High-Protein Vegetable Soup With Lemon, Lentils, Chickpeas, and a Little Coconut

Winter's taking its sweet time this year, but I think we can officially declare soup season open.

Every year, as soon as winter arrives, I haul a giant pot onto the stove and make enough soup to last two or three days.

This time, I decided to combine a classic orange vegetable soup—all those naturally sweet, orange veggies—with red lentils and chickpeas.

This soup doesn't need hours on the stove. You don't have to remember to soak any beans the night before. Best of all, it's rich in protein, so you can make a meal of it without overthinking dinner.

My favorite part? Making a big pot for someone I love. Or keeping it all for myself and settling in with Netflix. Both excellent options.

The Vegan Get-Lean Challenge Is Kicking Off

What's in This High-Protein Vegetable Soup?

The base is orange vegetables: sweet potato, carrots, and pumpkin. It is an orange soup, after all. You don't have to use these particular vegetables, but if you swap them out, there's a pretty good chance your soup won't be orange.

For a welcome boost of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates, I added red lentils. They're wonderful in soup: no soaking required, and they practically melt into the broth, giving it a lovely texture.

Chickpeas bring another generous helping of protein. Since I genuinely haven't had time for anything lately, I'm using a can—liquid and all!

And before anyone worries: canning doesn't require added preservatives. I have no problem using canned foods, so opening a can of chickpeas is a shortcut I'm happy to take.

Not in the mood for chickpeas? No problem. Swap in another canned legume, such as white beans or lentils.

You can also make this soup with frozen cooked chickpeas or chickpeas you've cooked yourself ahead of time.

For a distinctive, lemony punch, I added a tablespoon of preserved lemon. Not a fan? Leave it out.

To give the soup a little creaminess, I used a splash of light coconut milk. Think coconut cream, but with less fat.

Soup Nutrition Facts

Per bowl, or 1 of 5 servings, weighing approximately 400 g (14 oz). This estimated weight doesn't account for liquid that evaporates during cooking.

• 373 calories
• 14 g protein
• 59 g (2.1 oz) carbohydrates
• 9 g fat

Have lentils left over? Try these red lentil patties. 

High-Protein Orange Vegetable Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Yield 5 servings

Calories 370 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 level tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 level tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon preserved lemon optional
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium piece pumpkin, sliced and cubed
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3 tablespoons pearl barley 40 g (1.4 oz)
• 1/2 cup red lentils 85 g (3 oz)
• 1 can chickpeas, with their liquid 400 g (14 oz)
• 3 tablespoons light coconut milk 6–10% fat
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, plus a few extra leaves for garnish
• 2 liters (about 8 1/2 cups) water

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot.

2. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 2–3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

3. Once the onion is translucent, add the cumin and turmeric and cook for another minute or two.

4. Spoon in the preserved lemon and continue cooking, stirring as you go.

5. Add the vegetables, barley, and red lentils to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes.

6. Pour in half the can of chickpeas, including half the liquid. Reserve the rest for the end.

7. Scatter in the cilantro and pour in the water.

8. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how concentrated you like your soup.

9. Once the soup is cooked, blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until smooth.

10. Add the remaining chickpeas and their liquid to the pot.

11. Ladle into serving bowls.

12. Drizzle with a little light coconut milk and garnish with cilantro leaves.