There’s nothing better than a pot of soup simmering on the stove while cozied up on the couch watching snow fall outside your window. Not the sodium-laden, metallic-tinged, canned kind that you reheat and eat. I’m talking about a hearty, filling, loaded soup that warms you to the core and combines a variety of tasty, nutritious ingredients in one bowl for the ultimate healthy meal. This vegan creation is loaded with garbanzos, green split peas, red lentils and winter vegetables—but it’s easy to swap in whatever beans, grains or veggies you like! Keep it chunky or use an immersion blender for a smoother spoonful.
Hearty Vegan Bean, Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
10 cups vegetable stock
4 carrots, cut into ¼” rounds
¼ cup onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 tomatoes, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
2 cups dried green split peas
3 cups dried red lentils
1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
½ tsp. cumin
½ Tbsp. chili pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. basil
Pink salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Garnish: fresh cilantro
Directions
- In a large pot, combine olive oil, onion and garlic; brown for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add all vegetables, beans and lentils to pot, then pour in vegetable stock. (Note: water may also be used.)
- On high heat, bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until vegetables, beans and lentils are tender.
- Garnish with tomato, cilantro and pepper as desired.
- Variation: Use immersion blender to blend soup for a smooth texture.