Lentils are one of the best-known legumes and are one of the staple foods worldwide. Lentils are grown and consumed in many countries around the world. The kitchen lentil (Lens culinaris) is the only type of lentil that is actually used.
Depending on the cultivar, lentils have different sizes and colors and have very different cooking properties. Some varieties are floury and overcook quickly, these are ideal for soups and stews. Other types such as beluga lentils or puy lentils are still al dente even after a long cooking time. These are more suitable for salads.
Traditional Frankfurt Lentil Soup
My grandmother from Germany always cooked a traditional Frankfurter lentil soup with vegetables and Frankfurter sausages. You can serve just the lentil soup or dish it out with spaetzle, bread, or mashed potatoes.
For this stew-like classic lentil soup, green or brown lentils work best, giving this world’s best lentil soup a mild, earthy flavor. It is easy to make, rich in vitamins and protein, and best of all; everybody will love this soup.
Preparation time: 20 minutes, cooking time: 60 minutes
Ingredients for Frankfurt Lentil Soup
- 9 oz (250g) soaked brown lentils
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 10 oz (300g) smoked pork belly
- 1 onion
- 1 bunch of soup greens, diced finely (carrot,
parsley, leek, celery) - 14 oz (400g) potatoes, diced finely
- 2 pairs of frankfurter sausages (200g)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper
- A pinch of thyme
- A pinch of marjoram
- A pinch of cumin
- Vinegar to taste
Preparation
Wash the soup greens. Cut and dice, pork belly, onion, carrot, parsley, leek, celery, potatoes. Cut the frankfurter sausages into half-inch-long pieces.
Cooking
When everything is prepared, then gradually add the ingredients to the pot.
- Add oil and let it heat a bit.
- Put the onion and pork belly in the pot, and sizzle until brown, which can take 5 to 10 minutes.
- Then add the soup vegetables and let it simmer for ten minutes, stirring from time to time
- Next, it’s time to add the lentils and potatoes
- Then add water, vegetable stock, and spices and let everything cook for a good 45 minutes until the lentils are done.
That’s all, the soup is really super easy to make. Occasionally check that there is still enough water in it and stir it up. Sometimes it happens that you misjudge the water or the lenses absorb more water than you think, then just add some water.
When the soup is ready, season again with a little salt and pepper and two tablespoons of vinegar. Serve and enjoy.
Frankfurt Lentil Soup – Vegan Version
At the moment I eat a lot vegan, so I just modified my grandmother’s traditional recipe a bit. If you also prefer to eat vegan soup, just leave out the sausages and pork belly. I simply replaced the meat with some tomato paste and soy sauce. The preparation and cooking steps are pretty much the same.
Vegan Lentil soup Ingredients for 4 persons
- 9 oz (250g) soaked brown or green lentils
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 onion
- 1 bunch of soup greens, diced finely (carrot, parsley, leek, celery)
- 14 oz (400g) potatoes, diced finely
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- A pinch of thyme
- A pinch of marjoram
- A pinch of cumin
Preparation and cooking
- Follow the steps outlined above.
- After cooking, add the tomato paste and soy sauce and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar.
The vegan version of the soup also tastes great. Here is another vegan lentil soup that uses Beluga lentils.
Whether vegan or non-vegan, both versions can be kept in the fridge for a few days. The next day it tastes even better warmed up, so cook a little more right away.
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