Winter Squash, Lentil Soup with lemon and Spinach
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes35
minutesI found this recipe online but changed it up by adding more ingredients. I was going to get my second vaccine and heard the side effects are not pleasant so made this to help me through the next few days. It was delicious, nutritious, anti-inflammatory as well as super healthy. I made the full recipe for me and saved enough 1 heaping cup servings for 3 days and froze the rest to enjoy the following week. I added fresh ginger, turmeric, spinach and a yam. I also added leeks as I love them.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 leeks, rinsed and sliced thin
2 heaping teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 lg piece of turmeric, peeled and grated
2 teaspoons red harissa paste or powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 1/2 cups red lentils
5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 yams, peeled and chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 container of baby spinach
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped for garnish
Directions
- Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic and leeks, stirring often until tender about 8 minutes. Once they begin to brown, add the ginger, turmeric, and next 6 ingredients. Stir until fragrant about 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth, squash, lentils, carrots and yams, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until lentils are tender about 20 minutes. After about 10 minutes, stir in the spinach. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup once vegetables are tender.
- Return pot to stove and add lemon juice as well as season to desired taste.
- Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and fresh chopped cilantro. You can even use a little greek yogurt to stir in or garnish with almonds or cashews.
