Vegan Leek Soup with Lentils

Soups are known to make you happy, aren't they? And they keep you warm from the inside. This vegan leek soup with lentils is definitely not to be missed during the gray and cold season. Not only is it nice and creamy, but the green lentils give it bite. By adding yeast flakes, the soup slightly resembles a cheese and leek soup, simply in vegan. And the chervil gives it a sweet anise-like note. You see this soup has something for everyone!

Course soup & stews

Cuisine Swiss

Keyword leek, leeksoup, lentils, soups, vegan leek soup with lentils

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 475kcal

Author Velvet & Vinegar

Equipment

1 Emaille soup pot
1 sieve optional
1 blender or hand held blender
1 soup ladle
1 cast iron pan
1 kitchen brush

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
6 leeks, approx. 600g, cut into coarse rings
1 L vegetable broth, corresponds to 1L water and 20g vegetable broth powder
200 g Puy lentils = green lentils
500 ml water or vegetable broth
300 g butternut squash, diced
120 g shiitake mushrooms
1 tbsp aceto balsamico
1-2 handful of peas, frozen* optional
1 package bacon cubes vegan* optional
salt, as needed
1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast*
1 lemon*, quartered
15 g chervil*, finely chopped

Instructions

First prepare all the fresh ingredients for the soup. Peel and finely chop onions and garlic. Remove soil from leeks and wash well, cut in half and into rings. Peel pumpkin and cut flesh into small cubes.
Heat olive oil in soup pot. It should sizzle when drops of water come in, but not form smoke.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir regularly to make sure nothing burns. Onions should become translucent.
Add leek rings and sauté over medium heat for about another 10 minutes. Stir regularly to make sure nothing burns. Leek rings will collapse and become translucent.
Deglaze leeks with vegetable broth and add lentils. Increase heat briefly until soup simmers gently. Then lower heat to low and simmer soup, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes.
Set aside 2 to 4 soup ladles of the lentils and leek rings and keep warm. You will only need the solids. Use a strainer to drain the liquid and return it to the soup.
Blend remaining soup with a blender or hand-held blender until creamy. There should be no chunks left. Be careful the soup splashes are very hot, so do not burn yourself.
Return pureed soup to soup pot. Depending on the consistency of the soup, add water or vegetable broth again gradually until the soup has the desired thinning/consistency. I had to add another 500ml.
Add pumpkin cubes to the soup. And simmer the soup on low heat, covered, for another 20 to 30 minutes. The pumpkin should be cooked but still have bite.
Meanwhile, brush a cast-iron skillet with a little oil and heat. Over medium-high heat, sauté the shiitake mushrooms until hot, for 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them and stir regularly. Mushrooms should be cooked but still have bite.
Remove cast iron skillet from heat and deglaze mushrooms with balsamic. Stir well and vigorously to ensure all mushrooms are coated with balsamic. Set aside and keep warm.
If you want to add bacon cubes and/or peas, now is the time. Add frozen peas to soup 5 minutes before serving. Sear bacon cubes in cast iron skillet for 2 to 3 minutes and then add to soup also 5 minutes before serving.
Taste soup and if necessary add more salt as needed. Divide soup among 4 bowls and stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of yeast flakes and a few squirts of lemon juice per bowl, depending on preference. Please work gradually here, as tastes vary.
Spread set aside lentils and leek rings, and shiitake mushrooms over soup. Sprinkle chopped chervil on top and serve immediately.

Notes

*Peas and vegan bacon cubes are completely optional. The former add a nice splash of green color to the soup. The latter convinces with a kick of umami and smoky flavor. Alternatively, you can add 1 to 2 drops of liquid smoke to the mushrooms.

*Nutritional yeast and lemon juice are actually optional as well. However, I find the nutritional yeast gives a yummy cheesy flavor and the lemon juice gives that certain tartness. Who does not like it, leaves it out. Also dose carefully, because not everyone likes the same amount of it. I like both very intense.

*Who does not like the aroma of chervil, can use parsley or chives.

Nutrition