Lentil, Quinoa & Greens Soup

Lentil, Quinoa & Vegetable Soup

UPDATED 2024.11.06 - tweaked a couple of ingredients, and added nutrition information.

This recipe is a hybrid of a few different ones from across the internet, and can be made vegan by substituting vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

With a decent amount of plant-based protein from the quinoa and lentils, lots of fibre and flavour with a little spicy kick from curry powder and chili flakes, this soup is a definite winner! Even got the stamp of approval from my usually pretty picky eater, Kira. :)

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped

  • 4 carrots, diced

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp curry powder (or 1 tsp garam masala + 1 tsp ground cumin)

  • 2 tsp ground turmeric

  • 1/2 to 1 tsp red chili flakes

  • 1 cup dried green lentils

  • 3/4 cup white quinoa

  • 3-1/2 cups water

  • 3-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

  • 4 cups chopped mixed greens (E.G. spinach, chard, kale, etc.)

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

  1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and saute until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes), then add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

  2. Stir in all of salt and spices and toast them for 1 minute.

  3. Add the lentils and quinoa and mix well until the spices are well incorporated.

  4. Transfer all of it to your Instant Pot or other digital pressure cooker (if you have one), and add the water and chicken broth. Stir well, then seal up the cooker and set it to manual, for 15 minutes. When it’s done, release the pressure manually, and check the cook on the lentils. If the lentils are still too firm, seal it back up and cook for another 5 minutes at pressure (15 minutes made them perfect for me).

  5. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, transfer everything to a large soup pot, add the water and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked to your desired firmness.

  6. When the lentils are sufficiently cooked, add the chopped greens and let them wilt in the soup for a few minutes. Adjust the consistency as desired by adding water or more broth.

  7. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve!

NutritionAL Information

For the Entire Recipe:

  • Calories: Approximately 1,600 kcal

  • Protein: ~80 grams (320 kcal, 20% of total calories)

  • Fat: ~28 grams (252 kcal, 16% of total calories)

  • Total Carbohydrates: ~280 grams

    • Fiber: ~80 grams

    • Net Carbohydrates: ~200 grams (800 kcal, 50% of total calories)

Per Serving (8 servings):

  • Calories: ~200 kcal

  • Protein: ~10 grams (40 kcal, 20% of total calories)

    • Palm-Size Portions: ~⅓ palm (1 palm ≈ 20–30 grams of protein)

  • Fat: ~3.5 grams (31.5 kcal, 16% of total calories)

    • Thumb-Size Portions: ~⅓ thumb (1 thumb ≈ 10–15 grams of fat)

  • Total Carbohydrates: ~35 grams

    • Fiber: ~10 grams

      • Percentage of Recommended Daily Intake:

        • Women under 50: 36%–40%

        • Men under 50: 29%–32%

        • Women over 50: 45%

        • Men over 50: 36%

    • Net Carbohydrates: ~25 grams (100 kcal, 50% of total calories)

      • Cupped-Palm Portions: ~⅔ palm (1 cupped palm ≈ 20–30 grams of net carbs)

Fist-Sized Portions of Non-Starchy Vegetables:

  • Total Non-Starchy Vegetables:

    • Onion: ~½ cup diced (~75 grams)

    • Carrots: ~2 cups diced (~250 grams)

    • Mixed Greens (Spinach, Chard, Kale): ~4 cups chopped (~200 grams)

    • Total Weight: ~525 grams

    • Fist-Sized Portions (Whole Recipe): ~5.25 fists (1 fist ≈ 100 grams)

    • Per Serving: ~0.65 fists (~525 grams ÷ 8 servings)

This nutritional analysis is an estimate only, based on available knowledge regarding the nutritional content of the individual ingredients. Nutritional content of foods is HIGHLY variable, so you should always base your dietary intake on whether it meets your needs and progresses you toward your goals rather than any theoretical numbers on paper.

Notes And Options

  • As-is, it can make a great side dish alongside your lean protein and veggies, or if you want to make it the main dish, you can bump the protein content up to a full serving by adding 75 grams (about half a chicken breast) of shredded chicken breast, or 1/4 package of diced up Big Mountain Soy-Free Tofu, both of which would give around 16 grams of additional protein.