This delicious soup maker lentil soup, uses red lentils and was inspired by my favourite takeaway dal. Warming, comforting, filling and soupy – adjust the flavours to your taste.
Soup maker lentil soup
I adore lentils and whenever we order an Indian takeaway we always add dal. Ideally it will be runny and soupy so you need a spoon to eat it. All of this inspired my soup maker lentil soup recipe.
It is also something I regularly cook at home – simply melt some ghee (or oil), fry some warming spices until they are fragrant, then add red lentils and lots of water (stock is optional), cover and simmer until the lentils are cooked through and mushy. Add more liquid if needed until you have your required texture.
I never use a recipe so it comes out slightly different every time I make it.
See also
- Courgette soup in a soup maker is perfect for using up a summer glut
- This classic works so well – Soup maker broccoli & stilton soup
- Soup maker vegetable soup is the ultimate versatile soup maker recipe!
- All my soup maker recipes in one place
If I can be bothered I might slowly fry an onion until it is caramelised to top the dal with, but most of the time I’ll serve it as it is with some homemade pilau rice then dive in.
A fuss free, but comforting and oh-so delicious weeknight supper, which can be eaten with a spoon from a bowl whilst sitting on the sofa enjoying a box set. Bliss!
I’ve adapted my dal recipe and added a few veggies to make a delicious lentil soup in the soup maker. But the basic concept is the same – sauté you choice of spices, add the lentils & vegetables, add liquid and cook.
Red lentils work so well in the soup maker as they cook in the cycle time, so they do not need pre soaking, they are delicious, full of protein to fill you up, and once blended have a lovely creamy texture making a thick rib sticking soup. YUM!
You can choose to keep this sup maker dal soup warming or comforting, or add more of a kick by upping the chilli!
Generally I cook for two, but when using the soup maker I’ll fill it, making 6 portions of soup at a time as it does for lunch for us for three days – fresh soup will keep in the fridge for 3 days, and of course can be frozen for another day.
Why make lentil soup in the soup maker?
- It is such an easy recipe, mainly made from store cupboard ingredients
- Largely hands off as the machine does everything and there is no danger of over cooking
- Economical – red lentils are super cheap
- Delicious and adaptable – this soup is delicious – you can adapt the spices to suit your taste!
- Perfect for bulk cooking – a modern soup maker can make about 1.7 litres of soup, which is more than 7 cups, or 6 generous portions – so you can make ahead and fill the freezer.
Soup maker lentil soup – ingredients
- Celery – One stick – This is optional but it does add lots of flavour without making the soup taste of celery.
- Carrot – one regular carrot – size does not matter too much – again to add some more flavour and colour
- Spices – A mix of turmeric, ground coriander, chili, cumin and garam masala.
- Garlic and ginger pastes – or a combined one
I cook lots of fakeaway curry at home and garlic and ginger paste are essentials for me, so I buy large jars of paste and portion into an ice cube tray to freeze. You can use a few cloves of fresh garlic and grate some fresh ginger in their place (freeze fresh ginger root and use it from frozen)
- Stock/broth – vegetable or chicken. You don’t need to make up a stock in advance and as this is a blended soup you can simply throw the stock cube or pot into the soup maker.
- Olive oil – I like an unrefined extra virgin olive oil for sautéing the onion, you could also use ghee.
- Lemon (optional not shown) – For finishing the soup. It lightens, brightens, and acts as a flavour enhancer in much the same way as salt.
How to make lentil soup in a soup maker – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this soup maker red lentil soup recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Sauté the spices – add the oil, the spices and garlic and ginger paste and allow to sauté for about two and a half minutes until fragrant.
If using ghee allow it to melt before adding the rest of the ingredients.
The Ninja soup maker’s full 5 minute sauté cycle is too long so I stop it half way though. I tend to leave the central bung out of the lid when sautéing so steam can escape.
While the spices are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Peel and roughly chop the carrot, and destring and chop the celery. Rinse the lentils.
If your soup maker does not have a sauté function then skip this stage.
Step Two – Add the rest of the ingredients, fill to the 6 cup line with water (this is adding about 4 cups).
Put the lid on, remembering to replace the central bung, if you removed it for sautéing and press the smooth soup cycle.
Most machines will take about thirty minutes, finishing with a longer blend to make a completely smooth and velvety soup
Step Five – While the soup is cooking and blending it may look as if it is too thin. It will thicken as it cools and will be the perfect texture when you come to eat it.
Once the cycle has finished check the flavour, I like to add lemon juice, and a generous knob of butter, then pulse them in.
Serving suggestion
Serve hot – I like to garnish with some red pepper flake and fresh herbs for colour.
Variations
- The lemon juice is a great flavour enhancer for many soups and is what makes this version delicious.
- Make the soup richer by adding a knob of butter add at the end of cooking and briefly pulse it in.
- Add different fresh herbs at the end of cooking. I like to pulse them in rather than fully blend. Coriander / cilantro is delicious.
- For a gentle mild and warming lentil soup only use turmeric and garam masala.
Storage
Fridge – Allow your soup maker lentil soup to cool, pack into containers, seal and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer – Once cold, pack into containers, seal and freeze. Store for up to 6 months. I find that with soup maker soups they can separate as they defrost and will need a good stir as they are reheated.
Reheating – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or on the kitchen worktop for a few hours. Reheat your soup in a pan on the stove top, or in a safe container in the microwave.
When using the microwave, I always use a Pyrex jug for safe and easy handling – it is easier to lift in and out.
Hints and tips
- Do not worry if the soup seems too thin whilst cooking, by the time it has cooled enough to be able to eat it will be lovely and thick
- The recipe as written makes quite a spicy soup, adapt to your taste. Remember that all brands of spices are not equal and that a measuring teaspoon is often far smaller than one you use to stir drinks!
- If your soup maker doesn’t have a sauté function, you can sauté the garlic, ginger and spices. briefly in a pan before putting them in the soup maker. If you decide to skip the sauté stage, don’t leave the oil or ghee out. You will miss it if you do.
- To clean the machine firstly pulse a small amount of boiling water in the empty soup maker jug to dilute the remaining soup, then add it to the rest of the soup. Then clean the jug as below.
- It is far easier to clean a soup maker while it is still warm. Rinse it under the hot tap, fill with warm water and add a few drops of washing up liquid. Set to blend for a few seconds. Then rinse again and leave to dry.
FAQS
Red lentils don’t need to be soaked before cooking, if buying from a reputable brand I don’t bother to rinse.
You can use yellow lentils rather than red. I would soak yellow lentils before cooking them; this is not necessary with red.
I am now a fan of my soup maker. It gives great results for very little effort, and the best thing is it doesn’t need any supervision.
I love my Ninja Food Blender and Soup Maker (Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender in the USA), using it several times a week in the colder months.
More soup maker recipes
- Celery soup in a soup maker is another filling soup that easy to make vegetarian or vegan
- Mushroom Soup in the Soup Maker is savoury, delicious and packed with flavour
- Soup maker carrot and coriander soup is a classic that can be made in your kitchen gadget.
- We love soup – here are all our 50 plus soup recipes
Lentil Soup in the Soup Maker
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1 stick celery
- 2 tbsp olive oil or ghee
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 180 g (1 cups) red lentils
- ½ tsp chilli
- 1 stock cube / pot
To finish / garnish
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Peel, top and tail and and roughly chop the carrot. Destring and chop the celery stalk into 2 inch/5cm pieces.1 carrot, 1 stick celery
- Sauté the spices – add the oil, the spices and garlic and ginger pastes and allow to sauté for about two and a half minutes until fragrant. If using ghee allow it to melt before adding the rest of the ingredients. My soup maker's full 5 minute sauté cycle is too long so I stop it half way though. I tend to leave the central bung out of the lid when sautéing so steam can escape. If your soup maker does not have a sauté function then skip this stage.2 tbsp olive oil or ghee, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garam masala
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the machine. Fill with water to the 6 cup mark on the jug. This will be about 4 cups of water, or about a litre.180 g red lentils, ½ tsp chilli, 1 stock cube / pot
- Put the lid on, remembering to replace the central bung, if you removed it for sautéing and press the smooth soup cycle. Most machines will take about thirty minutes, finishing with a longer blend to make a completely smooth and velvety soup. While the soup is cooking and blending it may look as if it is too thin. It will thicken as it cools and will be the perfect texture when you come to eat it.
- Once the cycle has finished check the flavour and seasoning. I like to add lemon juice, and a generous knob of butter, then pulse them in.1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp butter
Notes
- The lemon juice is a great flavour enhancer for many soups and is what makes this version delicious.
- Make the soup richer by adding a knob of butter add at the end of cooking and briefly pulse it in.
- Add different fresh herbs at the end of cooking. I like to pulse them in rather than fully blend. Coriander / cilantro is delicious.
- For a gentle mild and warming lentil soup only use turmeric and garam masala.
- Do not worry if the soup seems too thin whilst cooking, by the time it has cooled enough to be able to eat it will be lovely and thick.
- The recipe as written makes quite a spicy soup, adapt to your taste. Remember that all brands of spices are not equal and that a measuring teaspoon is often far smaller than one you use to stir drinks!
- If your soup maker doesn’t have a sauté function, you can sauté the garlic, ginger and spices. briefly in a pan before putting them in the soup maker. If you decide to skip the sauté stage, don’t leave the oil or ghee out. You will miss it if you do.
- To clean the machine firstly pulse a small amount of boiling water in the empty soup maker jug to dilute the remaining soup, then add it to the rest of the soup. Then clean the jug as below.
- It is far easier to clean a soup maker while it is still warm. Rinse it under the hot tap, fill with warm water and add a few drops of washing up liquid. Set to blend for a few seconds. Then rinse again and leave to dry.
Leave a Reply