Pea Soup with Lentils
Two legume sources in one bowl. Canned lentils and frozen garden peas simmer with onion, garlic, carrot, and dried thyme into a thick, warming soup that lands at 18g of fiber and 19g of plant protein in 25 minutes.
At 402 calories, this is the kind of lunch that fills without weighing you down.
Two legume sources in one bowl. Canned lentils and frozen garden peas simmer with onion, garlic, carrot, and dried thyme into a thick, warming soup that lands at 18g of fiber and 19g of plant protein in 25 minutes.
At 402 calories, this is the kind of lunch that fills without weighing you down.
Ingredients
- lentils, canned 5 ounces
- onion 0.5
- garlic 1 clove
- carrot 1
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- garden peas (frozen) 6 ounces
- vegetable bouillon 1 cube
- water 1.75 cup
- thyme, dried 1 teaspoon
Method
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Drain and rinse the lentils.
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Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Peel and dice the carrot into small pieces.
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Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for about 2-3 minutes. Next, add the carrot and sauté for about 2 minutes. Pour the peas into the saucepan.
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Add the vegetable broth and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
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Stir in the lentils and the thyme and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir the lentils in during the last five minutes, not earlier. Canned lentils are already cooked. Adding them too soon breaks them down into a starchy paste instead of leaving distinct, tender bites throughout the soup.
Behind this recipe
Is 19g of protein enough for a full meal?
It depends on what else you eat that day. Research on per-meal protein utilization shows that 19g from two complementary plant sources is biologically sufficient for a single sitting in a maintenance context. If you are actively building muscle or in a calorie deficit, a protein-rich side or snack later in the day helps hit higher daily targets.
Read the full evidence reviewHow does this soup have 18g of fiber?
Two legume sources do the heavy lifting. Frozen peas contribute both soluble and insoluble fiber, and canned lentils add their own. Together they deliver 4.5g of fiber per 100 calories, which is among the highest fiber densities in the recipe library. Research links higher fiber intake to faster fat loss in calorie-controlled diets, partly because fiber slows digestion and keeps you full longer.
Read the full evidence reviewCan I use fresh peas instead of frozen?
Fresh peas work, but frozen are actually a better bet for consistency. Frozen peas are blanched and flash-frozen within hours of harvest, which locks in their texture and nutrients. Fresh peas vary depending on season and how long they sat on the shelf. Either way, the cooking time stays the same.
