How to Make Red Lentil Soup with Chicken and Turnips

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Hello PinkWhen readers! Justine from Cooking and Beer here. I’m so pleased to meet all of you! I was absolutely thrilled when Jen asked me to join the contributor team, and I’m super excited to share all of the scrumptious recipes I have hiding up my sleeve. The first recipe to come out of the old vault: this red lentil soup with chicken and turnips. Don’t be afraid. It’s delicious. I promise.

How to Make Red Lentil Soup

New year. New beginnings.

I’m sure most of us are thinking about our resolutions and what we hope to accomplish in 2015, whether it’s food and diet related, keeping our lives organized, or staying fit. I know all of these things cross my mind 1 billion times a day.

I think incorporating healthier foods into our diets tend to be the most common trend, but that doesn’t mean that clean and wholesome eats have to be boring and tasteless. I’m totally going to prove this to you with this red lentil soup!

I think red lentils totally get the raw end of the deal when it comes to lentil varieties. Green and brown lentils are by far more popular, but red lentils are just as tasty, and I personally think they add the perfect touch of brightness to your food.

How to Make Red Lentil Soup with Chicken and Turnips

What is so great about this soup is not only how easy it is to whip up, but how warm and cuddly it makes you feel on the inside. It’s so warming, making it perfect for those cold winter days. It’s comforting without being ultra heavy.

The recipe can totally be altered to a vegan lentil soup version with the removal of the chicken, thus making it the perfect meatless Monday dinner idea. Turnips add the perfect crunch and supply you with that most necessary Vitamin C, something that we all seem to crave this time of year.

I personally love this soup with some cracked black pepper, diced avocado and fresh micros greens sprinkled on top! Give it a try!

Red Lentil Soup with Chicken and Turnips

(Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Gluten-Free)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients

olive oil
yellow onion, diced
carrots, peeled and diced
celery stalks, diced
cloves of garlic, finely minced
salt and black pepper, to taste
can plum tomatoes, drained and rinsed, chopped
large turnip, peeled and diced
dried red lentils, rinsed
vegetable stock
fully-cooked chicken breast, shredded (may be omitted for a vegan lentil soup version)
flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
additional toppings: diced avocado, micro greens, chopped basil)

Instructions

1. To a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Season conservatively with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

2. To the pot, add the tomatoes, turnip and red lentils. Stir to combine. Stir in the vegetable stock and increase the heat on the stove to high.

3. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the turnips are tender and the lentils are cooked through.

4. Add the chicken breast and parsley. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

5. Serve the soup immediately garnished with fresh parsley and any additional toppings. Enjoy!

I hope you guys enjoy this red lentil soup with chicken and turnips. It’s a crowd pleaser around my house! Have a great day everyone! xo

You might also like these brown butter twice baked sweet potatoes or this snap pea and green bean salad.

Have you made this? Rate our recipe below! Print the recipe, rate it, and learn more about PinkWhen!

Review Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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Red Lentil Soup with Chicken and Turnips

Delicious red lentil soup with chicken. Omit the chicken for an easy vegan dish. 

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 363kcal

Author Justine Sulia

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks diced
• 6 cloves of garlic finely minced
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 28 ounce-can plum tomatoes drained and rinsed, chopped
• 1 large turnip peeled and diced
• 2 cups dried red lentils rinsed
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups fully-cooked chicken breast shredded (may be omitted for a vegetarian version)
• 1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley chopped (plus extra for garnish)
• additional toppings: diced avocado micro greens, chopped basil)

Instructions

• To a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Season conservatively with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
• To the pot, add the tomatoes, turnip and red lentils. Stir to combine. Stir in the vegetable stock and increase the heat on the stove to high. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the turnips are tender and the lentils are cooked through. Add the chicken breast and parsley. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve the soup immediately garnished with fresh parsley and any additional toppings. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 1031mg | Potassium: 1730mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 166.3% | Vitamin C: 88.1% | Calcium: 10.4% | Iron: 29.8%

**Nutrition facts are based on my best estimation for this recipe. They may not be accurate depending on what brands you use or modifications you might make to the recipe. For most accurate calculations, I recommend using a nutrition calculator with the exact brands and measurements you use with the recipe.

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