Vegan Turmeric Lentil Instant Pot Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to rinse lentils before making soup? ›

Lentils, just like beans and rice, are a natural product that does not undergo any processing before being bagged and sold. Rinsing lentils will allow you to get rid of any accumulated dust, dirt, small rocks, twigs and possibly bugs that have come along for the ride: you don't want any of that in your food!

In a saucepan, bring one 19-ounce can lentil soup, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon each ground coriander, cumin and paprika to a simmer. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint. Ladle into bowls and garnish with lemon slices.

Go easy—if you purée the soup too much, it will get too thick and you'll lose the integrity of the lentils. If you don't have an immersion blender, transfer a few cups of the soup to a standard blender and purée, then return the blended soup to the pot.

If you're making a homey soup or stew, either regular green or brown lentils would be an excellent choice. Instead of holding their shape, they soften and become mushy as they cook. I like to add the dried lentils to a big pot of soup and let it simmer until they become tender, about 30 minutes.

It is generally recommended to rinse lentils before cooking them to remove any debris or impurities [1]. However, forgetting to rinse them before adding them to your soup does not necessarily mean that the meal is unsafe to eat.

Soaking: Unlike beans, lentils are small and cook relatively quick (in general, about 20-30 minutes) so they don't require pre-soaking. However, soaking lentils for a few hours or overnight may improve the digestibility of starches in lentils and an overnight soak can also reduce cooking time by about half.

To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor. To do so, use aromatics like onions and garlic, include fresh or dried herbs, and season well with salt and pepper.

Feel free to add in chopped potatoes, chopped greens such as kale, chopped zucchini or other remnant vegetables lurking in your fridge. This calls for basic herbs, but you can add 1 teaspoon of curry, smoked paprika, cumin, cajun seasoning or spice it up with red pepper flakes or a whole dried red chili pod.

Yes, cooking lentils for too long will cause them to become mushy. Cooking them at a rapid boil will also cause them to get mushy. Simmer them slowly to keep them intact.

the color change you've observed is from oxidation. If you want to prevent this, lay some plastic wrap over the surface of your lentils to prevent air from getting to them, or add some acid, like lime juice, to the recipe.

What is the white stuff in lentil soup? ›

Those look to be radicles (embryonic stems, the part the root grows from) that have separated from the lentils. If you look closely at the less squished lentils in your soup, you'll probably see some with the radicles still attached.

When lentils are boiled, the starch molecules in the lentils absorb water and swell, which causes the lentils to release some of their starch into the water. This starch can create foam as it is released into the water. Red lentils contain more starch than regular lentils, which is why they tend to foam more.

Red lentils are best for soups, curries, dals, and anything that craves a creamy, thicker, more comforting touch.

Eating lentils can cause gas and bloating because they're high in fiber that your body is unable to break down. While fiber plays a large role in supporting and regulating your digestive system and bowel movements, it can also produce bacteria that leads to cramping and gas pains.

To cook, cover the lentils with plenty of water or stock—about 3 cups for each cup of dry lentils. Lentils swell in size, but they don't absorb the extra water; just drain them when they're done. Once you bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Swish the water, drain, and repeat until the water runs clear. This usually takes six or seven rinses for red lentils, split peas and moong dhal, and as little as two for green or brown lentils.

Red or green, tender or toothy, hot or cold — lentils can be used in an endless variety of dishes. And no matter how you plan to eat them, they usually start with a simple boil and drain.

Make sure to not overcook the lentils, or else they will become extremely mushy. That will not affect the taste of this yummy soup, but the mushy lentils thicken the soup and give it a different, less pleasant consistency.