Broccoli, Kale and Lentil Soup
Our dietitians' favouriteIt’s so easy to make soup from scratch, and this recipe will make you glad you did. The lentils thicken this vegetable-packed soup, and the milk adds a lovely flavour and texture. This soup is even better when made ahead, so make it on the weekend or in the evening, then reheat to pack in a thermos or reheat at lunch time.
- Prep: 20 min
- Cooking: 35 min
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/8 tsp (.5 mL) hot pepper flakes or smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) dried red lentils rinsed
- 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 cups (1 L) chopped broccoli (stems and florets separated)
- 4 cups (1 L) chopped packed trimmed kale
- 2 cups (500 mL) heated milk
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice or white wine vinegar
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Preparation
In a pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic, hot pepper flakes and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each salt and pepper for about 5 minutes or until softened and starting to turn golden. Stir in lentils, broth and broccoli stems. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Stir in broccoli florets, kale and milk. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to prevent boiling, for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are soft.
Use an immersion blender in the pot or transfer soup to a blender or food processor, in batches, and purée, until smooth or slightly chunky, as desired.
Return to pot, if necessary. Heat over medium heat until steaming, but do not let boil. Stir in more milk if soup is too thick. Drizzle in lemon juice while stirring. Season with up to 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt and pepper to taste.
Tips
Heating the milk helps speed up the overall cooking time of the soup, which keeps the vegetables a nice, bright green colour. Heat the milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup on Medium-High (70%) power for about 5 minutes or in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove top.
Making soup from scratch allows you to keep the sodium level in check. If using a store-bought broth, look for a low-sodium ready-to-use version or use one with no salt added for an even lower sodium soup.
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Nutritional information
Per serving| Energy: | 222 Calories |
| Protein: | 15 g |
| Carbohydrate: | 29 g |
| Fat: | 7 g |
| Fibre: | 5.2 g |
| Sodium: | 182 mg |
Top 5 Nutrients
| (% DV*) | |
|---|---|
| Calcium: | 22 % / 239 mg |
| Vitamin C: | 178 % |
| Folate: | 57 % |
| Vitamin B12: | 40 % |
| Vitamin D: | 31 % |
