By Janette Rallison last edited 11-18-2024

Zesty and hearty, Ginger Lentil Soup blends fresh ginger, aromatic vegetables, and rich tomato broth for a comforting, flavor-packed bowl that soothes the soul.

There's something deeply satisfying about a hearty, aromatic soup that fills your kitchen with warmth and comfort. Janette’s Ginger Lentil Soup isn’t just another soup; it’s a bold blend of flavors that brings out the earthy richness of lentils and the zing of fresh ginger. Whether you're seeking to uplift your day or ward off a chilly evening, this soup is your ticket to a soul-soothing, taste-bud-dancing experience.

Ginger Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (depending on how many carrots and ginger you use)
• 1 big onion, minced
• 2-4 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 3 garlic, minced
• ¼-1/3 cup minced fresh ginger (medium-large sized fresh ginger root)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 can (170-g/6-oz) tomato paste
• 1 can (400-g/14-oz) tomato, diced
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bag (450g/1-lb) lentils
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Sunwarrior Lion’s Mane Mushroom powder
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar or other sweetener.

Instructions

Put the lentils in a large pot of water and bring them to a boil. Turn heat off and soak while you work on the rest of the recipe. If you’re really prepared and read recipes ahead of time—or have a time machine—soak the lentils overnight. I’m only telling you to do this because this is how my mother taught me to do it. Maybe you can just plop those raw, unsoaked lentils in at the end, and they’ll cook up just fine. But if they’ve been sitting on your shelf for a while, (and yeah, mine often do because I plan on making dinner way more than I actually make dinner) they’ll take longer to cook.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook ginger for five minutes then add carrots, celery, and onions. The size of the carrot and celery slices will determine how long you need to cook them. I slice mine thin with a food processor so they cook in about an additional 10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the onions are tender and pale yellow.

By the way, this is a good time to turn on an audiobook. Otherwise, stirring is boring and may lead you to consider any poor life choices you’ve made. We don’t want that.

Turn to low heat. Add tomato paste and black pepper. Stir until glumpy looking. Don’t act like you don’t know what glumpy looking means. It’s what it looks like when you know if your kids walk in right now, they’re going to complain about dinner. Also, this is where you discover whether you used a big enough frying pan. If you didn’t, you may need to dump everything into a big pot at this point. If you’ve still got room and feel adventurous, then heck yeah, put in that can of diced tomatoes! You’re living the dream with your excellent cookware!

Add broth and lentils. *If you’re cooking with an Instapot, you might need to only put in 7 cups of the broth and add the rest later, depending on your fill line. (Hey, I’m not taking chances with that all-authoritative fill line. I harbor a secret fear that one day I’ll pass it, and my Instapot will stop working.)

If you don’t have an Instapot, you should get one. It totally won’t blow up on you and makes cooking soup so much easier. But if you don’t have one, cook your soup in a large pot over medium high heat until the soup is simmering. Stir occasionally, again listening to your audiobook. Turn to low heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste. If your lentils are older, you’re going to have to cook this for longer. I hope you aren’t making this for company, and they’re all sitting around, hungry and waiting.

Enjoy! Also, if you do have a time machine, we should be friends because there are some things I’d like to change in my life…like not understanding lentils while I was making this soup for company.

Full disclosure

I actually cook my ginger separately from the carrots, onions, and celery because I want my ginger to be the perfect amount of softness. But doing it that way gives you another frying pan to clean—and heaven knows those little ingrates we call children aren’t going to help with the dishes despite the fact that you slaved over the stove while listening to your audiobook.

Probably most people can cook them all together and be perfectly happy with the results. I am not most people.

As you enjoy each nourishing spoonful, remember that cooking is as much about savoring the process as it is about the result. Whether you stirred your lentils while contemplating life or simply cranked up an audiobook, you’ve created something truly special. Here’s to warmth, bold flavors, and moments made meaningful—one pot of ginger lentil soup at a time. Enjoy!