Lemony Lentil Chickpea Soup

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< 1 min read
Summary

This Lemony Chickpea Lentil Soup tempts you with warm, earthy tones of cumin and thyme. It’s easy to make, and yields extra portions for leftovers or freezing. Pair this smooth-yet-rustic soup with whole-grain bread or brown rice and a light salad. Well-being warning: sipping on this soup throughout the year might just help you feel energized, healthy, and full-of-life all year long.

Yields6 ServingsPrep Time15 minsCook Time25 minsTotal Time40 mins

Ingredients

 2 tbsp water (+1 Tbsp as needed)
 2 cups onions (diced)
 1 ½ cups organic celery (diced)
 ¾ tsp salt (optional)
 ground black pepper (optional)
 1 tsp mustard seeds
 1 tsp cumin seeds
 1 ½ tsp paprika
 ½ tsp oregano (dried)
 1 tsp thyme (+ 1/2 tsp as desired)
 1 cup lentils (dried)
 3 ½ cups chickpeas (cooked, homemade or BPA-free can, drained)
 2 cups organic zucchini (chopped)
 3 cups vegetable stock (unsalted, preferably homemade)
 2 cups water
 2 dried bay leaves
 ¼ cup lemon juice (up to 1/3 cup)
 1 tsp thyme (fresh, chopped, or oregano. +1 tsp as desired)

Directions

1

In a large soup pot on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp water, onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard seed, cumin seeds, paprika, oregano, and thyme, and stir to combine.

2

Cover and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another tablespoon of water if needed to prevent sticking.

3

Rinse and drain lentils thoroughly. Add lentils and 2 1⁄2 cups of the chickpeas (reserve remaining 1 cup), zucchini or tomatoes, stock, 2 C water, and bay leaves and stir to combine.

4

Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until lentils are completely softened.

5

Remove bay leaves.

6

Stir in 1⁄4 cup lemon juice, then using a hand blender, partially purée the soup, keeping some texture rather than fully smoothing out the soup.

7

Stir in remaining 1 cup chickpeas.

8

Season with additional sea salt, pepper, and add remaining lemon juice if desired, and serve.

Chef's Notes

Vegetable Stock
If you don’t have vegetable stock on hand, simply substitute with water. You will likely want to add additional seasonings after cooking if not using vegetable stock.

Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs always add a vibrant pop of flavor to dishes. If you happen to have fresh thyme or oregano, add a sprinkle of either or both at the end of cooking. When using fresh herbs, it’s best to add during the last few minutes of cooking, or just before serving. If you don’t have them, don’t fret, the soup is still fabulous without!

Meal Guidance
This is a hearty bean soup, so it can easily be served as a meal on its own. However, to make it spread over more meals, here are some ideas:

Serve over a whole grain like brown rice. Place the whole grain in one side of the bowl (in one full “half”) and then the Lemony Chickpea Lentil Soup in the other half. A simple, but lovely, way to present the food.

Serve with a whole-grain or sprouted bread and a plant-based cheese.

Serve the soup over a bed of steamed greens, such as kale and spinach.

Recipe from eat, drink & be vegan by Dreena Burton adapted for WHOLE Life Club (WLC)

Ingredients

 2 tbsp water (+1 Tbsp as needed)
 2 cups onions (diced)
 1 ½ cups organic celery (diced)
 ¾ tsp salt (optional)
 ground black pepper (optional)
 1 tsp mustard seeds
 1 tsp cumin seeds
 1 ½ tsp paprika
 ½ tsp oregano (dried)
 1 tsp thyme (+ 1/2 tsp as desired)
 1 cup lentils (dried)
 3 ½ cups chickpeas (cooked, homemade or BPA-free can, drained)
 2 cups organic zucchini (chopped)
 3 cups vegetable stock (unsalted, preferably homemade)
 2 cups water
 2 dried bay leaves
 ¼ cup lemon juice (up to 1/3 cup)
 1 tsp thyme (fresh, chopped, or oregano. +1 tsp as desired)

Directions

1

In a large soup pot on medium heat, add 2 Tbsp water, onion, celery, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard seed, cumin seeds, paprika, oregano, and thyme, and stir to combine.

2

Cover and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another tablespoon of water if needed to prevent sticking.

3

Rinse and drain lentils thoroughly. Add lentils and 2 1⁄2 cups of the chickpeas (reserve remaining 1 cup), zucchini or tomatoes, stock, 2 C water, and bay leaves and stir to combine.

4

Increase heat to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until lentils are completely softened.

5

Remove bay leaves.

6

Stir in 1⁄4 cup lemon juice, then using a hand blender, partially purée the soup, keeping some texture rather than fully smoothing out the soup.

7

Stir in remaining 1 cup chickpeas.

8

Season with additional sea salt, pepper, and add remaining lemon juice if desired, and serve.

Notes

Lemony Lentil Chickpea Soup