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Mediterranean Lenten Soup Recipe

This Lenten soup is a variation of the classic lentil soup found all across the Mediterranean. Savory yet light in weight, it is perfect for the coldest winter day or even the hottest summer day. Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber. Tasting Guidelines: Taste is savory and spicy. Weight is light but can be balanced with sugar. Texture is soft. Good for people with low to severe treatment side effects. Best categorized as classic Mediterranean.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: beans, lenten, lentil, mediterranean, recipes, soup
Servings: 6 people
Author: Chef Ryan Callahan
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Chef's knife
  • Colander
  • large stock pot OR
  • Slow cooker

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. green lentils washed
  • 1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 red onion medium diced
  • 4 carrots thinly sliced
  • 4 celery stalks thinly sliced
  • 4 small zucchini cut into quarters and thinly sliced
  • 2 green peppers medium diced
  • 1 medium eggplant cut into quarters and thinly sliced

Flavor Balancers

  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 3 tsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. sugar

Aromatics

  • 4 tbsp. parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp. garlic minced

Instructions

Soaking the Lentil Beans

  • In a large stock pot, place rinsed lentil beans, a tbsp. kosher salt, and 2 qt. of hot tap water. Mix thoroughly and allow beans to soak in hot water at least 1 hour.

Salting the Eggplant

  • Place a paper towel in a colander. Sprinkle a generous amount of Kosher salt onto the paper. Place sliced eggplant quarters onto the paper and lightly sprinkle the top side with Kosher salt. Repeat this salting process, creating concentric circles of salted eggplant. Allow salted eggplant to rest 30 minutes.

Preparing the Soup

  • Drain and thoroughly rinse lentils in a colander separate from the salted eggplant. Return lentils to large stock pot. Add 1 gallon hot tap water to stock pot and bring to a boil. Rinse excess salt from eggplant and add eggplants to stock pot. Follow this with remaining ingredients, flavor balancers, and aromatics. Boil covered over medium-heat for 60 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. After 60 minutes, taste soup for proper seasoning and adjust as necessary. Lower temperature to a low setting and allow soup to simmer 60 more minutes or until lentils no longer have a grainy texture.

Notes

The defining quality of this dish is the lentils themselves. If your lentils turn out poorly, the entire dish is ruined. So take the time to cook your lentils until they are no longer grainy and are soft. The initial 1 hour soaking time is a minimum recommended time not a maximum recommended time.