Make your own lentil soup: a basic recipe with tips for modifications

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Lentil soup – with tips for modifications

From Anja Auer
01.06.2022, 14:50 (updated)

There are countless varieties of lentil soup. But they all have one thing in common: they’re great for keeping your mind and body on your feet or getting you back on your feet. This post is about the basic recipe – and how the lentil soup can be modified.

basic ingredients

Safe lenses. Here, everyone can choose their favorite variety from the supermarket shelf. What’s also good: some vegetables for soup with parsley or, depending on availability, maggi grass, i.e. lovage. Garlic and onion must not be missing, and a few bay leaves go with it.

meat filling

Of course, this should be decided before cooking. At least when it comes to the question: bacon – yes or no? If so, it makes sense to fry it in a pan before adding it to the cooked lentils to give them a little roasted flavor on the way to the soup. And if you plan to add kabanossi to the soup during the cooking process: it is advisable to cut it into small pieces. Sausage gives excellent flavors to the soup. In addition, there is no need to cut the sausage on the plate or before serving.

Puree or not?

A matter of taste: if you puree part of the soup (but take that part out of the pot, otherwise the sausage and bay leaves will also be shredded), the soup becomes creamier. Of course, you can play around here: first puree 20 percent of the soup and mix again. Consistency suits you: good. If not: Puree another 20 percent of the contents of the pot.

alterations

Now let’s get to the exciting part – because some people might find lentil soup too boring. Now there are, for example, the following options:

• American version: “Refined” with BBQ sauce and use minced meatballs as a meat filling.
• Asian version: When sauteing onions, add ginger and lemongrass and season with coriander and cumin.
• Spanish variant: Cut the chorizo ​​into small pieces and let it cook.
• Hungarian variant: Cut the thin Hungarian salami into small pieces and add to the cooking.

General information

Portions: 10
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 75 minutes

preparation

• Boil water in a large pot and cook the lentils with bay leaves and garlic cloves covered for about 30 minutes. (Use a slotted spoon to remove any residue that forms during cooking.)
• Meanwhile, cut the vegetables into small cubes, as well as the smoked bacon.
• Put the fat in the pan and throw the bacon cubes into it.
• Add the onion, sauté and add to the pot with the potatoes and vegetables for the lentil soup.
• Slice the Kabanossi and add them too.
• Now all the ingredients are cooked with the lid closed and on medium heat for about 30 to 50 minutes until the desired thickness is reached.
• Then season with salt and pepper.

Anja Auer is the editor-in-chief of the BBQ&Food magazine “Die Frau am Grill”. Most recipes succeed not only on the grill, but also on the stove and in the oven. If you want to learn more about it, you can watch the grill woman in action on YouTube or read her blog.

(This article was first published on Thursday, April 7, 2022)