Easy Lentil Potato Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should lentils be soaked before making soup? ›

The other good news: Lentils don't need to soak as beans do (though you do need to sort and rinse them before cooking). Different types of lentils cook in different amounts of time. Red lentils are the fastest cooking and they dissolve as they cook and make for a smooth soup.

Not adding any aromatics to the pot.

Add aromatics to the water or, even better, use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water. Follow this tip: Add a few cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, a spring of rosemary, half of an onion, or a combination of these aromatics to the cooking water or stock to help flavor the lentils.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Keep them moist. If you don't want dry, hard lentils, make sure to keep a little liquid in the pot! You can always add a little more if the water is evaporating faster than they cook.

It'll be fine. The reason you rinse lentils is to remove any small rocks, husks, and rodent droppings that might have gotten in there.

Well, as healthy as they are, lentils are also known to cause some tummy issues like bloating and flatulence to be more specific. The presence of anti-nutrient compounds in lentils is the culprit behind gas or flatulence. The good news is that anti-nutrient in lentils can be easily deactivated by soaking them in water.

Lentils are frequently cooked with strong spices, which can cause indigestion in some people. Lentils are a good source of potassium, however, too many lentils in the diet can cause hyperkalemia (symptoms may include vomiting, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and difficulty breathing) in people with poor kidney function.

Yes, you can overcook lentils; they will become mushy. Much depends on the type of lentil you're using. Some cook quicker and hold their shape better than others. To avoid overcooking them, always follow the cooking directions in your recipe and use the type of lentils called for in the ingredient list.

Otherwise, try adding some acid. If you've added enough salt, and a dish STILL tastes bland, a splash of vinegar or citrus will bring it all together. Also try adding a bay leaf while cooking them, and always salt the water for lentils. You can also boil them in chicken or beef stock instead of water.

As a general rule, one cup of dried lentils yields two to two-and-a-half cups of cooked lentils. Because of their rather delicate, earthy flavor, lentils work well in a variety of dishes and in almost any type of cuisine. The best time to add flavor to lentils is during the cooking process.

Is lentil soup meant to be thick? ›

It's all whipped up in one pot with simple and inexpensive ingredients like fresh veggies, bold spices, and of course plenty of lentils. It's a wonderfully thick soup that's equal parts filling and flavorful!

Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils will become tough.

Lentils should always be consumed well-cooked as when raw or undercooked they can cause serious health problems, food poisoning and, in very extreme cases, even death. It's all because they contain natural compounds called lectins which are toxic but fortunately, cooking destroys them!

Eating lentils can cause gas and bloating because they're high in fiber that your body is unable to break down. While fiber plays a large role in supporting and regulating your digestive system and bowel movements, it can also produce bacteria that leads to cramping and gas pains.

Cook your lentils uncovered on low heat for 20-45 minutes (based on the variety) to plump them up while avoiding split skins and mushy results. Add more liquid as needed until the lentils are done. A good ratio to start with is 1 cup of lentils to 2½ cups of liquid.

In that book, I advise to soak lentils from four to twenty-four hours and then drain and cook them in the usual three cups of water. This brings the total cook time down to twenty minutes compared with thirty-five, a respectable times savings when you're starting from scratch on a weeknight.

Why are lentils still hard after cooking? - Quora. You can try cooking very old dried ones much longer. Use bottled water or softened water if your tap water is hard water. Don't do the initial soaking or the first part of cooking if not soaking with acidic ingredients, or ingredients with sugars.

Soaking: Soaking lentils or beans before cooking can help to reduce cooking time and improve their digestibility. It is not always necessary to soak them overnight, but it can be helpful for some types of beans.

According to Nutritionist, Juhi Kapoor ”Throwing away water, after soaking grains and Pulses is not a good practice. The soaked water contains B vitamins which get leeched into the water due to soaking. There is a common misconception that soaked water contains antinutrients and should be discarded.