Recipe: Super fast lentil soup

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This lentil soup is so easy, it almost feels like cheating. I literally can put a pot of soup together and it's ready to eat in 20 minutes, maybe less! - without an Instant Cooker (Instapot)!

And it's pretty nutritious and filling, and really inexpensive, too.

The key is to use ONLY shelf-stable pantry staples. No chopping anything, because then there are dishes and you also need more TIME!

Not shown but also needed: SALT

I know, some people only use fresh onions and garlic, but hey. sometimes you don't want to get garlic on your hands, or make your eyes water from chopping onions! So I keep these dried versions in my pantry, and they're also great timesavers. I buy them in bulk from the spice store in my nearby shuk. (If you live in my area, get in touch with me to join the WhatsApp group for deliveries from the spice store in the Teverya shuk!)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups red lentils
• 1-2 tablespoons dried fried onions
• 1-2 tablespoons dried garlic
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot paprika flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 liters boiling water

Pick over and rinse lentils. Put lentils, dried onions, garlic, and paprika flakes in a medium size pot. Add boiling water. Bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes, then turn the flame down, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Add salt and pepper, and mix well. Serve hot.

Croutons of any kind make a great addition (leftover bread makes great croutons)!

I like this soup just the way it is, but I've also been known to add leftover vegetable soup to the pot once the lentils are soft, and turn it into lentil-vegetable soup. Or sometimes I'll toss in some cooked noodles. You can also play with the spice ratios. Nothing here is set in stone -make it your own!

I hope you like this time-saving and very inexpensive soup recipe! Let me know!