Description
A hearty and comforting French Lentil Soup that is completely vegan, packed with nutritious ingredients such as green lentils, fresh vegetables, and a creamy cashew base. This soup combines earthy spices with tender greens, offering a deliciously satisfying meal perfect for any season.
Ingredients
Cashew Cream
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, or 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 mL) raw sunflower seeds
- 2 cups water (500 mL)
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional, use broth for oil free) (30 mL)
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion, diced (or 2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced about 2 cups/500 mL)
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced (2 tablespoons/30 mL)
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, to taste (plus a couple pinches, 5 to 7 mL)
- 2 medium carrots, diced (1 heaping cup/275 mL)
- 2 stalks celery, diced (3/4 cup/175 mL)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme (7 mL)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (5 mL)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juices (14-ounce/398 mL)
- 3/4 cup uncooked French green lentils, picked over and rinsed (175 mL)
- 4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium (1 L)
- 3 cups stemmed and chopped Swiss chard or kale leaves (750 mL)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons white vinegar, to taste (5 to 10 mL)
Instructions
- Soak Cashews: Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with a couple of inches of water. Soak for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. For a quick soak, cover with boiling water and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain and rinse when ready.
- Make Cashew Cream: Transfer the soaked cashews to a high-speed blender along with 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the soaking water. Blend on high until the mixture becomes super smooth and creamy in texture. Set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil (or broth for oil-free) over medium heat. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and a couple pinches of salt. Sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Add Vegetables and Spices: Stir in the diced carrots and celery, cooking for a few more minutes. Mix in the ground cumin, dried thyme, and ground turmeric until well combined with the vegetables.
- Combine and Simmer: Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, rinsed green lentils, vegetable broth, and the remaining water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
- Incorporate Cashew Cream and Greens: Stir in the prepared cashew cream and chopped Swiss chard or kale. Season with additional salt, freshly ground black pepper, and white vinegar to taste. Add the vinegar gradually to ensure it does not overpower the soup.
- Finish Cooking: Cook the soup over low-medium heat for a couple of minutes until the greens have wilted.
- Store or Serve: Serve the soup hot. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for 1 to 2 months. The soup will thicken when chilled; thin with broth as needed when reheating, or serve thick with crusty bread.
Notes
- For an oil-free version, substitute olive oil with extra vegetable broth during sautéing.
- Soaking cashews overnight yields the creamiest texture, but quick soaking with boiling water works well too.
- Adjust the amount of white vinegar carefully to balance acidity and brightness.
- French green lentils hold their shape better than other lentil varieties, adding texture to the soup.
- This soup can be thickened or thinned to your preference by adjusting the broth volume when reheating.
- Use kale or Swiss chard interchangeably depending on availability.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (including cashew soaking time, excluding overnight soak)
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
