Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe

This vegan recipe can also be easily made in the slow cooker, left to simmer all day whilst out at work. Lentils are cheap, filling, and a good source of protein. Sourdough rolls go really well dunked into this slightly spicy and tasty soup.

I find that this recipe can be adapted and if there are a lot of bits of root veg needing to be used up, that I can throw them in towards the end of cooking for an even more filling soup or stew. If you omit the paprika it can also be made in bulk and frozen to be used as a base for other soups and stews for quicker weekday meals.

Ingredients for Spicy Lentil Soup:

• 4 oz lentils
• 1½ pints vegetable stock
• 1 large onion (peeled and sliced)
• 2 carrots (sliced)
• 2 sticks of celery (sliced)
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash the lentils, drain and place in the cooker with the trivet removed.
2. Add the remaining ingredients make sure that the cooker is no more the half full.
3. Gradually bring up to full pressure and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce pressure at room temperature
5. Taste and adjust seasoning.

You will find that lentils cooked this way are very tender and that you do not need to sieve the soup – just stir.

Serves 4 to 6.