Creole Lentil Soup
Submitted by gemstone
Slow-simmered Creole lentil soup with bell peppers, celery, onion, tomato paste, and a touch of brown sugar. Hearty, plant-based, and full of bayou soul.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
90 minREADY
2 hrsLentil soup gets a Louisiana makeover with this Creole version that simmers low and slow until everything melts together.
Onion, celery, green and red bell peppers all get sauteed with a bay leaf and brown sugar before joining the lentils in their pot.
Tomato paste stirred with flour thickens the broth into something rich and spoonable.
It’s the kind of soup that costs almost nothing to make but tastes like a million bucks, and it happens to be entirely plant-based.
Kitchen Tips
- Soaking the lentils in boiling water for an hour cuts the cooking time and gives them a creamier texture
- The flour-tomato paste slurry is the secret to the soup’s body; temper it with a splash of hot broth before adding it back to the pot to avoid lumps
- A few shakes of hot sauce at the table let everyone dial in their own heat level
- This soup thickens considerably overnight, so thin leftovers with a splash of water or broth when reheating
Ingredients
Directions
Douse the lentils in the boiling water, add the salt and let them stand, covered, for an hour.
Heat the oil in a pot and add to the vegetable broth powder.
Add the diced vegetables, brown sugar, and a bay leaf, and sauté for a few minutes before adding it all to the lentils.
Cook over a low heat for about 1½ hours.
Mix together the flour and the or tomato puree.
Add a little of the hot soup, stirring well, then return it all to the pot.
Grind in some black pepper, heat through, and serve.
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