How to Make Easy, Inexpensive Tomato, Red Lentil, and Rice Soup (Diabetic Friendly)
- Leigh
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
This simple soup is hearty, easy to make, and gentle on the food budget. The soup also tastes great. It's full of tomato flavor, and the lentils mostly melt into the soup but still give it more substance than plain tomato soup. The rice--I use brown rice--complements the lentils and turns the soup into a complete meal with plenty of protein, even without meat (the lentils and rice provide all nine essential amino acids when eaten together). I like to add milk and a little light sour cream to the soup after it's finished cooking to give it a nice, creamy flavor (without a lot of cream!). If you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy," the soup is a great option with protein and fiber to balance the carbohydrates. We like the soup for dinner with a salad, and leftovers make great lunches later in the week. Enjoy!
Tomato, Red Lentil, and Rice Soup (Diabetic Friendly) -- Serves 4+
1/2 cup of brown rice, rinsed
4 cups of water, divided
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 cup of red lentils (picked over and rinsed briefly)
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/3 cup of tomato paste
15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
1/2 medium onion, chopped (2/3-3/4 cup), and microwaved for 1 1/2-2 minutes to
soften
2-3 teaspoons of chopped garlic, stirred into the hot onion after the onion is
microwaved
2 teaspoons of reduced sodium chicken base (I use "Better Than Bullion")
Big handful of fresh basil leaves (about a cup), chopped, plus extra to sprinkle on top
after cooking
1 cup of milk (or a little more, if you like your soup thinner)
1/2 cup of light sour cream
In a large saucepan or pot combine the brown rice, 2 cups of water, the olive oil, salt, and pepper over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the rice cook for 20-25 minutes or until partly cooked. Add the remaining 2 cups of water, the red lentils, oregano, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, chopped onion with the garlic, chicken base, and basil leaves and stir everything together until well combined. Increase the heat to medium, bring the soup back to a low boil, then turn the heat back down to medium low and let the soup simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until quite thick. It's okay if you lift the lid and stir the soup periodically, as it will help the lentils break down. Stir in the cup of milk and sour cream. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle on some extra basil if you like and stir it in or leave it on the top of the soup for color. You may want to add a bit more milk, if you like your soup thinner, as the soup will thicken up as it cools.
