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2 bowls of lentil and chickpea soup served on a grey table
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Spiced Lentil and Chickpea Soup

A hearty spiced lentil and chickpea soup made with red lentils, warming spices and fresh lime. Nourishing, deeply savoury and perfect served with Greek yogurt and warm flatbread.
Course Soup
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 590kcal
Author Peter G

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • ½ red onion finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground chilli or red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger grated
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 400 g chickpeas (one can)
  • 1 cup quinoa cooked
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Greek yogurt and chopped coriander to garnish
  • a squeeze of lime or lemon juice
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan and fry off the onions on medium heat. Add the ground spices and stir until they become aromatic.
    1 tablespoon sunflower oil, ½ red onion, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground chilli , 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • Add the garlic and ginger and stir again for a few minutes. Then add the red lentils and toss in the spice mixture for one more minute.
    1 clove garlic , 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 cup red lentils
  • Add the chicken or vegetable stock and cook on high heat till it comes to a rapid boil. Lower the temperature and let the ingredients simmer for about 10-15 mins—season to taste.
    3 cups chicken stock
  • Remove from the heat and blend using a stab blender or do it manually using a regular blender. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and let it simmer for another 5 mins.
    400 g chickpeas
  • Stir through the cooked quinoa and squeeze a little lime juice in the soup. Garnish with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt and chopped coriander.
    1 cup quinoa, salt and pepper to taste, Greek yogurt and chopped coriander to garnish, a squeeze of lime or lemon juice

Notes

  1. Red lentils cook quickly and naturally thicken the soup as they break down. If the soup becomes too thick after sitting, simply loosen it with a splash of stock or water when reheating.
  2. This soup is designed to be warmly spiced rather than overly hot. Adjust the chilli to suit your taste.
  3. Fresh lime at the end is important - it lifts the earthy spices and balances the richness of the lentils and chickpeas.
  4. Greek yogurt is optional, but highly recommended. The cool creaminess works beautifully with the spices.
  5. This soup pairs especially well with warm flatbread or crusty bread for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serve | Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g