Lentil Not-Soup (Or Lentil Soup in Solid Form)

This week I’m sharing a simple recipe combining lentils with chopped carrots, celery, and onions for a quick and tasty meal. It’s essentially lentil soup in solid form: a stir-fry of the basic ingredients that make lentil soup.

This creation (perhaps like many) arose from necessity—from facing hunger during and after hiking and needing high-protein food to take on the trail or to prepare in minutes afterwards. Now this dish is also a reliable option when I’m too busy or too tired to cook. It takes only minutes to prepare, is incredibly filling, and can be adjusted to any spices on hand.

Basic Ingredients:

• Cooked lentils (I like the steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s.)
• Chopped carrots, onions, and celery (Trader Joe’s sells this combo already prepared as Mirepoix—a starter for stews, sautés, and sauces. If not using a prepared mix, amounts can be adjusted based on available ingredients and preferred taste.)

Additions for Flavor:

• I like sautéing with olive oil, salt, and pepper, though I’ve also made this dish with various kinds of oil, seasoning salt, and spice mixes found when traveling.

Optional Add-ins (to add when cooking):

• Kale or other greens
• Cumin or other spices

Optional Toppings (to add after cooking):

• Chopped green onions
• Roasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions:

1. If using oil, add roughly a tablespoon to a warm frying pan.
2. Add all remaining ingredients: carrots, onions, celery, lentils, and spices.
3. Stir occasionally, allowing the mixture to brown but not burn.
4. Consider adding additional toppings like green onions for flavor.

I’m sharing this recipe now because it follows a stretch of busy days when I’m especially grateful for meals that can be put together in only a few minutes, with only a few ingredients. Certainly, I wish these foods had less packaging, and I try to offset my consumption in other ways (e.g., by composting, walking to the store, and eating vegan). Yet, I’m reminded again—when reflecting on the limitations of daily actions—of the guiding principles that lead me to this recipe:

“Being vegan, for me, is about imperfectly striving for justice.

Rather than all-or-nothing thinking, it’s small-but-sustained action.

It’s not a finished state, but about always being in the middle (and mess and muck) of it all.

It’s constant, everyday, and enduring—something that keeps me focused daily on the long haul toward justice.”

In addition to staying focused, may we keep making and sharing recipes that fuel the body and lessen harm. May this lentil not-soup be one to inspire many more quick, easy, and accessible meals.

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This post is written by Beth Godbee for Heart-Head-Hands.com. For more posts like this one, you might try “The Austin Airport Meal, Or Why I Love Potatoes and Cabbage with Salsa and Refried Beans” and other vegan + gluten-free recipes. If you appreciate this site, if you connect with the storytelling, or if you use any of the recipes or resources, consider making a one-time or sustaining donation. Please also consider subscribing to posts and liking this blog on FB. Thanks!