Dill pickle soup (zupa ogórkowa) is a tangy yet creamy traditional Polish soup that’s as delicious as it is unusual. Made with pickled gherkins, this Polish pickle soup is the perfect vegetarian comfort food on a cold winter day.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Ingredients
30 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, diced small
2 celery stalks, diced small
250 g (½ lb) pickled gherkins, diced small
100 ml (½ cup) pickle juice
450 g (1 lb ) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock
200 ml (1 cup) sour cream
30 g (½ cup) fresh dill, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion, carrot and celery stalks. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the veggies soften slightly.
Stir in the pickled gherkins, pickle juice, potatoes amd vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Mix a ladle of soup in the sour cream to temper it, then whisk this mixture in the soup. Stir in the fresh dill and season to taste.
Serve with extra fresh dill, sliced dill pickles and rye bread (or your favourite crusty bread).
Polish sauerkraut soup is a simple yet hearty recipe that’s just perfect to enjoy on a cold day. Also known as kapusniak, this sauerkraut soup is naturally vegan and can be easily customized to your liking.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 large onion, diced
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, finely sliced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium parsnip, diced
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon allspice
6-8 juniper berries
2-3 bay leaves
400 g (1 lb) sauerkraut, drained
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 500 g)
1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
Add the leek, carrot and parsnip and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes until the veggies soften.
Stir in the garlic, caraway seeds, marjoram, allspice, juniper berries and bay leaves and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sauerkraut and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Next, add a ladle of veggie stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the potatoes and the rest of the stock and simmer on a low heat for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Season to taste and serve with rye bread or your favourite crusty bread.
This Greek chickpea soup with lemon is packed with vegetables and enhanced with Mediterranean flavours for a nutritious yet super tasty dinner. The perfect warming comfort food for a cold winter’s night, revithia soupa is naturally vegan and pairs well with some
2 x 400 g (14 oz) chickpea cans (or 450 g / 1 lb dry chickpeas)
750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
2 lemons, juice of
Fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and fry the onion over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until it softens. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the carrot and celery to the pot together with the oregano, rosemary and bay leaf. Stir well and tip in the chickpeas and vegetable stock.
Stir well and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and cook for 25-30 minutes with a lid on.
When the soup is done, turn off the heat. Add the extra two tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and chopped parsley if you want and stir well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve with crusty bread on its own.
Notes
If you think that the soup is too thick, add some more vegetable stock.
To thicken the soup, try to crush some of the chickpeas with a wooden spoon.
This Tuscan white bean and kale soup is a hearty variation of the very famous ribollita, a classic Italian recipe usually made with stale bread. My vegan-friendly version has the bread on the side, ready to be dunked in the delicious broth!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium leek, diced (white and light green part only)
1 medium carrot, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
250 g (½ lb) cherry tomatoes, halved
½ tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 x 400 g (14 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom pot and saute the leek, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until they soften.
Stir in the garlic and red chilli flakes and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 3-5, stirring occasionally, until they start to break down.
Next, stir in the fresh thyme and rosemary, then add the beans and veggie stock. Stir to combine and bring the soup to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes with a lid on, then stir in the cavolo nero. Put the lid back on and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes until the kale wilts.
Stir in the fresh parsley, season to taste, and serve with crusty bread.
These Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks are perfect for indoor or outdoor grilling. It’s an easy recipe that takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Just marinate, grill and enjoy!
▢1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke (sub with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)
▢1 large garlic clove , minced or crushed
▢½ teaspoon granulated onion
▢salt and fresh cracked pepper , to taste
Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
In a large and shallow baking dish, whisk all the marinade ingredients together. Taste and add more seasoning if desired (*note: the flavors will be concentrated).
Add the mushrooms to the dish and liberally brush the marinade on all sides. You can also spoon it on. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes, flipping and brushing again midway through the marinating time.
Heat a Grill, Grill Pan OR Skillet over medium-high heat. When fully heated, brush with oil and place the mushrooms on top (they should sizzle when they hit the pan). Don’t move them once they are in the pan, just gently press down with a spatula or tongs. Give them a minimum of 4-5 minutes so they sear. Flip over and sear the other side, adding more oil if needed (you can also brush on more marinade). Grill until browned and tender about 4-5 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
TIPS:
Use a dry, slightly damp paper towel or a soft brush to clean each mushroom. They are like sponges and will absorb a lot of water which can make them soggy.
It’s very important to heat the pan/grill thoroughly before adding the mushrooms or they won’t sear properly.
Don’t overcrowd the pan or the mushrooms will steam and cause a lot of moisture.
SERVING IDEAS: serve with fries, roasted potatoes, salad, macaroni salad, grilled vegetables or potato salad. You can also serve it in a burger bun with roasted peppers, vegan pesto and grilled red onion. *The nutritional information includes the full amount of marinade.
This Lentils Curry is super easy to make & very flavorful. Instructions to cook LENTILS for salads & side are also included in notes.
CourseMain Course, Side Dish
CuisineIndian
KeywordBrown Lentils, Dal, instant pot vegetarian recipes, Lentils Curry
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Servings4
Calories10kcal
Equipment
Measuring Spoons, Measuring Cups, Stirring Spoon,
Chopping board and knife
Instant Pot 6 quart or Mealthy Multipot
Inner Pot
Kitchen Spatula
Ingredients
1 cup Brown Lentils whole, dry
3 Cups Water
1/2 tsp Ginger finely chopped
1 small Green Chili finely chopped (optional) skip to reduce heat. May use 1 jalapeno (de seeded and membranes removed) too.
1 tbsp Cilantro / Coriander leaves finely chopped
1-2 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4-1/2 tsp Red Chili powder or Paprika
1 tsp Garam Masala you can use 1/2 tsp to make it milder
1 piece Black Cardamom optional (it adds smoky flavor to the lentils)
1&1/2 tsp Salt or to taste
Dal Tempering (optional)
1 tbsp Ghee or Cooking Oil (for vegans)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 – 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder or Paprika skip it for mildly flavored dal
Instructions
Always read the whole recipe first then start prepping. Gather the ingredients. ALWAYS READ THE NOTES for tips, storage, substitutes and more options.
First and foremost, wash the Whole Brown Lentils(dry) under running water 3-4 times. Set aside. Finely chop ginger, green chili & cilantro leaves and set aside.
Now put the Stainless Steel Inner Pot inside the Instant Pot and plug it in.
Add washed washed Brown Lentils, Water, Turmeric powder, Red chili powder or Paprika, Garam Masala, Salt, Black Cardamom (optional), finely chopped ginger, & green chili. Give it a good stir. NOTE – You may add any seasoning of your choice at this point (see notes for more options). Or you can also choose to add 1 tbsp of good quality CURRY POWDER in case you want to avoid the list of spices mentioned.
Why Black Cardamom? – Although black cardamom is not commonly used in this recipe, but I love to add it because of its smoky flavor. It adds so much flavor and aroma to the lentil curry while cooking. You can skip it if you do not like it.
Place the lid and secure it. Set the valve to SEALING. Press the PRESSURE COOK BUTTON and set it on high for 14 minutes. Once the timer goes off, follow NPR (natural pressure release). This will yield nice thick, creamy & soft Dal.
If you do not want the dal to be very soft, then pressure cook for 12 minutes and follow QPR after 10 minutes.
Open the lid. Give it a good stir with the Kitchen Cooking Spoon. Your Brown Lentil Curry or Sabut Masoor Dal is Ready. Add chopped Cilantro leaves & Squeeze about 1 -2 tsp of lemon juice on top and mix. Serve it hot.
EMPERING (optional) – Adds so much flavor to the Dal
Heat 1 tbsp Ghee or Oil for Vegans in a small pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tsp Cumin seeds. Once the seeds crackle, add 1/4-1/2 tsp Red chili powder or Paprik to it and switch off the heat. Add this hot on top of the dal. You can skip red chili powder in case you want to keep it mild. Also if you do not want to make the tempering, just add 1 tbsp of Pure Ghee on top and mix.
Serving Suggestion
You can serve these with RICE or Naan/Pita with some cut salad on the side.
STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS
Follow the same recipe and ingredients above. Add all of the ingredients in a heavy bottom sauce pan with 5 cups of water/broth. Bring it to a boil and simmer on low heat till the lentils are soft and cooked. It might take 25-30 minutes on stove top. If the water gets less, then add some more warm water and cook further.
Notes
What kind of Lentils can I use for this recipe?
I normally cook with Brown Lentils. But you can use Black Lentils or Green Lentils also for this recipe. Red lentils are split so they will cook faster. Therefore this time and water ratio wouldn’t work for red lentils. Check out our Red Lentils Dal Recipe for the right measurements and timings. Dry lentils cook really well in Instant Pot.
Is it necessary to soak lentils before cooking?
Brown Lentils are easy to cook. Although you can choose to soak them for 10 minutes, but you can cook them without soaking too.
What is the right ratio of water to Brown lentils? For how long should I cook Lentils in Instant Pot?
Since we are talking about the right ratio and time, then it can vary depending upon how you intend to use the lentils in your recipe. This does not apply to red lentils.
Instant Pot Lentils for Soups and Curries
The ratio is 1:3, where 1 is for dry brown lentils and 3 is for water or broth. Remember, the lentils swell up and thicken as they sit longer.
For more creamy & comforting texture that means slightly mushed lentils, you will cook it for 14 minutes with NPR (natural pressure release). This is our family favorite way of eating lentils.
Instant Pot Lentils for Salads
The ratio is 1:1.5 (1&half), where 1 is for dry lentils and 1.5 is for water or broth. You will cook it for 8 minutes and then do QPR (quick pressure release) for firm bite that is required for the salads.
Instant Pot Lentils as Side
The ratio is 1:2, where 1 is for dry lentils and 2 is for water or broth. You will cook it for 12 minutes and then do NPR (natural pressure release) for just the right bite that is soft and not mushy.
How can I flavor Brown Lentils?
Brown lentils have an amazing flavor profile that is meaty, tender and intense. You can use it in salads, soups, curries, and much more. Here are some flavoring options if you do not like Indian Curry or want more options.
Spice these up with Cajun seasoning.
Italian seasoning works very well too.
You can add salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder & oregano.
Middle Eastern Spices will work very well with the lentils.
Tex Mex Taco seasoning will work wonders.
Salt, Pepper, & lemon juice with fresh herbs make a simple yet delicious addition.
Can I make it ahead of time?
That’s the beauty of lentils that you can make it ahead of time. These are great for MEAL PREPS and can add as a delicious side or a full meal in itself.
How to store the leftovers?
The leftover lentils can easily be refrigerated. These will stay good for up to a week when stored in an air-tight container.
Can I freeze the cooked lentils?
Although I have never frozen the lentils, but most of the cooked beans & lentils can stay good when frozen for 6 months.
How do you eat the cooked lentils?
If you are making a dal or curry with the dry lentils, then you can serve these with RICE or Naan/Pita.
When you prepare it as a soup, then a good loaf of bread and salad on the side is super.
