I am soup obsessed, especially in the winter and colder months. My body just craves it and I find it so comforting. Did you know our bodies crave foods based on the seasons? Soup is a winter staple item in my house and I always have frozen containers in my freezer so I can easily defrost one if I have a day I don’t want to cook. The best part about this recipe is you can easily substitute the vegetables out for other ones you have, especially ones on the verge of going bad in your fridge! This soup is vegan, gluten free, and sugar free!
This soup is really hearty so I eat it as a meal for either lunch or dinner. It has spinach, which is great for boosting immunity during the winter months and flu season (check out my blog post on other foods that are great to boost your immune system). This soup also has red lentils, which is a good source of protein and is fiber rich, keeping you full longer. Lentils are also high in iron, help with gut health, and have lots of other nutrients like folic acid and potassium. You can purchase lentils in bulk at many grocery stores and they are a very affordable protein, making them good as a budget option. There are many kinds of lentils, but the red ones are quick to cook so I like adding them to my soups. Â
This soup takes a little over an hour to make and is done in one large dutch oven making clean up very easy. This recipe makes a big batch so you can freeze it in containers once cooled. I like to use these and use this tape that I write the soup ingredients and date on. It holds well and keeps my freezer organized!
Substitution
- fresh thyme: you can use 2 tsp of dried thyme instead
Other Soup Combinations
- Broccoli, White Bean, and Butternut Squash
Cauliflower Spinach Red Lentil Soup
Cooking & Baking Supplies
- Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- Storage Containers
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 3 medium yellow onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp olive oil (+ additional olive oil as needed to make sure veggies do not stick to the pot)
- 3 32oz low sodium vegetable broth
Vegetables
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 cups carrots, chopped
- 4 cups spinach, tightly packed
Spices & Flavor
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Protein
- 1 14oz red lentils, dry
Instructions
- Cut your onions, cauliflower and carrots into cubes.
- Saute onions in olive oil on medium heat until browned. This could take 15-20 minutes and you should make them browned to your liking (I like my onions very browned and caramelized). Once the onions are almost done, add in the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add in the cauliflower and saute and then add in the carrots, mixing all of the ingredients together with the onions and garlic. This could take about 15-20 minutes.
- Add in the spices to the mixture and mix for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the vegetable broth and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until all the vegetables slightly softer but not too soft because they will continue to cook. Stir frequently.
- Rinse the red lentil and add them to the soup and cook for about 5-6 minutes.
- Turn off the heat when lentils are done and add in the spinach so it gets wilted.
- Let the soup cool (I often let this sit on the stove in my covered Lodge overnight) and then portion out into storage containers. You can store in the fridge for a few days or freeze for later (up to 3 months). ENJOY!
