Tag Archives: Winter comfort food

Lentil and Root Vegetable Power Soup

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Lentil and Root vegetable Power Soup is packed with 25 grams of protein and 24 grams of fibre. A nutritional powerhouse.

Whenever I serve soup for dinner, my husband gives me a look—the kind that says, ‘Nice appetizer… but what’s for the main course?’ Challenge accepted sweetie. This Lentil and Root Vegetable Power Soup isn’t just a starter; it’s a full-blown, protein-packed, stick-to-your-ribs meal. Loaded with lentils, split peas, and all the best winter veggies, this bowl means business. And because we’re not monsters around here, I always serve soup, with toppings. For crunch and funk I added crispy, spiced chickpeas and a flurry of Parmesan.

Protein rich diets are all the rage now. Curious to learn more about how much protein you actually need? Check out this New York Times article. Think eggs are the best choice for a high protein meal? Check out these alternate suggestions.

This lentil and root vegetable power soup weighs in at a whopping 25 grams of protein and 24 grams of fibre. I used all the orange winter veggies, (carrots, sweet potatoes and butternut squash), but this soup is entirely customizable.

Orange winter veggies, (carrots, butternut squash and sweet potatoes) star in this Lentil and Root Vegetable Power Soup.

Tips to Success for Lentil and Root Vegetable Soup

  • Blend for the best texture – Blending about a third of the soup gives you that perfect balance of creamy and chunky, so every bite is satisfying.
  • Brown the tomato paste – Don’t just stir it in—let it cook with the onions until deep and caramelized. This adds a rich, umami-packed depth of flavor.
  • Choose the right lentils – Green or brown lentils hold their shape, giving the soup texture. Red lentils? They go mushy, so save those for a different dish.
  • Double up on legumes – Adding yellow or green split peas alongside the lentils makes the soup extra hearty and layered with flavor.
  • Stock matters – For the best taste, use a good-quality veggie broth. My go-to is Better Than Bouillon for maximum richness.
  • Garnish like you mean it – Don’t skip the crispy spiced chickpeas and shaved Parmesan! The chickpeas bring crunch, and the Parmesan adds salt and a little funk. They’re the difference between ‘just soup’ and ‘wow, this is dinner!’

Lentil & Root Vegetable Power Soup

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Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
Calories 514 kcal

Ingredients
  

Soup

  • 1 large yellow onion, about 350 grams, peeled, halved and finely diced
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated with micro plane grater
  • 2 inches fresh ginger root, grated with micro plane grater
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon Morton's Kosher salt
  • 1 small butternut squash, about 800 grams, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 large sweet potato, about 400 grams, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 4 large carrots, about 350 grams, peeled ans cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 200 grams green lentils, about 1 cup
  • 200 grams yellow split peas, about 1 cup
  • 8 cups vegetable stock or water
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 175 grams Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan kale or black kale), about 1 small bunch

Garnishes:

  • 400 grams chick peas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/4 teaspoon Morton's kosher salt
  • 100 grams Parmesan reggiano cheese, grated on large holes of box grater
  • 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions
 

Soup

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven. Add diced onion and cook over low heat until softened, about 5-6 minutes. If onion starts to burn, add a a few tablespoons of water.
  • Add garlic and ginger and saute on low for another 2 minutes, stirring well. Add tomato paste, Aleppo pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt and stir well. Cook for 2-3 more minutes
  • Add squash, sweet potatoes and carrots and mix well. Continue sautéing on low heat for another 3 minutes.
  • Add lentils, split peas and stock or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40-45 minutes until lentils and peas are tender.

Roasted Chickpeas

  • While soup is simmering, preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place rinsed and drained chickpeas on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Aleppo, cumin and salt. Use your hands to mix everything so that the chickpeas are coated evenly. Roast for 23-30 minutes until crispy. Set aside as a garnish for the soup.

Finishing soup:

  • Ladle about 1/3 of the soup into a blender. Puree until smooth. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons olive oil and blend until mixed in. Pour pureed soup back into pot and mix soup.
  • Wash kale leaves. Strip kale leaves from stem. I find the tip of a paring knife is the best job for separating the leaf from the stem. Discard stems. Pile the leaves up and use a sharp chef's knife to slice across into 1/4 inch strips. Mix kale into soup and stir well. The heat from the soup will wilt the kale.
  • Ladle soup into bowls. Mix 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar into each serving. Garnish with parmesan cheese and some crispy chickpeas.

Nutrition

Calories: 514kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 25gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 1691mgPotassium: 1412mgFiber: 24gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 25069IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 342mgIron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lentil and Root Vegetable Power Soup is a big hug in a bowl.

Looking for more soup inspiration? Check these out:

Braised Beef Short Ribs

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with mashed potatoes 2

As  food blogger, I struggle with presenting “brown foods”. They are not exactly the most appetizing to look at, and, to boot, they are a bitch to photograph. However, that being said, a certain food network host has been known to growl, “Brrrrown food tastes grrreat!”

For those not familiar with Anne Burrell, her larger than life personality and growly voice puts some people off. But I am in awe of her wealth of culinary knowledge. I have learned so much from watching her show, “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.” Every recipe I have tried of hers has come out perfectly. She cooks foods that are full of flavour and her concise, easy to master techniques make her a rock star in the kitchen.

The main reason brown food tastes better, is because of a chemical process known as the Maillard Reaction. If your eyes glaze over at the mere mention of the phrase chemical reaction, then John Willoughby, meat guru and former senior editor at Cook’s Illustrated is your go-to guy to explain these things.

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Osso Buco Pasta Sauce

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When the view out your window abruptly changes from this:

To this:

Then you know it’s time to make this:

Sadly, our winter holiday came to an end last week. When we left our island paradise on Thursday morning, the temperature was a balmy 28° C (82° F). Upon our arrival in Ottawa, when I looked out the airplane window and saw the baggage handlers and grounds crew wearing balaclavas, I knew we were in trouble! If you are unfamiliar with balaclavas, click here to see what I am referring to. And then consider yourself blessed that you never had to wear one.

Osso buco, literally translated in Italian means “bone with a hole”. The hole refers to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank. Traditionally, the cross-cut veal shanks are slowly braised in stock, wine, tomatoes and vegetables and then served with some polenta or perhaps risotto. I decided to take the braised meat off the bone, shred it up and mix it back with the flavourful braising liquid and vegetables and serve it over orecchiette pasta. Any pasta that has little nooks and crannies to trap the delicious bits of this chunky sauce would be fine.  Warm, hearty, rich, tangy and just a little bit spicy, this dish really is a celebration of winter.  Um, just read that last sentence back and realized that was a bit over the top. Let’s just say it makes winter  a bit more bearable!

I especially love this dish because once the chopping and browning are done, the whole thing is covered and popped into the oven for 2 hours, leaving you time to do something else.

Veal shanks are dusted with flour and sautéed in oil, over high heat, until golden brown.

Carrots, onions, celery and red bell pepper are chopped.

Once the vegetables are sautéed, chicken stock, water, wine, and canned tomatoes are added and the bones go back into the pot. The pot is covered and placed into the oven for several hours until the meat is falling off the bone.

The meat is then removed from the bones and shredded using your hands or 2 forks. The veal goes back into the braising liquid and is simmered for a few more minutes until everything is well combined.

Click here to print the recipe for Osso Buco Sauce.