Cookin' Canuck - Hearty Lentil & Black Bean Soup with Smoked Paprika Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to soak black beans before making soup? ›

"Black beans cook so quickly soaking only saves 30 minutes or so. It also marginally helps keep them whole, but you're going to be pureeing some anyway. and the flavor is so much better.

So hearty, healthy and easy with just 213 calories per serving!

If you happen to run out of the legume when making a hearty lentil soup, split peas are the next best thing. With both lentils and split peas coming from the legume family, they can be used almost interchangeably. Although they look alike, they're grown and cultivated in different ways.

Lentil stew: You can substitute chickpeas, black beans, or kidney beans for the lentils in lentil stew. Lentil salad: You can substitute black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans for the lentils in lentil salad.

Short answer: They take longer to cook. Long answer: Many people claim that soaking beans is not necessary. The argument for this method is while it does take longer to cook, unsoaked beans end up having better flavor.

Nutrition aside, the other main consideration is texture. For soups, stews and anything else liquidy, feel free to use the whole can — just keep in mind that you'll be adding more liquid than if the recipe calls for drained and rinsed beans.

Eating more lentils may help people maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. Replacing energy-dense (or high calorie) foods with legumes such as lentils can help people prevent or manage obesity and lose weight. Research suggests that regularly eating lentils may help with the management and prevention of diabetes.

However, it's worth bearing in mind – if you are planning on eating lentils every day – that the fibre they contain can be difficult to break down and can potentially cause gas and cramping if you eat too much of it.

This nutritious, well-balanced soup counts as a meal if you enjoy a generous portion. Lentils are rich in protein, fiber, iron and folate. Lentil soup packs well for lunch in a leak-proof container, and it tastes even better the next day.

To avoid a bland lentil soup, use a flavorful broth—whether that's homemade or store-bought chicken or vegetable broth. The other key is building flavor. To do so, use aromatics like onions and garlic, include fresh or dried herbs, and season well with salt and pepper.

Can you overcook lentils in soup? ›

Yes, cooking lentils for too long will cause them to become mushy. Cooking them at a rapid boil will also cause them to get mushy. Simmer them slowly to keep them intact.

This lentil soup should be fairly thick, but if you prefer a thicker soup, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl.

If you don't have stock on hand, add onion, carrots, celery, garlic cloves and/or herbs to the pot. All of these are mild flavors that can jump in any direction depending on how you're going to use the cooked lentils.

However, because they are good fats, we're willing to declare Chickpeas as the winner when it comes to fats. Fats from plants and vegetables in particular tend to be healthy. Chickpea and lentils both only contain what scientists consider "good fats." Therefore, Chickpeas are better as they have more "good fats."

Lentils are a nutritious food that's low-fat and high in protein and fiber. While they make a delicious addition to a soup, stew or salad, you should not eat them raw. No matter which type of lentils you buy, you can easily cook them by boiling your lentils in water on the stove.

Soaking helps reduce the cooking time, but only by about twenty minutes, so it's not necessary. Some people pour off the water that they soaked the beans in. They say that it helps reduce gas. It really doesn't and it's a way to throw out a lot of the nutrients.

Step 1Rinse beans and check for stones and debris. Add beans to a large bowl and add water to cover by at least 4 inches. Cover and let soak for at least 6 hours and up to overnight. Step 2Drain beans and return to pot.

Let's get this straight: You do not have to soak dry beans for soups and stews. Dried beans are just as easy to cook as canned; they just take more time. Simply toss them into the pot with lots of vegetables and seasonings, cover with water or stock, and let them simmer away on their own while you go about your day.

Place the beans in a bowl or pot, cover with cold water, and allow to soak overnight *OR* add beans to a medium pot and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, then boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow the beans to sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them with cold water.