Smoky Red Pepper & Lentil Soup | Rebel Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Do you rinse lentils before making soup? ›

The other good news: Lentils don't need to soak as beans do (though you do need to sort and rinse them before cooking). Different types of lentils cook in different amounts of time. Red lentils are the fastest cooking and they dissolve as they cook and make for a smooth soup.

Cook It Longer

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

Lentils aren't rice—they don't need to absorb every last drop of cooking liquid. They're more like pasta: best cooked in an abundance of water or stock. Bring your liquid up to a boil, add your lentils, then turn down your heat to a simmer for at least 25-30 minutes.

If you're making a homey soup or stew, either regular green or brown lentils would be an excellent choice. Instead of holding their shape, they soften and become mushy as they cook. I like to add the dried lentils to a big pot of soup and let it simmer until they become tender, about 30 minutes.

Add red lentils, stir to coat in spicy oil

I rinse them in a sieve before adding (nothing terrible will happen if you don't rinse them).

It is generally recommended to rinse lentils before cooking them to remove any debris or impurities [1]. However, forgetting to rinse them before adding them to your soup does not necessarily mean that the meal is unsafe to eat.

Yes, you can overcook lentils; they will become mushy. Much depends on the type of lentil you're using. Some cook quicker and hold their shape better than others. To avoid overcooking them, always follow the cooking directions in your recipe and use the type of lentils called for in the ingredient list.

Since lentils are starchy, earthy in flavor, and can be on the bland side, there are many ways to make them flavorful, including by adding them into soup. When other ingredients are introduced that complement lentils like onions, garlic, spices, and lemon, the taste is out of this world.

That means the foam will typically appear when making meat-based broths and, to a lesser degree, soups made from high-protein vegetables such as chickpeas and lentils. When those coagulated proteins cluster together, they can create air pockets, which is what causes the “sudsy bubbles,” says Trout.

the color change you've observed is from oxidation. If you want to prevent this, lay some plastic wrap over the surface of your lentils to prevent air from getting to them, or add some acid, like lime juice, to the recipe.

Which color lentils are best for soup? ›

The mildest, sweetest, and most 'tender' of the lentil varieties, red and yellow lentils are popular for use in soups and stews, especially when you want a soft texture.

In general, the brown and green varieties retain their shape well (some more fully than others), whereas the hulled and, most particularly, split red and yellow lentils tend to disintegrate and, therefore, are best for soups or in applications where they'll be pureed.

To cook, cover the lentils with plenty of water or stock—about 3 cups for each cup of dry lentils. Lentils swell in size, but they don't absorb the extra water; just drain them when they're done. Once you bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

Eating lentils can cause gas and bloating because they're high in fiber that your body is unable to break down. While fiber plays a large role in supporting and regulating your digestive system and bowel movements, it can also produce bacteria that leads to cramping and gas pains.

Swish the water, drain, and repeat until the water runs clear. This usually takes six or seven rinses for red lentils, split peas and moong dhal, and as little as two for green or brown lentils.

Do I Have To Rinse and Sort Before Cooking? It's highly recommended that you rinse and sort lentils before cooking them. Because of their small size, plus how they are grown and harvested, they are particularly prone to having bits of grit and chaff clinging to them.

The process of soaking removes the gas-causing elements from the lentils. While legumes contain complex oligosaccharides, a type of complex sugar responsible for bloating and gas. Post-soaking the complex sugar is remarkably reduced thereby easing gas troubles.