Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Wholemeal Pita Crisps

This wholesome Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Wholemeal Pita Crisps is so tasty and filling – but healthy too!

Red lentils cooked down until sweet and creamy, blended together with onion, peppers, carrots and stock, then finished off with cheddar cheese – stirred in until melty and perfect.

This is a great soup for making in bulk and then taking to work. It freezes and re-heats really well, so I usually split it into portions for a lunch that Chris can grab and take out with him.

If you happen to be eating this at home though, the added topping of crunchy wholemeal pita crisps is a great (and less calorific) alternative to that big chunk of bread.

I’ve been making this soup for about 8 years now – since my daughter was tiny. It started out as a baby puree for her, and I just added a couple of extra ingredients to turn it into a soup for me.

I was a bit puree mad back then. I had to go back to work when she was six-months old, so one of my ways of keeping the mummy-guilt in check was to always make her lovely homemade baby food.  I think I tried her on one jar of apple puree when she was about 6 months old, and she puked it all up like something from the Exorcist. Sorry, you probably didn’t need to hear that!

But that was it, I stuck to the homemade stuff after that.

and I’ve been making this Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Wholemeal Pita Crisps ever since.

Speaking of mummy-guilt, it’s the last day of the Easter holidays, and my kids are looking at me pleadingly to take them to the park.  Signing off early!

Have a great weekend everyone x

Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Wholemeal Pita Crisps Recipe:

Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Wholemeal Pita Crisps

This lentil and red pepper soup with wholemeal pita crisps is so tasty and filling – but healthy too!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: British

Servings: 3 servings

Author: Nicky Corbishley

Ingredients

The Soup:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion peeled and chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper deseeded and chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and chopped
• 100 g red lentils
• 720 ml vegetable stock (use vegetable bouillon for gluten free)
• ¼ tsp salt
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 75 g cheddar cheese, grated

Pita Chips:

• 1 large wholemeal pita bread gluten free pita if required
• 1.5 tsp olive oil
• Pinch salt
• Pinch pepper
• Pinch paprika

To Serve:

• Extra cheese
• Ground black pepper
• Chopped fresh parsley

UK (metric) - **Convert to US Measures**

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add in the red pepper and carrots and cook for another couple of minutes.
• Add in the lentil and stir to coat in the oil. Add in the stock and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Whilst the soup is simmering, make the pita crisps. Preheat the oven to 180c/350f
• Slice the pita bread into thin strips and place in a heap on a baking tray. Drizzle over the oil and then sprinkle on the salt, pepper and paprika. Use your hands and mix everything up together, so all of the pita strips have a coating of oil.
• Place in the oven and cook for 5 minutes until browned and crispy. Keep and eye on them whilst they’re cooking to make sure they don’t burn.
• Once cooked, take out of the oven and leave on the tray to cool until the soup is ready.
• After the soup has been cooking for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and carefully blend it using a hand blender. The soup should be thick, but you can add a little hot water if you want to thin it down a little.
• Stir in the cheese, salt and pepper.
• Divide between three bowls and sprinkle with cheese, pita crisps, black pepper and parsley.

Recipe Notes

If you want to prepare this soup ahead, cool it completely once made, then cover and refrigerate (will keep for 2-3 days) or freeze. Defrost and heat in a pan or the microwave until piping hot throughout.

The pita crisps can be made the day before, then sealed in an air-tight container and left at room temperature.

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Nutritional Information is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Nutrition Facts

Lentil and Red Pepper Soup with Wholemeal Pita Crisps

Amount Per Serving

Calories 373 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 6g30%

Cholesterol 26mg9%

Sodium 705mg29%

Potassium 675mg19%

Carbohydrates 40g13%

Fiber 13g52%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 11685IU234%

Vitamin C 58.3mg71%

Calcium 226mg23%

Iron 3.4mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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