This lentil soup is of a Hungarian based recipe and it is traditional to eat lentils during New Years day to symbolize money coming your way for the coming year.
This is very yummy. Here's my take on it: I left out the onions (DH is allergic) and substituted red wine for the white. I used a cheap Shiraz wine but as long as you would drink it, it's all good. Just don't use cooking wine...blech. I chose red because white wine is for the lighter "meats" and lentils are the vegeterian equivalent of beef! Now, wine has a tendency to make things seem more salty (chemistry smarties will probably know the reason for this), so for stock, I used Glace de Poulet Gold, which is low-sodium, restaurant-quality, and absolutely ROCKS. (NOTE: I am not in any way affiliated with the brand, nor do I own company stock -- a little pun for you clever types). I kept the spices the same, except at the end I added a dash of red pepper flakes for a little kick, as we're a wild and crazy bunch around here.
Read MoreI did not care for this recipe. It's nothing more than a tomato-based vegetable soup with lentils in it.
Read MoreThis is very yummy. Here's my take on it: I left out the onions (DH is allergic) and substituted red wine for the white. I used a cheap Shiraz wine but as long as you would drink it, it's all good. Just don't use cooking wine...blech. I chose red because white wine is for the lighter "meats" and lentils are the vegeterian equivalent of beef! Now, wine has a tendency to make things seem more salty (chemistry smarties will probably know the reason for this), so for stock, I used Glace de Poulet Gold, which is low-sodium, restaurant-quality, and absolutely ROCKS. (NOTE: I am not in any way affiliated with the brand, nor do I own company stock -- a little pun for you clever types). I kept the spices the same, except at the end I added a dash of red pepper flakes for a little kick, as we're a wild and crazy bunch around here.
Wow was this soup good. I had a tri-color lentil blend and I also added spinach, not only did it taste good it looked great. I will be making this again soon!
My tips: - Lentils aren't usually soaked. You don't need to soak them if you wait to add the tomatoes and wine until after the lentils are cooked soft. (The acid prevents the lentils from softening.) This makes the recipe much easier with no sacrifice in taste. - I used smoked paprika, which gave the taste usually achieved by adding a smoked ham hock but keeps the recipe vegetarian and easy. (Veg broth or water can easily substitute for the chicken broth. I used beef broth myself.) - I used three kinds of lentils, and I don't think it mattered. Use whatever you like or have available. - If you're dieting you could add more carrots and celery. - I agree with the next day comment. Now is day 3 and I think I'll eat some more right now.
Yummy! I didn't pre-soak the lentils 1st (although I rinsed & drained them). Maybe because of this, the soup required about 2 hours of cooking time. The carrots though weren't soft enough after only one hour. You may need more broth or water depending on how thick you like the soup. I may try it with a small can of crushed tomatoes next time.
I am Hungarian American and this was the best lentil soup I've made. I added chopped ham and that just made the soup even heartier.
This recipe made a huge pot of soup-we had plenty for a couple of days and enough to freeze-delicious and easy.
Made this a few nights ago & it was FANTASTIC!! Followed the recipe in all aspects except I used probably double the amount of lentils. But this is just because I like a really thick lentil soup (just the way our German neighbor used to make it). I also added some turkey keilbasa sausage cut up real small wihich I cooked with the vegetables. This is a wonderful soup.
This soup was absolutely wonderful! I added some cooked wild rice to the soup to make it a soup with complete protein, and it turned out great. It was absolutely delicious and completely nutritious.
This was a really, really delicious soup! I made a couple of changes to the recipe...1 1/2 cups of lentils seemed like a lot, and I only had about 3/4 cup to 1 cup, so I just used all that I had. It probably could have used more, so next time I make this, I'm going to try about 1 1/4 cups of lentils. I also skipped the soaking part, but cooked the lentils in the broth and vegetable mixture for about 10 minutes before adding the tomatoes, because the acid in the tomatoes slows the cooking of the lentils, and I don't care for hard lentils in my soup. I also skipped the wine in the recipe, and used another 3/4 cup of chicken broth instead. Other than that, I made the soup exactly as written, and was very pleased with the results. Thanks for sharing the recipe...it's delicious!
This was my first time making a lentil soup, so I was unsure how my family would like it. It was great! SO thick and savory. I added a cup of cooked cubed ham, and I think that it added alot of flavor to the soup. I will make again!
This soup was SOO GOOD! I shared it with my neighbors, and we all agreed that we will be eating this stuff all winter. Very economical, too. Lentils are cheap, and if you can get a good deal on the chicken broth, then the whole thing costs very little to make.
Awesome recipe. Made a few changes: -smoked paprika (instead of regular) -a few sprigs of fresh thyme added the last ten minutes of cooking along with about 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley for aromatics - triple the garlic - double the salt and pepper (I used 50/50 fresh groud white and black pepper) - add about three tbsp butter to the pot to enhance flavor - after cooking the soup for one hour, turn stove to lowest simmer and let cook another 30 minutes so all the flavors can merge and settle - 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste really bolsters the tomato element and provides a little thickness to the soup - Finally, I took the finished product and blended it on medium for about 45 seconds. I like the soup both ways, but to make a more Middle-Eastern version go blended. It makes a creamy and very, very tasty soup. Top with shaved parmesean, a small sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley, and a pinch of the smoke paprika. Delicious!
So good.I sauted the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and put it in the crock pot on high for 5 hours.
Thank you Gabriella. The best lentil soup I ever made. I definitely will make it again.
I've made this several times and I could eat it every day! Instead of chopping all the veggies, I use a mixed bag or two of frozen diced carrots, onion, and celery to save time. I've never used the wine because I never have any, so I just increase the broth (and omit the extra salt, which isn't necessary if you're using broth). About 10 minutes before it's done, I add 1/2 - 1 cup of quick cook barley to make it thicker and healthier. Also, I've added some diced hot peppers from our garden and it gives it a nice kick if you like spicy food. This is my forever recipe for lentil soup!
I have made this recipe several times and love it. It is easy to make a double batch and keep half in the freezer. Definitely freezes well. I have also discovered that if you are using store bought chicken stock (who has time to make their own??), it tastes better to use the unsalted kind. Otherwise, the soup tastes way to acidic. If you are using a higher sodium stock you would be safe to eliminate the salt called for in the recipe.
Delicious! Used veggie broth instead of chicken, but otherwise follwed the recipe. The cooking time was a bit off, and it could have used another 15 minutes or so of simmering. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch. Thanks!
This was phenomenal! Only change I made was that I didn't add the tomatoes or the wine until I was sure that the lentils were tender. I wasn't sure if lentils do what beans do and not become tender if exposed to the acids in tomatoes or wine so I wasn't taking any chances with crunchy lentils! This freezes really well too!
OMG! Just made this for dinner with a few modifications based on what I had in the pantry. this soup is DELICIOUS!! I had 2 leeks left from Christmas dinner, so I subbed them for regular onions. I didn;t have celery - just omitted it. My husband isn't happy with meatless dishes so i added some diced smoked ham left from New Years! Did a full teaspoon of smoked paprika and 2 cans of brown lentils, drained and rinsed. It was AWESOME! this recipe is a keeper - thanks Gabriella!
YUMMY AND HEALTHY FOR YOU TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS VERY IMPRESSED BY THE SIMPLICITY OF THIS SOUP, AND THE DELICIOUS FLAVOR IT PRODUCED. I HAD TO GLAM IT UP THOUGH!!!I ADDED 3 SMALL DICED POTATOES, AND THREW IN 3 TBL. CHOPPED PARSLEY AT THE END. TOTALLY GODDESS AND FAMILY APPROVED!!!!!!!!XOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOOXO
This was very good. I omitted the wine since I didn't have any open. I used homemade chicken broth and added some carrots from the broth which I had mashed, in addition to the carrots in the recipe. We did add additional salt at the table. Like some other reviewers, I didn't soak the lentils ahead of time and it came out fine. Just allow extra time for cooking since the carrots take so long to cook anyway. This is extremely low calorie. You can fill up easily without adding to your waistline with this soup.
Delicious!! Based off reviews, I added 2 cups lentils, 1 tsp. Cumin, 2 tsp. Paprika, 1 1/2 tsp. Coriander and extra garlic (4 cloves minced). I also used a can of diced tomatoes to make up the 3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes. This soup is SAVORY! It tastes just as good as the lentil soup I buy freshly made at Whole Foods. Thank you, Gabriella!
I did not care for this recipe. It's nothing more than a tomato-based vegetable soup with lentils in it.
Thank you, Gabriella, for this wonderful soup recipe! I left out the wine and replaced the 7 cups of chicken broth with 2 cups of organic "no-chicken" chicken broth and 5 cups of veggie broth to make this a vegetarian dish. No reason for the broth proportions-that's what I had on hand. I wanted to use up a few things sitting around so I added a chopped red pepper, 3/4 C. UNCOOKED brown basmati rice, washed and soaked, a bit of crushed dried rosemary, and about a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh mint leaves. The rice gave it thickness, which I like. For an extra bit-serve spooned over a buttery toasted piece of garlic bread, or two. Hearty and healthy. A keeper!
I've been trying to make Lentil Soup like my aunt's for years and this recipe finally helped me do it! The soup was sooo flavorful! I just made a few adjustments by shredding the carrots and celery, and added cummin, cayanne pepper, and seasonall. I also left out the wine and cheese. Highly recommend this recipe!
This recipe was delicious, hearty, and satisfying! So easy to make and inexpensive, too! I brought it to work every day for two weeks...it got better and better every day!
Not only was this soup delicious, it was so easy to make. my family and my neighbors loved it. I can't wait to make it again.
Delicious, simple and did I say delicious! Only changes I made was add about one tsp of paprika instead of half and I chopped a bunch of cilantro and stirred that in once it was done cooking. Thank YOu!
Was yummy on a cold night. Made the following modification due to taste and what I had available: doubled the garlic, added 2tsp paprika, 1tsp coriander, 1/2tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayanne pepper, skipped the wine since I didn't have any, and added some kale and shrimp since I had some to use up. Turned out very well. Also blended some of the soup at the end to thicken the broth but wish I hadn't because the soup went from a rich dark red color from the paprika to a less exiting brown color from the pureed lentils.
My husband loves it. Even my daughter liked it and she does not like lentils. I added brown rice.
Our favorite lentil soup recipe. I add extra carrots, celery, garlic, and paprika. I also use red lentils and they are softer so no need to soak.
This soup is fantastic! The only alterations I made was to double the carrots and celery (I like a thick lentil soup) and up the garlic to two tablespoons. Perfect for a windy winter afternoon.
OMG... this is the best soup I've ever made. I added some sausage and used homemade chicken broth. So good!
I seasoned this just as instructed. I love having lots of lentil beans in my soup so I doubled the amount of beans. I also did as someone else suggested and after it was done simmering for the hour and the beans were soft..I removed some beans and but them in the blender to puree. Then dumped back in the pot. ...made a nice and thick soup. This was a good receipe.
I really liked this recipe, it's very easy to make and healthy! My 2-year old loved it. I added a bit of ground cumin to it to enhance the flavor. I will make this again for my family!
Deelish. I used red instead of white wine because I didn't have any white. I didn't soak the beans because my bag said I didn't have to, but it took forever to cook (at least 2 hours.) WILL MAKE AGAIN!!!!!
This was my first attempt at making Lentil soup and it was a hit, even my fussy teenaged son enjoyed it. I followed the recipe exactly except that I used the entire bag of lentils which after soaking was about 4 -5 cups. I also added a couple of diced chicken sausages after the onions and eliminated the paprika because the sausages are loaded with spicy peppers. Added no extra salt as I thought there was plenty in the chicken stock & crushed tomatoes. I've added a picture and agree with the other reviews that stated this was even better the next day. I will be making this again!
This soup turned out great - very tasty. I wasn't sure whether the recipe meant red or green lentils, so I just used green. Would it have made much of a difference? I'm not sure as I have not cooked with lentils before. I only added half of the tomatoes as the 3 1/2 cups seemed too much for our taste. Thank you.
Delish! I added a half and potato and then blended the potato and about a cup of the lentil soup before adding it back to the pot to make it a little thicker.
I followed this recipe exactly, except that I used cooking white wine instead of regular white wine, and I added about a 1/2 tsp. of chili powder and 1/2 tsp. of cumin. I agree with the other reviews that it tastes much better on the 2nd day. The fresh parsley and parmesan (I used plain grated Kraft kind) topped it off perfectly. Great taste and healthy too! Next time I might try it with real wine.
This was a really good recipe. I've never made lentil soup - usually just eat the canned kind - and this was so much better. I changed a few things: added 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp cilantro, and 2 tbsp tomato paste. I also used more garlic for my taste and added chili powder and cumin. I will definitely be making this again.
Great recipe...especially if you use lamb shanks for more of a "Greek" flavor. Brown them in a little olive oil and then add the onions and all the other ingredients as instructed. Don't forget to add a little rosemary or Greek seasoning to the pot as well. Tastes just like a restaurants.
Absolutely wonderful vegan fare! And much more filling that I expected. I'll be making this again when my vegetarian friends visit!
Both my husband and daughter (age 10) really liked this dish. The flavors blended so well that my daughter even ate the onion and tomatoes (which she usually picks out). And it is very filling. My husband was full off of one bowl. We added a dash of cajun seasoning and it tasted great! Such a nutritious and satisfying meal!
I think really much better the 2nd day as someone else stated. This time I used the immersion blender to roughtly puree and it was much better. It could use more cooking time, my lentils were still a little crunchy (also the celery) despite following instructions. Next time will cook longer. Otherwise good hearty winter night soup!!
My husband was born in Italy and we have been making Lentil soup for years. We loved this version better then what we have been making. It had so much flavor. And I used fennel instead of the celery. Delicious!
What a great lunchtime food. It fills me up without making me so full I'm ready to sleep and is perfect for winter.
yummy! made it with green lentils, and red dry wine... hubby loves it too.i fried the onions and veggies and then added the rest and cooked it in the pressure cooker.
This soup is fantastic. I followed the recipe exactly and was extremely pleased with the results. It goes very well with warm crusty bread and soft butter. The wine and paprika turn an otherwise humdrum (if hearty) soup into something amazing. Definitely a new family favorite--thank you so much!
Added zucchini and used beer instead of wine - really good and the preschoolers ate it without any urging.
Probably the best soup I've ever made. My husband loved it--That's always a plus! I didn't have any wine, so I just substituted with extra chicken broth. Came out excellent
Wow, this soup is soo... tasty! I made the it just as it's directions say and it turned out so well. It's just me and my fiance so I ended up freezing a bunch; I look forward to having it again in the winter.
I really liked this lentil soup. I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I didn't have any wine and I used water and chicken base instead of broth. Lentils don't really need to soak so this recipe was pretty quick for me. I think I added more liquid than called for since it seemed thick at the end. I froze it in individual portions for quick and healthy lunches. Very good!
This soup is as delicious as it is simple to make. I added 1 additional can of brown lentils to make it a bit heartier but otherwise stayed true to the original recipe. Wonderful, Gabriella!
Wonderful - My vegetarian daughter loved it, as did the rest of us! I'll be making this again soon.
This was a good start for a lentil soup recipe, but it needed some doctoring to make it really good. However, when I was done with it my husband, who generally requires meat in every dish, was asking for seconds and raving about how good it was. Here's what I did: chopped up one onion and sautéed it. Substituted red wine for white, added chili powder, cumin, more paprika and salt. I also added sour cream. I would use less chicken stock next time so that it's less soupy and thicker. I also left out the parsley but put in about 5 bay leaves. It turned out really well and I'll make it again.
Very good! This was my last attempt to make something delicious with lentils and this is by far the best lentil soup I've ever had. I love the crunchy parts of celery and carrots. I cut it in half for dinner for two and still had leftovers. I loved the flavor the white wine gave--I used Riesling. And I didn't use parsley because I had none, and the soup was still delicious! I will definitely be making this again. So easy!
GREAT Lentil soup recipe! We had a bag of lentils in the cupboard, so I went looking for a good Lentil Soup recipe, and this was it! My husband, who I recently converted to going vegetarian, LOVED this hearty soup. He said it had a great "meaty" flavor. The flavor really is very full - great seasoning! My only changes were to add more garlic, and, since I didn't have quite enough crushed tomatoes on hand, I took the suggestion of another reviewer and used tomato sauce instead. Worked great! Lots of leftovers, so we'll be having this for lunch for a couple of days!
Definitely let this sit a day or two before eating and just plan it for a day other than the day it is cooked. The flavors blended and developed much better. Delicious.
This had excellent flavor. The only alteration I made to the recipe was using petite diced tomatoes instead of crushed. It was a very visually appealing soup, in addition to being tasty and healthful!
This was delicious. I ran out of tomatoes, so I didn't have the full 3 1/2 cups needed. I also added a LOT more Hungarian Paprika than 1/2 a teaspoon. I ended up freezing it in individual servings, which has worked great for me.
WOW! This was amazing. I did have to modify due to not having some ingredients on hand. This was my first lentil soup and it is DEFINITELY a keeper. Modifications:1 bag frozen onion sauté in 2 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 1/2 - 2 bags of frozen veggie soup mix, sauté 10 min. Add 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can regular rotel drained, 2 tsp garlic power, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dry bay leaves, 7-8 Cups chicken broth and 1½cups of lentils. Cooked 30 in and lentils were already tender. Added to cooked brown rice when done!! Has a nice spicy kick!
This is an amazing soup! I added more lentils and chicken stock, as well. I also used ground white pepper instead of the black, adding a dash of cayenne and rosemary for the aroma and a little more kick. Delicious!
This soup was so tasty! I used 3 (14-oz) cans chicken broth and 1 can of beef broth, and used a dry red wine instead of white. That added a wonderful richness to the soup. Like others, I didn't presoak the lentils. They weren't as soft as I might have expected, so perhaps a little longer cooking time would have done the trick. Still, it was hearty and flavorful--even better the next day!
This recipe was extremely easy to make and quite delicious! I substituted sherry for the white wine and it worked fine.
Very good. You can use any combo of veggies you want, and once I was low on lentils so I added a can of black beans. Also have sauteed sliced turkey sausage in with the onions before adding veggies & deglazing with broth, and it added a delicious flavor. Have used both red & white wine, both good.
Excellent soup.
This soup is a great base. I used 1/2 can of tomatoes sauce and 1 diced tomato. The soup is very fresh but I like earthier soups so I added 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin and 1 1/2 teaspoons of coriander to balance. I also added about 1/2/ cup more lentils.
Easy and very tasty. I used diced tomatoes instead of crushed tomatoes and they worked fine.
Very good. Even my picky family who usually refuses to eat anything with beans or lentils liked it.
I made this today and it is delicious. So full of flavor. I followed the recipe exactly. I will no longer make lentils plain as before. Thanks for the recipe.
We enjoyed this soup. I cooked it in the crock pot, and added 2 ham hocks for some extra depth of flavor, but followed the recipe exactly otherwise. It needed a little more spice, but my family really liked it. It made enough to freeze as well.
I've tried a few different lentil soup recipe's now & this one is the best. It's got great flavor & turns out perfect every time. I'm not going to bother with other lentil soup recipes as this one is tried, tested & true for me! Thank you for this recipe.
I used beef stock and broth in this recipe replacing the chicken broth and it was delicious.
This was very good. I threw in an extra 1/2 cup of lentils so I could use up the bag. This made it super thick so I added in some extra wine (so I could finish the bottle)and water so it was a better consistancy.
This is a delicious Lentil soup! My husband commented several times about how good it tasted. I would recommend to others. We did make a few changes however to the recipe because of personal preference. Because we don't cook with alcohol, I substituted the white wine for 3/4 cup more chicken stock. I also grated the onion instead of chopping because our toddlers won't eat chunky veggies in their soup, and I added about two extra cups more lentils then the recipe called for. I think the soup turned out perfectly with out alterations. Thank you Gabriella for sharing!
This was good - definitely fills the tummy. I used a little curry since I didn't have bay leaf. I also added leftover meatloaf that had ham and cheese (from That's A Meatloaf on this site) in it because I didn't have parmesan. I found that 1 hour of cook time was just fine for the lentils even though I hadn't soaked them - just washed. Good soup if you like lentils.
made this with a mixture of turnip green guice and cheicken stock. really pretty good and healthy! the white wine is a nice touch. i think i'll have it with soem garlic cheese bread next time.
I just made this soup yesterday. The entire kitchen smelled wonderful although I changed it a bit. Instead of parsely, I used 1/2 bag fresh spinach chopped. Then instead of chicken stock, I used about 5 cups water and 2 packets of low sodium chicken boulion (add water while cooking if needed). I didn't have crushed tomatoes, so I only used 1 large can of tomatoes in juice and pureed in blender. Then added 2 pinches of diced, dried rosemary. Finally, pureed 1/2 the soup and combined. Today I served with homemade bread and it was wonderful!! The wine absolutely made the soup! Will make again!
I found this recipe exceptional and would recommend it by itself or over rice. I substituted the wine parsley with vermouth and cilantro.
Hearty, Yummy. The wine and paprika really gives the flavor extra depth. Served it with crusty bread and a side salad. I served it when I had my Mom and Brother over for dinner one night. Everyone, even the kids loved it. Sent my Mom and Bro home with leftovers. Kids have already requested it again.
I added ham, and held the salt . I served this with rice. Either my family was very hungry, or this was a really good soup, because they had seconds! I gave it 4 stars because I didn't like it!
We enjoyed this soup very much, and it is indeed much better on the 2nd day. I added much more garlic, twice the paprika, and also used some cumin and hot chile sauce. We skipped the parmesan cheese, and served it instead with a curried fried egg on top.
It's very similar to the way I make it but in the end I put it in a blender. It's definitely worth trying. Excellent on a cold winter day.
Very good soup! I used canned crushed tomatoes with basil and canned chicken broth and it turned out great. It takes 3 1/2 cans of normal sized (14.5 oz) chicken broth, so make sure you have enough on hand.
this is awesome!! especially the next day, all of the flavours meld and it tastes even better!!
Very delicious! Instead of the crushed tomatoes, I used 1 (28oz) can of Hunts Diced tomatoes with Basil, Garlic & Oregano plus 1 (14.5 oz) can of DelMonte petite cut diced tomatoes with Garlic & Olive Oil. Instead of 7 c chic broth, I used 6 c chic broth with about 1 c of College Inn Chicken Broth with Roasted Vegetables. I think these additions made a substantial difference in the taste of the soup due to the additional spices and flavors.
This soup is delicious! It has quickly become a family favorite. I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken, and, like many other reviewers, did not soak the lentils and it turned out great!
I didn't love this soup. I felt the tomato taste was really dominant. When I make lentil soup, I like the lentils to be the dominate flavor or texture. Only change I made was making 1/2 recipe. I didn't have celery and thought the bay leaf would have been too strong. Either way, I had to add at least an additional 2 cups of water as it simmered off. I added a couple of other seasonings, but there was just a bit too much tomatoes giving it more of an Italian soup flavor.
So easy to make and very hearty and filling. Took this to a soup exchange and it was a hit.
