Angely
My sprouted lentil squash soup is an easy weeknight dinner to make that’s loaded with nutrients!
Trying to eat more lentils but not craving a curry? I’ve got you covered. Inspired by my mom’s Venezuelan lentil soup, I took the flavor profile from one of my favorite comfort foods growing up and transformed it into a lighter, brothier soup that was also packed with veggies.
Ingredients
- vegan chicken bouillon cubes (I used Edward & Sons Not Chick’N Bouillon Cubes)
- kosher salt
- kabocha squash
- carrots
- yellow onion
- bell pepper (yellow, orange, or red) OR aji dulci (also called ajicito)
- paprika
- cumin
- turmeric
- sprouted lentils or dried green/brown lentils
- low sodium vegetable broth
Why Kabocha Squash? + Substitutions
I used kabocha squash because I happened to buy one at a local Korean grocery store and needed to use up the squash and it went beautifully in my soup! It is a Japanese winter squash, and is deliciously sweet, adding a new layer of flavor to my take on traditional Venezuelan lentils.
Alternatives
- Butternut Squash
- Pumpkin
- Sweet Potato
- Add more carrots!
Nutrient boosting your lentils!
Sprouting your lentils, why do it?
The first time I heard of sprouting lentils was from the chemical engineer Ria Karan on YouTube. Her video on iron levels sparked my interest because she had done her thesis on iron fortification. Here is a link to her video on improving iron levels.
I had suffered from iron deficiency anemia off and on throughout my life (regardless of whether I was eating meat or not) and the idea of soaking lentils and even sprouting them to help me absorb the iron better was impactful.
The science behind this is that beans and lentils are foods high in phytic acid, which can act as a shield to prevent minerals like iron from getting absorbed by attaching to them and forming phytate. 1
In simple terms, the phytic acid in the lentils finds the iron, gives it a hug, and doesn’t let go of that hug so your body has more difficulty absorbing that iron.
How do you separate clingy phytic acid from your precious iron? 3 ways
- soak your beans, lentils, legumes
- sprout your beans, lentils, etc
- eat vitamin C with your meal (reach for a mandarin! 🍊)
These 3 methods increase the bioavailability of the nutrients in the food you’re eating by reducing that phytic acid, making its hold on the nutrients you need weaker. 2 The more bioavailable a nutrient is, the more your body will be able to use it!
If you want to give your sprouted lentils an ★antioxidant power up★ you can do the following:
On day 2 of sprouting your lentils, pop them into the fridge for just one hour and remove them after the hour is complete and continue your process as normal. The antioxidant boost that follows is the plant’s response to temperature stress and thus “ramps up their antioxidant defense system”. 3
PrintInstant Pot Sprouted Lentil Soup
Enjoy this warm, comforting sprouted lentil soup filled with veggies and packed with flavor!
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Venezuelan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 vegan chicken bouillon cubes (I used Edward & Sons Not Chick’N Bouillon Cubes)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 kabocha squash, skin on, cubed
- 5 large carrots, cut into large and medium pieces
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 bell pepper (yellow, orange, or red) OR 4 aji dulces (also called ajicito)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup of sprouted green or brown lentils OR sub 1/2 cup dried green/brown lentils
- 4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
Instructions
- Dice one yellow onion and chop up the carrots and bell pepper (or aji dulce).
- Preheat your instant pot to medium on the sear/sauté setting while you prep the squash.
- If using butternut squash or kabocha squash get a sharpened knife and cut it down the middle. Then scoop out the seeds and cut half the squash into small pieces. If not using squash, use 1 sweet potato and cut it in chunks or add extra carrots.
- Add one to two tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and let it preheat for a minute.
- Add the onion, carrots, and peppers. Saute for 3-4 minutes until onions soften and become translucent.
- Turn off the heat and add the squash cubes.
- Add four cups of veggie broth.
- Add the spices (2 vegan chicken bouillon cubes, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp salt). Stir to incorporate.
- Close the lid and set the knob to the “Sealing” position. Select the Pressure Cook button (Manual on older models) and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once the instant pot has completed cooking for 10 minutes, perform a quick release by switching the knob from sealing to venting. (I use a large kitchen spoon or spatula, never my fingers.)
- Serve and enjoy!
Keywords: instant pot lentil soup, instant pot sprouted lentil soup, instant pot sprouted lentils
References
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-phytic-acid
- Schlemmer U, Frølich W, Prieto RM, Grases F. Phytate in foods and significance for humans: food sources, intake, processing, bioavailability, protective role and analysis. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2009 Sep;53 Suppl 2:S330-75. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200900099. PMID: 19774556.
- Świeca M, Baraniak B. Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of Lentil Sprouts Affected by Elicitation with Temperature Stress. J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Apr 9;62(14):3306-3313. doi: 10.1021/jf403923x. Epub 2014 Mar 28. PMID: 24628432.
