What is Yondu Sauce?
For this spiced carrot and lentil soup I used Yondu which is a seasoning sauce that brings a ton of flavor to plant-based foods and eliminates the need for added sugar and salt in this recipe. Yondu is made from triple fermented beans and 8 different umami-rich vegetables for a flavor that is super unique while still being vegan, gluten-free, & organic!
In fact, using Yondu completely replaces the need for vegetable broth in this vegan carrot ginger soup! It truly enhances the natural sweetness of the carrots, the fiery and spicy flavors of the dried ginger, and the sweet earthy flavors of the lentils in this recipe.
How to make carrot lentil soup
First, cook the carrots, shallots, & ginger
Add the oil to a pan and, once hot, add in the chopped carrots and minced shallots. I personally just wash my carrots and do not peel them to reduce waste, but peeled carrots will also work in this recipe!
Cook the carrots and shallots for 5-8 minutes until they have begun to caramelize. Then, add in the minced garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Add in lentils & ginger and toast
Next, add in the red lentils & the 2 tsp of dried ginger and stir everything together to toast for about 1 minute.
This really helps to bring out the flavor of the dried ginger and also leads to the best lentil texture. If using fresh ginger, you'll want to use more ginger- around 1-2 Tbsp of grated ginger for the right flavor.
.jpeg "Carrot Lentil Ginger Soup")
Left: Carrots ,shallots, and garlic after cooking, Right: Adding in lentil and ginger to toast
Add in the water, yondu, & tomato paste and cook
Then, add in the water, Yondu sauce, & tomato paste. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 10-12 minutes until the lentils are completely cooked through.
Some lentils might take slightly longer to cook if they are older, so keep this in mind and make sure to test that the lentils are truly cooked through before blending.
Blend the soup
Once the lentils are cooked, use an immersion blender to blend everything together. You can also pour the soup into a standing blender if you do not have an immersion blender.
.jpeg "Carrot Lentil Ginger Soup")
Add toppings & serve
Once the soup is completely blended and smooth, serve with your favorite soup toppings. I love a good swirl of coconut cream on top, fresh cilantro or parsley, and hemp seeds for extra protein. Plus, you better believe I am serving this carrot lentil soup with a slice of buttery garlic bread!
For this recipe, we are using a decent amount of Yondu sauce because we are not using any vegetable broth (which usually has added flavor and sodium).
Believe it or not, 1 bottle of Yondu is actually equivalent to 30 cups of veggie broth. If you are using Yondu in a recipe with a sauce, just add a few drops for an umami flavor! It is shelf-stable for 24 months, which means it's an amazing condiment to use for any occasion.
What color lentils work best in this soup?
For this recipe, you 100% have to use red/orange lentils. Red lentils get mushy and lose their texture during cooking which makes them ideal for a blended soup.
Brown or green lentils won't work as intended in this recipe as they stay firm and really hold their shape while cooking. They also don't absorb quite as much water, so the soup would be too watery with a different lentil variety.
Ultimately, you have to decide what is healthy for you, but this soup is certainly packed with nutrients! Thanks to the carrot this recipe has a lot of Vitamin C and Vitamin A.
Plus, because of lentils, each serving has around 14 grams of plant-based protein and 16 grams of fiber. It has no added sugar either. For my personal diet, I consider this soup a great nourishing dinner recipe for those two reasons alone!
Leftover soup can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If freezing, try to store in individual containers for the easiest defrosting process.
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 2 cups chopped carrots about 4 carrots diced
- 2 shallots minced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 5 cups water
- 3 Tbsp Yondu sauce can add more if desired
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- salt & pepper to taste only add salt at the end if needed as Yondu will provide the salty flavor
INSTRUCTIONS- First, chop the vegetables. Then add the oil to a large pot or dutch oven and turn on the heat. Once hot, add in the diced carrots and minced shallots and cook for 5-8 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to brown and caramelize.
- Next, add in the minced garlic, stir, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the red lentils and ginger and stir with the vegetables to toast everything for about 1 minute. Then, add in the water, Yondu sauce, and tomato paste.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the soup to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes until the red lentils are softened and fully cooked. This may take longer for some lentils, but mine took right around 10 minutes to fully cook.
- Remove the pot of soup from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend into a thick creamy soup. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can also add the soup to a large blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve the soup in 4 bowls while warm and top with your favorite soup toppings. I like mine with a swirl of coconut cream, cilantro, hemp seeds, and a side of garlic bread. Enjoy!
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