Vegan Recipe: Easy Lentil Soup

We recently shared a great, simple chili recipe, a must-try for any meat-eaters out there. But what about our vegan readers? The perfect comfort food alternative: a hearty lentil soup. 

We aimed to make this lentil soup absolutely vegan: no animal byproducts at all. So keeping that in mind, we of course used a vegetable broth. We also packed this soup with more vegetables: onion, carrots, and potatoes. From there, it came down to finding just the right additions to make this soup really shine. Keep reading below for our favorite lentil soup recipe...

Vegan Lentil Soup

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 cups green lentils, rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1lb butternut squash peeled and cut into cubes
• 8oz yikon gold potatoes, cubed
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 14.5oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Place lentils, water, broth, and all the ingredients up to and including the bay leaves into a large pot and stir well. Bring to a boil while stirring, then cover the pot, lower to a low heat and cook until the lentils are tender (about an hour). Add water if the soup begins to dry out.
2. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and taste the soup. Add more seasoning if necessary. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring the bottom often. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar just before serving.
3. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Recipe: Slow Cooker Lentil Vegetable Soup

If you're looking for a simple, healthy soup, why not try a lentil soup made right in your crock pot? We wanted to keep the soup as simple as possible while also fitting easily into as many diets as possible. This recipe is gluten free and vegetarian. We loaded this with plenty of delicious vegetables and spices to make a bold, complex flavor. Keep reading below for this simple recipe...

Slow Cooker Lentil Vegetable Soup

(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 large red potato, cut into 1" cubes
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• kosher or sea salt to taste
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup dried lentils

Directions

1. Add all of the above ingredients except the lentils to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Add the lentils during the last hour of cooking time. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
2. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Recipe: Lentil Burgers with Guacamole

You don’t need beef to make a delicious burger – you don’t even need to use meat! Make a satisfying burger with lentils and add some homemade guacamole for a unique sandwich that’ll earn lots of rave reviews.

The perfect veggie burger is all about finding a good “glue” to keep everything together – in this case, a good combo of egg, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Make sure to refrigerate the burgers for a bit before cooking them, and you’ll have yourself the perfect consistency.

Lentil Burgers with Guacamole

(makes 4 burgers or 8 mini burgers)

Ingredients:

For the patties:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 1/8 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the (optional) guacamole, or use store-bought:

• 3 avocados, peeled and pitted
• 1 lime, juiced, or 1 tablespoon of lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 roma tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

For the sandwich:

• Ciabatta bread or buns of your choice, enough for at least four sandwiches
• Shredded lettuce

Directions: 

1. After cooking the lentils, either mash them by hand or pulse them in a food processor until they are coarsely ground. Then, put them in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the onion, egg, bell pepper, and breadcrumbs to the lentils and mix together. Once well-combined, add the cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper and mix well.
3. Divide the mixture into four or eight equal-sized portions (whatever you’d prefer) and roll them into balls, and then flatten them into patties. Refrigerate patties for at least an hour.
4. In the meantime, make the guacamole. Put the avocado in a medium bowl and toss with the lime juice so it’s evenly coated. Drain the lime juice out of the bowl and reserve it. Then add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and mash everything together. Once it’s a good consistency, fold in the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.  Finish by adding the reserved lime juice and let it sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
5. Spread the cornmeal into a wide, shallow bowl and dredge the patties in the cornmeal so they are evenly coated.
6. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil’s hot enough, add the patties and cook them in the skillet until browned – about 5 minutes on each side.
7. Spread the guacamole on the bottom bun, and top with the lentil burger. Add some shredded lettuce to the top of the burger (and any other toppings you’d like).
8. Enjoy!