»Back to Soups
Lentil & Mung Bean Soup
This recipe came about because I was looking for a very healthy vegetarian soup recipe. I looked at Montignac Glycemic Index Tables because his plan always works. Lentils and mung beans are in the 25-30 range which means they are very good positive nutritional choices. I used a mixture of mung beans with brown, green and red lentils and added my vegetables. It is delicious!
What you need
- 1 cup split mung beans (moong dal)
- 1/3 cup brown lentils
- 1/3 cup red lentils
- 1/3 cup french green lentils
- 1 very large onion, finely chopped
- 2 long celery stalks, finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 7 medium crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 lb. fresh baby spinach (or as much as you like)
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- 1 large pinch saffron threads
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 8 cups vegetable broth (or use chicken if you don't care whether it's vegetarian)
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
How to make it
- Rinse lentils and mung beans and soak briefly (15 mins - 1 hour)
- Prepare all vegetables
- Heat oil in a large soup or stock pot
- Add onion and celery with about 1/2 tsp salt and sauté until tender and pan is dry
- Add mushrooms and another 1/2 tsp salt
- Sauté until mushrooms are cooked and beginning to brown slightly
- Add paprika and garlic then tomato paste
- Stir to coat all veggies with tomato paste and spice - cook about 1 minute
- Add broth and saffron threads and stir, scraping bottom and sides of pot to incorporate thoroughly
- Add lentils and stir
- Bring to a low boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes to 1 hour, until lentils and beans are tender and flavors have blended.
- Turn off heat and add spinach
- Stir well and re-cover pot
- Leave to stand until spinach is cooked
Questions about this recipe?
Not the recipe you want? Enter an ingredient in the box below: