I’ve spent almost a year in Dubai, after having relocated there for work. While living and working there, I’ve been trying several interesting recipes from across the Middle East – both in restaurants and in my own kitchen. Though the better known dishes from this part of the world are Hummus, Falafel, Baba Ghanoush, Tabbouleh to name a few, lentil soups are no less popular, in my view. Middle Eastern lentil soups are mildly flavored, nourishing and delicious. Hence the inspiration for this wonderful Spinach & Lentil Soup.
Tabbouleh
Lentils in this Soup
Being born and raised in an Indian vegetarian family, I’m no stranger to lentils. Indian lentil recipes are probably the most elaborate, versatile and delicious across all cuisines. While there are several lentils you can choose from, my favorite lentils (and by far the easiest to work with), are toor (split pigeon peas) and yellow mung. They cook fast, can be made as mushy as you like, and are flavorful. I used a combination of both tur and mung dal, for this recipe, They cook to perfection in the Instant Pot (IP).
Toor and Mung Dals
Garlicky Spinach & Lentil Soup
I love garlic, especially when it is slightly browned. Garlic gives this dish its main flavor (you can also try ginger in place of garlic), in addition to onion, tomato and turmeric. Yes, I couldn’t resist adding turmeric, to give this recipe a wee touch of an Indian flavor. Spinach too was an experimental idea for me, and it ended up adding color and more nutrition to the soup. My wife loves this soup, since she cannot handle many spices.
Overall, this Spinach & Lentil Soup is easy to prepare. Healthy, spiced just right and oh so delicious, this soup makes for a wonderful addition to your weekly lunch menu. Or even to your dinner menu as a side.
Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein. Add spinach to this, and you get the iron your body needs. Turmeric and garlic are not just flavorful, but are a good source of additional nutrients like antioxidants.
Check out our wide range of delicious vegetarian soups:
- Urad Dal Soup | Split Black Gram Lentil Recipe
- Yellow Mung Detox Soup
- Veggie Black Eyed Pea Soup
- Tomato Soup with Seasoning
- Thai Curry Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Broccoli Asparagus Soup
- Vegan Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Black-Eyed Peas Soup
- Creamy Vegan Chayote Squash Soup
- Sambar – Hearty Lentil & Veggie Soup
- Uma’s Veggie-Medley Soup
- White Wine Infused Carrot-Ginger Soup
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Garlicky Spinach & Lentil Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Toor Dal - Split pigeon peas
- 1/2 Cup Yellow Mung
- 1 Clove Garlic - Large, fine cut
- 1/4 Cup Onion - Fine cut
- 1/4 Cup Tomato - Fine cut
- 1/2 Cup Spinach - Chopped
- 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Bran Oil
- 5 Cups Filtered water
Instructions
- Wash lentils, drain, and add 1.5 cups water to the lentils in a bowl. Add half cup water to the Instant Pot (IP) container and set the bowl in the container (pot-in-pot method). Close lid, and set on pressure cook mode for 22 minutes. Allow for natural steam release. With a spoon or spatula, mash the cooked lentils to a fine paste. Add salt, 3 cups water and mix well, to get a soupy texture. Now wipe out the IP container dry, to get it ready for the next step.
- While lentils are cooking, prep the rest of your ingredients: garlic, onion, tomato, spinach, and set them aside in a bowl for quick access.
- Set IP to 'sauté' mode and add oil. Wait for the 'hot' sign, add garlic and allow it to brown slightly. Add onion and repeat the process. Now add tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add spinach and the soupy lentils. Mix well and allow the contents to simmer.
- Transfer to bowl and serve hot.
