Mary Berry Lentil Soup Recipes

LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the stock in a large pan and add the lentils. Bring to the boil and allow the lentils to soften for a few minutes.
• Add the carrots and leeks and season (don't add salt if you use ham stock as it will make it too salty). Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45-60 mins until the lentils have broken down. Scatter over the parsley and serve with buttered bread, if you like.

LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes.
• Add celery and carrot. Cook for 7 - 10 minutes or until softened and the onion is sweet. Don't rush this step, it is key to the flavour base of the soup.
• Add all remaining ingredients except the lemon and salt. Stir.
• Increase heat and bring to simmer. Scoop scum on the surface off and discard (do this again during cooking if required). Place lid on and turn heat down to medium low. Simmer for 35 - 40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
• Remove bay leaves.
• Thicken Soup: Using a stick blender, do 2 or 3 quick whizzes to thicken the soup (see video below). Or transfer 2 cups to a blender, let it cool slightly, then hold lid with tea towel and blend then transfer back into pot.
• Add a touch of water if you want to adjust soup consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Grate over the zest of the lemon then add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve with warm crusty bread slathered liberally with butter!

WINTER VEGETABLE & LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Tip all the ingredients into a large pan. Pour over 1½ litres boiling water, then stir well.
• Cover and leave to simmer for 30 mins until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
• Ladle into bowls and eat straightaway, or if you like a really thick texture, blitz a third of the soup with a hand blender or in a food processor.

RED LENTIL & CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• Put the kettle on to boil while you finely slice the onion. Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion and fry for 2 mins while you slice the garlic and dice the carrots. Add them to the pan, and cook briefly over the heat.
• Pour in 1 litre of the boiling water from the kettle, stir in the lentils and stock cube, then cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for 15 mins until the lentils are tender. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley. Ladle into bowls, and scatter with extra parsley leaves, if you like.