How can I improve the digestion of different beans and lentils?

Red lentils cook quick even without soaking. However, if you struggle with digesting beans, it may be in your best interest to pre-soak your lentils prior to making this dish. Rinse the lentils, place in a bowl and cover completely with water. Allow the lentils to soak for 2-4 hours prior to cooking. Discard the water and rinse the lentils again to help remove some of the starches that can lead to gas a bloating. This methods works especially well with other beans, however, I do recommend soaking them longer as their size requires a longer soaking time. If soaking, cut the simmer time of the soup by 5 minutes.

Can this soup be made gluten-free?

The soup base and the brussels sprout slaw are all naturally gluten-free. To swap the crispy pita topping, swap for a gluten-free pita instead. Simple Mills make a great pita chip option.

Will this soup work with any baked squash?

Yes! You can try this soup with butternut squash, acorn squash, or even kabocha squash. Do note that changing the type of squash will mildly impact the flavor. Honeynut squash is naturally a little sweeter than a lot of other winter squash, so feel free to adjust any ingredients based on your own preference. You will also need to adjust the cooking time based on the size of your squash. Regardless of the squash used, once baked and soft, measure out about a cup of squash to add to the soup.

Does this soup store well?

Yes! Place cooled leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. This can also be frozen and placed in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can make defrosting and portioning easier by freezing the soup in smaller portions. The slaw can be stored separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Honeynut Squash Red Lentil Soup

Description

This honeynut squash red lentil soup is layered with fun textures to make it extra hearty and satisfying. Easy to make and packed with plant based protein.

Ingredients

Scale

Lentil Soup

1 honeynut squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeds scooped out
2 tbsp avocado oil
12 sprigs fresh thyme
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
5–6 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
5 cups vegetable broth
Kosher salt

Brussels Slaw & Toppings

8 brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup parsley or cilantro, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Store bought or Homemade Baked Pita Chips
Za’atar for topping

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the squash cut side up on a parchment lined baking tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Evenly coat the flesh with the oil then place each half cut side down on top of 3 sprigs of thyme. Bake the squash in the oven on the bottom rack for 25 minutes or until completely soft.
While the squash cooks, prepare the vegetables and start the soup base. Heat a large pot over medium low heat then add the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and shallots with a generous pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté again until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the diced tomatoes along with another pinch of salt, the coriander, and cumin and continue stirring occasionally until the tomatoes begin to breakdown, about 4-5 minutes.
When the squash is safe to handle, scoop out the flesh and add it to the pot along with the lentils and vegetable broth. Remove the leaves from the remaining thyme stems and add to the soup.
Bring the whole pot to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To a mixing bowl add the brussels sprouts, herbs, scallion, lemon, oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub the ingredients together until the brussels sprouts have softened significantly.
Portion your soup, then top with some of the slaw, baked pita chips and sprinkle of za’atar then enjoy.

Notes

Stir the soup occasionally as it simmers. This will help prevent the lentils from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Swap the squash for a different winter squash. Just note, you need about 1 cup of cooked squash for the recipe.

Massage your sprouts. Rubbing the oil, salt and lemon into the sprouts will help them to soften and make them more enjoyable to eat.

Toppings are recommended, but optional. I find the toppings designed for this soup make it extra hearty and delicious. However, they are not required. The soup base is delicious on its own and can be enjoyed as is or with a side salad or sandwich of your choice.

Adjust the consistency. This soup will continue to thicken a little more as it cools. When reheating, feel free to adjust with extra water or vegetable broth to get it at the consistency you love.