Red lentils and kabocha blend together to make a creamy, satisfying, and high protein soup. Plant-based, gluten-free, and nut-free!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Vegan
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1½-2lbkabocha squashabout ½ a medium kabocha
1tbspvegan butter or olive oil
2clovesgarlicminced
2tspgingerminced
1small onionchopped
1carrotchopped, optional
handful ofcelery leaveschopped, optional
1applepeeled and chopped, optional for a sweeter soup
1bay leaf
⅔cupdry red lentilsrinsed
¼cupraw sunflower seedsor cashews
4-5cupsvegetable broth**
1tspdried thyme
¼tspsalt and pepperor more to taste
1tspwhite misooptional
Instructions
Prep kabocha: Use a peeler to peel some of the green skin off the kabocha. I like to leave some of the skin on for nutrients, but this will make the soup a darker color. Cut kabocha in half and scoop out the seeds, then chop into chunks.
Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once butter melts (or oil is hot), add garlic and ginger and stir for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until softened.
Add kabocha, carrots, celery leaves, apple (if using), and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
Add bay leaf and stir for 30 seconds.
Add rinsed lentils, sunflower seeds, and 4 cups of broth. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil.
Skim off the white foam that appears on top, ideally using a mesh sieve but a spoon will work too. Reduce heat if the soup is boiling too aggressively - you want to maintain a simmer. Add more vegetable broth if the veggies aren't submerged in liquid.
Once you've removed the foam, add thyme, cover the pot, and simmer until kabocha is soft, about 15 minutes. A fork should easily pierce through the kabocha. Turn off heat and remove bay leaf. Add miso if using.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. OR cool for a bit then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth (you may need to do this in batches - don't overfill your blender). Taste soup and add salt/pepper as desired.
Notes
Vegetable Broth: You can also use water + vegetable bouillon (I use 1/2 tsp better than bouillon*).