SLOW COOKED MOROCCAN LENTIL SOUP
Monday, June 14, 2010
I love lentils. They are such a good vegetable source of protein and are so easy to sneak into dishes. Especially soups, I quite often add lentils in to increase the protein in my soups...but this is the first time I made a soup where the lentils are the shining star. Boy do they shine!
This is my new favourite soup now, as well as John's now too. The flavours are subtle but complex and rich. It is super healthy, can easily have chicken or lamb added to it if you wish to make it a bit heartier, is easy to prep and even easier to cook in the slow cooker or over a low heat on the stove top. It is certainly going to be making many more appearances in my kitchen that's for sure.
If you would like more whole food, nutritious recipes including another delicious veggie soup - then please grab yourself a copy of my free ebook 'A Nourishing Taste'
Slow Cooked Moroccan Lentil Soup
yields approx. 12 cups / serves 6-8 / approx. 180 calories per 2 cup serve
approx. macronutrient breakdown: fat 3.3g / carbs 31g / protein 9.5g
printable recipe
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tbsp ginger paste (or fresh ginger)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp chilli paste (or chilli flakes)
2 cups carrots, grated
2 cups pumpkin, grated
400g tinned tomatoes
2 cups green lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (to serve)
*6 chicken thigh fillets (optional - not included in calorie breakdown)
Method
Heat the oil in a slow cooker or large soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste and spices and gently fry until it is aromatic and the onion has soften without browning.
Add all the vegetables, lentils and water and simmer on a low heat for a minimum of 1 hour. (I left mine cooking for about 6 hours.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with freshly chopped parsley and crusty bread spread with homemade happy hummus!
*You can also add some chicken to to this soup if you want something more substantial. Just brown some chicken thigh fillets and then finish cooking them in the soup in the slow cooker, until they are tender and falling apart. Then shred and serve with the soup.
18 comments:
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This looks amazing. I love the picture too. I make a moroccan lentil soup in the fall that I love and can eat every day. It does not have pumpkin though. It will be nice to have a little variety.
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Thank you for the recipe! I made if for the kids today - Father's day - they loved it! No changes - was great!!! filling! smelled good! and will have it for lunch tomorrow!
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I'm cooking this right now, but have just realised you haven't said how much water to use! Hope you see this soon!
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Oops! 10 cups is about what I used...just enough to cover all the ingredients. :)
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SLICED DATES WITH APRICOT PUREE, AS GARNISH/CONTRASTING "FLAVORITE" ATOP YOGOURT...YES..SALEM...AND THIS FROM AN IRISHMAN.
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wow 6 hrs to cook? whats the minimum>
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minimum 1 hour...
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Hi, this looks really yummy but I was wondering if I could use canned pumpkin and what would you suggest for the amount? I love all these flavors and can't wait to try this. Thank you!
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Hi Maria, yes you could try canned pumpkin - I would use two cups - it will just not have the same texture, but I'm sure will be delicious! Z xo
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what size crockpot do you use? Mine is 3.5L
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Mine is 5L :)
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Can you use sweet potato instead of pumpkin?
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Yes it would still work Jennifer :)
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I've been cooking this for several hours and the lentils are still firm....was I supposed to soak them first?
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It takes at least 6 hours of cooking time for the green lentils :)
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Just noticed comment about adding 10 cups of water, so that answers one question. One other is about lentils - is it 2 1/2 cups dried (which equals about 5 cups once soaked) or 2 1/2 cups of lentils already soaked? I split the difference this time around and will add more water or veg stock if necessary. FYI I used grated butternut squash instead of pumpkin.
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Unsoaked, dried lentils - 6 hours to cook in total. Or you could soak them and reduce the cooking time :)
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Quick question- does the color of the soup shift throughout the cooking process? I'm about three hours in and it's pretty orange compared to your image. I'm not concerned about the flavor - it smells great - just curious if as the lentils cook and everything blends if the intensity of the orange should go away. Thanks, can't wait to try it tonight!
