Lentils Sopita

BY Dr. Sabrina A. Falquier
September 12, 2023

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A soup rich with tradition

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Submitted by Angelica Gastelum

Cook the Cover 2023 recipe finalist.

I have a family tradition of making Lentils Sopita that I started with my children. It’s a recipe passed down from my grandmother, and the term sopita is used to describe something small but valuable. My grandmother, Rafaela Alvarez, used to make sopita de lentejas to show us her love and affection. My spin was to add vegetables to make it more nutritious!

Thank you to Jimbo’s for sponsoring the ingredients.

This recipe originally published in issue 71.

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Ingredients

SERVES 6–8

2 cups green lentils
6 cups water (ratio of lentils to water 1:3)
2 bay leaves
1–3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, washed, scrubbed, and diced (about 1 1⁄2 cups)
2 ribs celery, diced (about 1 1⁄2 cups)
2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
2–3 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 3 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons ground cumin, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cubed avocado, queso fresco, or bacon to garnish

Instructions

To prepare lentils, first wash them thoroughly. Add them to a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Add bay leaves and let it simmer until lentils are cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large sauté pan and sauté carrots and celery for 5 minutes; add the celery and carrots to the simmering lentils.
In the same sauté pan, on medium-low heat, sauté onions, tomatoes, and garlic until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. In a blender, purée the sautéed vegetables to create a smooth texture and add to the simmering lentils. Season with cumin, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper; stir and adjust to your liking. For a garnish, my kids enjoy avocado, queso fresco, or bacon.
Recipe as tested by Dr. Sabrina A. Falquier

Dr. Sabrina A. Falquier

Dr. Sabrina A. Falquier, MD, CCMS, DipABLM is a triple-board-certified physician. Born and raised in Mexico City, she is a bilingual and multicultural award-winning international educator, culinary instructor, speaker, doctor, podcast host, and CEO of Sensations Salud, which focuses on empowering through nutritional knowledge and culinary literacy by way of culinary medicine education and consulting. She is also incredibly proud to be the board chair of Olivewood Gardens. Follow @sensationssalud.