Vegan French Lentil Soup

I'm not a huge fan of soups; texturally, I just don't agree with them. Strangely enough, I absolutely adore broths + clearer soups, but this is problematic as Alex is a fan of the more blendy smooth soups.


This is my twist on a recipe I found online, it struck a really nice medium between our preferences, and it made SO MUCH SOUP.

So much soup for the freezer; after three hefty servings!

 It's tasty, warming and packed full of garlic + vegetables, it's perfect for the upcoming winter months. Make sure you have some containers spare; it freezes + reheats well!

French Lentil Soup with Tomatoes, Vegetables and Garlic


You will need:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, small diced
4-5 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped
3 tsp smoked paprika
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium carrots, peeled and small diced
2 large stalks celery, small diced
1 parsnip, scrubbed and small diced
2 400g can organic diced tomatoes
1 1/3 cups french lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
6ish cups vegetable stock
A slosh of soy sauce (optional)
3 bay leaves (optional)
Salt and pepper


How to:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the onions and saute for at least 10 minutes, stirring them around frequently. Don't rush, it's a slow cooking process. Put on an album you like, make yourself a cup of tea + keep you eye on the pot.
- When the onions are quite soft and see through, add the herbs and paprika and saute for another 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the garlic and stir until very fragrant.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until all vegetables are soft.
- Add the can of tomatoes and stir to coat vegetables. Cook out the tomatoes for about 5 minutes, until warmed through.
- Add drained lentils and stir to coat in the vegetables, oil and tomatoes.
- Add remaining stock, give the whole mix a good stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, return pot to a simmer, throw in the bay leaves if you wish, cover with a heavy lid and allow to cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Find + discard the bay leaves, season to your liking + serve with crusty bread, drizzled with balsamic vinegar.


Pure bliss, especially on the colder days!


Enjoy!
xx


Z

P to the S: I shot with Gavin Bell with Maddie on the job as my MUA and assistant, and it was an awesome collaboration! The only teaser picture I have right now was taken after the shoot, in my regular clothes, but I think Maddie did a sensational job with my face!