Description
Hearty Mexican Lentejas Soup brings warmth and comfort straight from traditional Mexican kitchens, blending rich lentils with aromatic spices. Savory, nutritious ingredients create a soul-satisfying meal you’ll crave during chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Starches:
- 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
- 1 large russet potato, diced
- 5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
- 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 medium white or yellow onion
- 1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cilantro sprigs
Seasonings:
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
Instructions
- Warm a spacious cooking vessel over medium-high temperature, drizzling oil to coat the bottom and gently sauté diced carrots until they soften and develop a slight golden hue, approximately 3 minutes.
- Transform tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, and herbs into a silky, uniform puree using a blender, seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor profile.
- Consolidate the vibrant blended mixture into the pot, introducing vegetable broth, bouillon, raw lentils, cubed potato, and fresh cilantro sprigs.
- Elevate the liquid to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer, covering the pot and allowing the ingredients to meld and soften for 28-30 minutes, or until lentils reach a tender, creamy consistency.
- Prior to serving, delicately extract the cilantro sprigs, ensuring a clean, herbaceous essence remains in the comfort bowl.
Notes
- Customize spice levels by adjusting jalapeno quantity or using milder peppers for sensitive palates.
- Swap fresh cilantro with parsley if preferred or unavailable for an equally fresh herb flavor.
- Enhance protein content by adding diced chicken or tofu during the cooking process for extra nutrition.
- Make this dish meal-prep friendly by storing in airtight containers in refrigerator for up to 4 days, allowing flavors to develop even more intensely.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 0mg