A Hearty Lentil Soup for Recovery Days
A one-pot soup full of plant protein and fibre — cheap, filling, and ready in about 40 minutes.
Written by the Move8 physiotherapy team
Healing tissue needs steady fuel, and this one-pot soup delivers it without fuss — plant protein from lentils, plenty of vegetables, and enough fibre to keep you satisfied. It freezes well, so one batch covers several days.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 250g dried red lentils, rinsed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: a spoonful of plain yoghurt to serve (dairy)
Method
1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 5-6 minutes until softened.
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin and paprika and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are soft.
4. Season to taste. Leave it chunky, or mash it a little with the back of a spoon for a thicker texture.
5. Serve with a spoonful of yoghurt if you like.
Each bowl provides roughly 15g of protein plus a good dose of fibre and vitamins — gentle, steady fuel for a recovering body.
This article is educational and does not replace a medical diagnosis or advice from your physiotherapist.