Vegetarian, Americas
Sopa de lentejas with plantain
Sopa de lentejas with plantain is a Mexican style tomato lentil soup, served over rice with pan fried plantain slices on top. It serves 4, takes 50 minutes, is rated easy, and costs €1.80 per person. The key to getting it right is using very ripe plantain, caramelized in the pan, which adds sweetness against the tomatoey soup.
Tonight we're switching things up with a Mexican style sopa de lentejas, tomatoey and comforting, topped with pan fried plantain for a sweet and savory touch.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €1.80
- Calories per person
- 670 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Fall, Winter
- The kids
- They generally like it
This soup has the round flavor of tomatoes simmered with cumin, carried by lentils that soften gently in the broth. The rice at the bottom of the bowl thickens every spoonful and turns the soup into a full meal. The pan fried plantain, golden and slightly caramelized, brings a sweet and savory contrast you won't find in a classic lentil soup.
It's a great choice for a weeknight in fall or winter, when it gets dark early and you want something warm that fills you up without feeling heavy. Kids usually love the sweet plantain, and adults get a bit of a change of scenery from this sopa de lentejas, with nothing hard to track down at the store.
The ingredients
Pantry
- Dried green lentilsoften in the pantry 300 g
- Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
- Riceoften in the pantry 250 g
- Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Vegetable brothoften in the pantry 1 l
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Fruits and vegetables
- Onion 1
- Carrots 2
- Garlic 3 cloves
- Ripe plantains 2
The step by step recipe
-
Sauté the onion, garlic, and diced carrots in a pot with a tablespoon of oil. 8 min
Cut the carrots into very small dice, they'll cook through at the same time as the lentils.
-
Add the rinsed lentils, tomatoes, cumin, and broth, then simmer covered until the lentils are tender. 30 min
Add salt only at the end, salting too early slows down the lentils' cooking.
-
Cook the rice in salted water while the soup simmers, then drain it. 11 min
Spoon a small ladle of rice into the bottom of each bowl, the soup becomes a full meal.
-
Peel the plantains, cut them into thick rounds, and brown them in the remaining oil. 8 min
Peel them by slitting the skin lengthwise, it's thicker than a regular banana's.
-
Serve the soup over the rice and top with the pan fried plantain, finish with a grind of pepper.
If you can't find plantain, slightly firm bananas pan fried the same way make a great substitute.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick plantains that are very ripe, with skin speckled or almost entirely black, they'll be sweeter and caramelize more easily than green ones.
- Blend a small ladle of soup before serving if you want a creamier texture, while keeping the rest of the lentils whole.
- Cook the rice right before serving rather than ahead of time, it'll absorb less broth and stay firmer in the bowl.
The variations
- Swap the green lentils for red lentils, they cook faster and give the soup a creamier texture.
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of chili powder or a dash of hot sauce right before serving.
- If you can't find plantain, firm bananas pan fried the same way make a close substitute that works well for kids and adults alike.
What to serve it with
- Lime wedges to squeeze
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Flatbread or corn tortillas
Storage
The soup keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally with the rice and plantain stored separately. It freezes well without the rice or plantain, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water or broth if it has thickened.
Questions about this dish
Can I use a different type of lentil?
Yes, red lentils work well and cook faster, in about 15 to 20 minutes. Brown lentils also work, just check the cooking time on the package.
How do you know when a plantain is ripe enough?
A plantain that's ready to cook has yellow skin speckled with black, or even almost fully black. The riper it is, the easier it caramelizes and the sweeter it gets when cooked.
Can this soup be made ahead?
Yes, the lentil and tomato base can be made a day ahead and reheats well. It's best to cook the rice and pan fry the plantain just before serving so they keep their texture.
Is this recipe kid friendly?
Yes, kids usually love the caramelized plantain because of its sweetness. You can cut back on the cumin if you want a milder flavor for younger kids.
How long does it take to make a sopa de lentejas with plantain and rice?
Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a sopa de lentejas with plantain and rice?
About 670 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a sopa de lentejas with plantain and rice cost?
About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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