In today’s post, I’m sharing a delicious soup recipe that’s just perfect for the cold weather season. It’s creamy, filling and flavoured with spices that will warm you from the inside out. Topped with tamari-glazed chickpeas and seeds, and accompanied with a slice or two of wholegrain bread, this soup makes a wonderful evening supper or weekend lunch option. It is also budget-friendly. It cost me just £3.00 to make, which equates to 75p per portion. Bargain!
This soup is my idea of the perfect winter comfort food. As well as being tasty, warming and filling, it is also packed full of nutrients that help to keep our immune systems strong. It is rich in antioxidant vitamins A and E, as well as B vitamins and a whole host of minerals. Thanks to the lentils, chickpeas and seeds, this soup is also high in protein. Serve with a couple of slices of wholewheat bread and it provides over 27g of protein!
The soup is so easy to make. It’s simply a case of pan frying the vegetables, then adding the remaining ingredients, simmering for 20 minutes then whizzing in a blender. I used my Optimum power blender and boom, within seconds it was silky smooth.
I love adding lots of toppings to my soups. Not only do they add interesting flavours and textures, but they also boost the nutrient profile of the soup and make it more filling. Inspired by my Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Maple-Glazed Chickpeas, I chose to top this soup with some chickpeas and seeds glazed in tamari soy sauce, which gave them a rich, umami flavour that complimented the spices in the soup.
Delicious!
Spiced Apple and Lentil Soup with Tamari-Glazed Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 3 celery stalks trimmed and sliced
- 1 large apple cored and chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 litre vegetable stock (broth) (I use boiling water and 4 tsp vegetable bouillon powder)
- 130 g / ⅔ cup red lentils
- 70 g (about ⅓ of a 200g / 7 oz block) of creamed coconut roughly chopped
- salt to taste
Toppings
- 400 g / 14 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2 TBSP pumpkin seeds
- 2 TBSP sunflower seeds
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ TBSP tamari soy sauce
Instructions
- Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and apple to the pan. Stir through, cover with a lid and leave to cook on medium-low heat for 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the lentils in a fine mesh sieve and wash under cold running water, agitating them with your hand until the water runs clear.
- Add the garlic and garam masala to the saucepan, and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- Add the vegetable stock, lentils and creamed coconut to the pan. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- When the lentils are tender, remove the pan from the heat. Leave to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a jug blender and whizz until smooth. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches. Return the soup to the pan and gently heat through before serving. Season with salt, to taste.
- For the toppings: Heat the chickpeas and seeds in a large frying pan (skillet) on medium heat. Drizzle in the olive oil and stir through. Add the maple syrup and oregano and stir through. Finally add the soy sauce and continue cooking until the liquids have evaporated, stirring regularly.
- This soup will keep for up to five days in the fridge. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m pretty confident that it will freeze well too.
N.B. The above values are estimates. The actual nutritional values will vary depending on the brands and ingredients used.
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations. Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media and they’ll find their way to me. You can also connect with me on my social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.
With love,
This soup is delicious I made it a few days ago, took some in a flask to enjoy on a chilly walk and have frozen some too.
I love your recipes and if it hadn’t been for my son who turned to the vegan way of life whilst at uni five yrs ago (Jack is still vegan)I wouldn’t have found you. So many thanks.
Sue
Hey Sue! That is such a lovely idea to take a flask of soup on a chilly walk. I can just imagine how cosy and warming that must be! 🥰 I’m so pleased to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes. And thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. It means a lot to me! 💗 Wonderful to hear that Jack is still vegan too! 😀 Here’s wishing you and the family a merry Christmas and happy, healthy New Year! xxx
That sounds so tasty and I love the spiced chickpea topping.
Merry Christmas Sharon xx
This soup looks so cozy and comforting! I love the addition of the chickpeas–a great way to get my fiber and protein and still have a nice, smooth soup!
I am loving this soup, low carb and winter warming that sounds so delicious and wonderful. Intrigued by the addition of tamari glazed chickpeas!
Absolutely beautiful photos! Love the chickpea addition, as you mentioned this soup must be chock-full of protein (which I am terrible at eating), so I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you Deidre! And happy New Year! ❤️
I love adding chickpea toppings like this one to my soups as they not only taste yummy, but as you rightly said, they greatly boost the protein content )as well as leaving you feeling full up for longer). Just one bowl of this soup contains a third of the daily recommended amount of protein (and over 50% with a couple of slices of wholegrain bread)!
Looks wonderful Sharon. I do like soup. CT is making some for supper as I type, but I bet he won’t have made tamari-glazed chickpeas to go with it.