, sweet potato, red pepper, butternut squash… The list goes on and on!
- This soup is creamy because half of it is blended for a velvety texture. I use a hand wand, but a blender would also work. You can also skip this step for a more broth-y soup!
- You could totally make this soup in a slow cooker if you want. I would suggest 8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp each: basil, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flake
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry green lentils, rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups torn kale
- 2 TBS apple cider vinegar
- Combine carrots, onion and olive oil in a large dutch oven. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until softened.
- Add garlic, cumin, basil, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flake. Stir to combine and saute 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add bay leaf, vegetable broth, lentils, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf. Using a hand blender or traditional blender, blend about half of the soup (stirring it back together if necessary).
- Mix in kale and stir until it is wilted, putting the soup back over heat if necessary.
- Remove from heat, and mix in apple cider vinegar. Serve.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
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