Lentils are mentioned in the Bible in Genesis, in the story of Esau who gave up his birthright for a dish of lentils. (Genesis 25:30-34)
We were enjoying a lovely lunch the other day at Chick P in Brooklyn, when I happened to remember a Greek cookbook a friend gave me years ago. The falafel deluxe sandwich was incredible as was the lentil soup. I couldn’t wait to get home and see what kind of plant-based treasures from Greek grandmas I could discover in that long forgotten book. I was not disappointed, there are lots of recipes I plan on trying. The first to get a little WFPB makeover was this Barley and Lentil Soup. I made it for just my husband and I and it has taken us a week to eat it all, so it really does serve 8.
Barley Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 7-8 cups vegetable broth (divided)
- 1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup lentils, rinsed
- 1/2 cup pearl barley
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. curry powder
- 1/4 tsp. of each turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander, and cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. salt (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Directions
- Cook garlic and onion a splash of water (to prevent sticking) in soup pot. Sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add carrots and celery. Sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add 6 cups vegetable broth, mushrooms, lentils, barley, tomato paste, and seasonings from thyme to parsley. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 60 to 70 minutes or until the lentils and barley are tender, but not mushy.
- Add in remaining broth, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Remove bay leaf and serve. Enjoy!
theheartie.kitchen
The Heartie Kitchen 