It seems like I’ve been cooking a lot lately. That’s because cooking or baking something is the best way to warm up the house on a chilly day. I’m all about comfort food right now, so I decided to make one of my favorite cold weather dishes- Mexican lentil soup. Ready to start cooking? Here we go!
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Lentil soup is very popular in Mexico during the winter and Lent, and it’s also a popular dish for New Year’s Eve. Besides, lentils are cheap, easy to cook, nutritious, and very filling, so what’s not to like?
A Special Ingredient
What I love about this soup are the plantains. I love plantains! In the southeastern and coastal provinces, plantains are everywhere- fried, mashed, stewed, with soup, with rice, with beans, or with sugared condensed milk for dessert. Fortunately, in Mexico, you can find plantains all year long, which is great because lentil soup just wouldn’t be the same without them.
Prep
Start by sifting through a cup of dry lentils to take out any little rocks or debris, much like you would when prepping beans. Then, rinse the lentils well. My mom soaks them overnight, but honestly, I always forget this step. Don’t worry about it, because they also cook well without all that soaking.
Cook
Next, cook the lentils in a pot with plenty of water, a small onion, a garlic clove, and salt. They take about 45 minutes to an hour to cook.
Season
While the lentils are cooking, puree a couple of tomatoes, half an onion, a garlic clove, and about two cups of water. Heat a pan and pour this mixture in. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer for a few minutes until it changes color.
Veggies
When the lentils are soft, take out the onion and add the tomato mixture and sliced carrots. Let it cook until the carrots are soft.
Plantains
Finally, when the soup is almost done, add the sliced plantains and let them get a little soft.
Now, wasn’t that easy? Your soup is ready to be enjoyed! Buen provecho!
Family Memories
I love this soup because it reminds me a lot of my grandmother. I have a very fond memory of her welcoming us into her home with a pot of steamy lentil soup on a cold winter day. Like most Mexican abuelas, she was a warm, kind-hearted lady who loved to cook for her family. She would be happy to know my mom and I are still using her recipes.
Awesome post here! I lived in Mexico for about three years and loved the lentil soup! Will definitely try this recipe. Back here in the states, I am a fan of the Greek Lentil Soup recipe, from the vegetarian classic cookbook “Laurel’s Kitchen” that my grandmother gave me. I also made that in MX. Hooray for lentils!! 🙂
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Thanks! Do you have the recipe for the greek lentil soup? I would love to try that!
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Here is a link to the recipe, and it even shows the classic cookbook! Enjoy!
http://bennydesk.com/greek-lentil-soup-simple-and-easy/
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Thanks!!
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A lovely recipe, hearty and filling. I love lentils, they are not only healthy, but also delicious.
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OMG Lentejas!! YES!!!
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In Greece we make the exact same lentil soup – I also make it a lot in the winter, every one likes it – except for the plantains! We eat it with black olives and maybe some feta cheese.
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Lentils with black olives and feta cheese sounds yummy! I love lentils because you can give them a special touch by adding different ingredients.
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I’ve never had lentejas with plantains before. I’m sure my girls would love that. I just made lentejas last weekend (Spanish style with chicken ans Spanish chorizo) I’ll have to remember the plaintains for next time. Nothing better than a nice warm bowl of lentejas on a cold day 🙂
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I’ve had lentejas with chorizo and they’re amazing! My little girl loves lentils with plantains, I’m sure she would also love them Spanish-style.
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That’s how I grew up eating them, I love them. Even my husband who isn’t fond of lentejas loves them Spanish style. Next time I’ll make them with the plaintains and see what they think 🙂
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This sounds great, I would love to make this. Pinning so I can. 🙂
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You won’t be sorry!
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I love chili in the winter!
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That’s delicious comfort food!
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I love lentil soup, but I never would have thought to add plantains. My husband adores them so I will have to try to track some down at the import shop (they´re not exactly native to Sweden) and make this!
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Wow, it sounds a little trick to find plantains in Sweden. Do fruits and veggies get more expensive/hard to find during the winter?
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Wow! The addition of plantains sounds awesome. We love making lentil soups at our home but I haven’t ever tried it with a plantain! Will be definitely giving this a try 🙂
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Let me know if you liked it 🙂
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