Thermobexta’s Hearty Lentil Soup

This is such a flavoursome, hearty soup that I hope you enjoy as much as we do.  It warms you up from the inside and is perfect for a cold day!

200g dried brown or green lentils
100g leek, sliced into rounds
240g carrots, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
75g white sweet potato, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
75g zucchini, diced into bite sized pieces
75g celery, sliced (including some of the leaves, if you have them)
20g ghee (or butter)
20g extra virgin olive oil
150g tomato paste
70g vegetable stock paste
1 large or 2 small dried bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
800g water

1. Firstly, you will need to soak the lentils.  Place them in a bowl and cover generously with water. Leave for 2-3 hours. After this time, drain and rinse thoroughly then you can get started with cooking the soup.

2. Into mixer bowl, place leek, carrots, sweet potato, zucchini, celery, ghee and olive oil. Saute for 15 minutes/100/reverse/speed 1/MC on. Softening the veggies in this way before adding the liquid makes a big difference to the flavour.

3. Add the drained, rinsed lentils, tomato paste, stock paste, bay leaves, thyme, cayenne and enough water to reach the 2L line inside the bowl (approximately 800g water). Cook for 35 minutes/100/reverse/speed soft/MC on, or until lentils are tender.

Check out the improved version of this recipe in my cookbook, Feel Good Food Made Easy.