Sitting down with a big bowl of soup is one of my favorite go to meals especially in the Winter. Soups can be easy to prepare with little preparation and there is often no comparison to homemade versus canned soups in regards to flavor and nutrition. Canned soups are often very high in sodium.
Since my family and I both love soup I often make a big pot every other week and will freeze leftovers for a quick and easy meal in the future for when I do not have time to cook. This delicious lentil soup recipe is easy to prepare, a great plant based protein meal, and is loaded with nutrition!
The preparation needed to make this soup is to cut up all the veggies and briefly sauté. Some stores even have pre-cut veggies in the produce department that could save you time.
When I meal plan for the week I often will do most of my preparation, including chopping veggies, during the time I set aside for meal prep so when I go to make the soup later in the week I have everything ready to go!
Lentils are a great plant based protein and are a rich source of micronutrients and dietary fiber. Including more plant based proteins in your diet have been shown to be beneficial for your health when you replace them with animal based proteins. This is a great recipe that will be sure to please the meat lover in your family! Aiming for at least one plant based day per week is usually a goal I give to most of my clients.
When testing this recipe the ratio of pasta was in debate. This soup turns out a little thick, especially the next day after the pasta soaks up more of the broth. If you prefer your soups with more liquid to ingredients I would decrease the pasta to ½ to ¾ cup instead of 1 cup. I ended up using the 1 cup ratio as this was what my family and I preferred. The above picture is the soup after 1 day.
This recipe post was sponsored by Flavis. The Flavis line of pastas are a kidney friendly food that make following a low protein, low phosphorous and low potassium eating pattern a breeze. Their pasta is high in fiber, which is an added benefit, and the most important part is that it tastes great! To learn more about Flavis products you can visit their website.
Taking the time to meal plan and make your own meals for the week will help you stay well-nourished and prevent burnout and stress when it comes to eating. Finding recipes that you and your family like is key to making dinner time a success. This easy lentil soup recipe was loved by all in my home and I am sure your family will love it too!
Lentil Ditali Soup
Author: Brittany Sparks
Makes: 8 (1 1/2 cup) Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hr 15 minutes
Notes:
This soup turns out a little thick, especially the next day after the pasta soaks up more of the broth. If you prefer your soups with more liquid to ingredients I would decrease the pasta to ½ to ¾ cup instead of 1 cup, (see pictures above for comparison).
Soups freeze well. Leftovers can be frozen for a later meal and are good for up to 6 months.
Ingredients
1 Cup Brown or Green Lentils
1 Medium Onion, Diced
1 Cup Carrots, Diced
2 Celery Sticks, Diced (~3/4th Cup)
1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, Diced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cups Kale, Chopped
1 Tsp Fresh Thyme
2 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
4 Cups Unsalted Chicken or Vegetable Broth
7 Cups Water
1 Cup Ditali Pasta or other small pasta
Garnish (Optional)
Pinch of Fresh Parsley
Pinch of Shaved Parmesan
Directions
Wash and sort through the dry lentils, removing any debris, set aside.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven add the diced onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper and olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for 6-7 minutes.
Next add in the thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper, washed lentils and chopped kale. Stir to combine.
Now add the broth and water. Increase the heat to medium-high and allow the soup to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the pasta and cook an additional 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Garnish with freshly shaved Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 1/2 Cups.
Contains: Calories 195, Total Fat 3.9 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Sodium 391 mg, Total Carbohydrate 33 g, Dietary Fiber 4.9 g, Protein 8.4 g, Potassium 432 mg, Phosphorous 115 mg.
This post is sponsored by Flavis. Their products are tasty and great for those with chronic kidney disease as they are low in protein, sodium, potassium and phosphorous! All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Nutrition by Brittany possible!