Your Secret Weapon

Sometimes you want a meal that’s 100% plants. No compromises, no calculations.

This soup is that meal.

It’s also cheap, fast, freezable, and infinitely customizable. Make a pot on Sunday, eat it all week.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red lentils (they cook fast)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Fresh parsley or cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Instructions

1. Sauté the Base

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, cook until soft (5 minutes). Add garlic and carrots, cook 2 more minutes.

2. Add Spices

Add cumin, turmeric, and paprika. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.

3. Add the Liquid

Pour in the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir in the lentils.

4. Simmer

Low and slow Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until lentils are soft and starting to break down.

5. Finish

Stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Top with fresh herbs.

Total time: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner
Cost: ~£4 for 4 servings

Variations

🔄 Make it creamy
Stir in a splash of coconut milk at the end.
🔄 Make it spicy
Add a diced chili with the garlic, or a spoonful of harissa at the end.
🔄 Make it chunky
Use green or brown lentils (cook time: 30-40 minutes). They hold their shape better.

Why Lentils?

  • Cheap: About £1 for a big bag
  • Fast: Red lentils cook in 15 minutes
  • Nutritious: High protein, high fiber, iron-rich
  • Versatile: Absorb any flavor you throw at them

Lentils are the unsung hero of plant-based eating. Stop ignoring them.

This is one of those recipes where 100% plant-based is the natural choice. No substitution needed. No sacrifice made. Just good food.