Make soup with Alberta pulses—hearty, good for you and easy on the budget.
by Mary Bailey
Alberta is known for growing pulses—lentils, great northern beans, chickpeas and split peas. They are an ideal ingredient for January as they are inexpensive, filling and chock full of fibre, protein and vitamins. They also lend themselves to soups of every description, especially vegan or vegetarian choices. Pulses pair well with the winter pantry—sweet potato, squash, winter greens, celery, onions and carrots, sage, bay and thyme.
Make the soups with water, home-made vegetable, chicken or turkey stock or low-sodium, store-bought stock. If you are using store-bought stock (even if it’s low sodium) it’s unlikely you will need to add salt during cooking. If you have time, use dried rather than canned pulses as they are less expensive, are not processed with salt and taste better. Split peas and red and yellow lentils (dal) also cook very quickly.
Squash and Lentil Soup with Coconut
The coconut milk adds a creamy, satisfying texture.
| 1 T | canola oil |
| 1 sm | onion, diced |
| 1 | butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced |
| 1 | carrot, diced |
| 1 T | curry powder |
| ¾ c | red lentils |
| 4 c | stock (use vegetable stock if you prefer a vegan soup) |
| 1 can | coconut milk |
| kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper | |
| squeeze | lime juice |
| cilantro (optional) |
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot, over medium heat, then add the onion, squash and carrots. Cook for one minute, then stir in the curry powder. Sauté over medium heat for about five minutes, until the onions are translucent and the squash is starting to soften. Stir in the lentils, stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until everything is tender.
Using a hand blender or in a food processor, blitz until the texture is fairly smooth. Check the seasoning and, right before serving, squeeze in lime and scatter over cilantro if using. Serves 4-6.
Daniel Costa’s Ribollita
“This classic Tuscan soup is best served warm as it allows you to fully taste all of the ingredients. You can also add pancetta for a nice pork fat essence but I prefer the pure flavour of the vegetables. I like to fry the ribollita the following day in a hot cast iron pan with lots of olive oil.” –Daniel Costa, Corso 32
| 1 c | white beans (great northern) soaked in water over night |
| 1 lg bunch | Tuscan black kale, washed, stem removed and roughly chopped |
| 1 lg | carrot, medium dice |
| 2 stalks | celery, medium dice |
| 1 med | red onion, medium dice |
| 1 med | fennel bulb, medium dice |
| 8 cloves | garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 | Parmigiano rind |
| 2 handfuls | day old bread ripped into small pieces |
| 3 T | tomato paste |
| 1 c | extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling on top |
| 9 leaves | fresh sage |
Place the pre-soaked beans in a medium-sized pot with enough water to completely cover them. Add 4 cloves of garlic and 3 fresh sage leaves, cook for about 1 hour or until tender. Do not let boil. Add more water if necessary, stir occasionally.
In a medium-sized pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, fennel and sage, season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly golden (about 15 minutes), stirring frequently. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stir frequently. Add the cooked beans, kale, and Parmigiano rind. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Allow to cook for 45 minutes, adding more water if needed. Add the bread to the soup and allow to cook for 5 minutes, add more water to keep it a thick stew consistency, stir frequently. Allow the soup to rest for 10 minutes, season to taste. Serve with a generous amount of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Serves 4-6.
Mussel and Chick Pea Soup with Fennel and Lemon
Adapted from the New Italian Kitchen by Ethan Stowell and Leslie Miller, Ten Speed Press.
| 2 t | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 3 cloves | garlic, thinly sliced |
| pinch | chili flakes |
| 1½ lb | fresh mussels, debearded and scrubbed |
| 1 c | white wine |
| 1 c | chickpeas (pre-soaked) |
| 1 sm | bulb fennel, tough outer leaves removed, sliced |
| salt and fresh-cracked pepper | |
| juice of 1 lemon | |
| 3 T | chopped fresh parsley |
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat; add the garlic and chili flakes. Before the garlic colours, add the mussels and white wine. Increase the heat to high, cover, and let the mussels steam for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they just open. Discard any mussels that don’t open and transfer the others to a baking dish with any cooking liquid that is in the pan. Set in the refrigerator until cool enough to handle. Once cool, remove the mussels from the shells, and discard the shells. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the mussels, cooking liquid, chickpeas and sliced fennel and heat through. The fennel should retain a bit of a bite. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and parsley.
Serves 2-4.
Split Pea and Cauliflower Soup
Adapted from the Alberta Pulse Growers
| 2 T | canola oil, cold pressed if available |
| 2–3 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 med | yellow onion, chopped |
| 4 c | chopped fresh or frozen cauliflower |
| ½ c | dried green split peas, drained and rinsed |
| ½ t | fresh thyme, chopped |
| 4 c | stock (use vegetable stock if you prefer a vegetarian soup) |
| kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper | |
| ⅓ c | crumbled sharp cheddar cheese |
In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, sauté until caramelized and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower, split peas, thyme and stock. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Remove from the heat and blitz to a chunky texture. (If using a blender, be careful transferring the hot liquid.) Season to taste. Serve with crumbled cheese and a drizzle of cold pressed canola oil if desired. Serves 4-6.
Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
This soup is built on a base of roasted vegetables which adds depth of flavour. This part could also be done ahead. You could use a bit of tomato paste if the tomatoes look terrible. If using yellow or red lentils, check after 15 minutes or so. They cook much more quickly.
| 1 lg | sweet potato, rough chopped |
| 2 sm | red onion, rough chopped |
| 4 | Roma tomato, halved |
| 3 cloves | garlic, peeled and chopped |
| ½ t | chili flakes |
| 2 t | ground cumin |
| kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper | |
| 4 c | stock (use vegetable stock if you prefer a vegetarian soup) |
| 1 c | red or yellow lentils |
| plain yogurt and cilantro or parsley to garnish |
Preheat oven the over to 350ºF. Toss the potato, onion, tomato and garlic in a scant amount of oil and season with salt and pepper, chili flakes and cumin, and place on a sheet pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender and golden. Transfer roasted vegetables to a large pot and pour in 1 cup stock. Blitz until smooth then bring to the boil. Add the lentils and the rest of the stock, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Check seasoning. Serve, topped with a dollop of yogurt and some parsley. Serves 4.
Chickpea and Pasta Soup
Adapted from Jamie’s Italy, uses canned chickpeas for ease. Hearty, quick and kid friendly.
| 3 T | olive oil |
| 2 stalks | celery, rough chopped |
| 1 | carrot, rough chopped |
| 1 sm | yellow onion, rough chopped |
| 3 sprigs | rosemary, minced |
| 6 c | stock (use vegetable stock or water if you prefer a vegetarian soup) |
| 1 can | (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed |
| 8 oz | cavatelli pasta |
| kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper, to taste | |
| 2 T | minced parsley |
| Parmesan cheese, for serving (omit if prefer a vegan soup) |
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high; add rosemary, celery, carrot and onion and cook until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add stock and chickpeas; simmer 5 minutes. Remove half the chickpeas and purée until smooth; return chickpeas to pan. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and serve with grated Parmesan. Serves 4-6.
Creamy Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup with Chard
| 1 T | canola oil or butter |
| 1 sm | onion, diced |
| 1 T | curry paste |
| 4 c | stock (use vegetable stock if you prefer a vegetarian soup) |
| ½ c | split red lentils |
| 1 lg | sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces, or so |
| 1 c | milk |
| 2 c | chopped Swiss chard, spinach or kale |
| juice ¼ lemon (2 T) | |
| kosher salt and fresh-cracked pepper | |
| plain yogurt for serving (optional) |
Cook the onion in the oil over medium low heat in a large pot until starting to colour. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the sweet potato, reduce heat and simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and continue to simmer covered for about 10 minutes until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender. Add the milk slowly to the hot soup. You could leave the soup chunky, blitz a portion of it or purée all of it for a smooth consistency. Add the greens and stir until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes (if using kale it might take longer). Squeeze in the lemon juice and check for seasoning. Serve with yogurt if using. Serves 4-6.
Québec-style Pea Soup
This makes the classic old school ham and pea soup. If you had ham over the hols, this is a thrifty great way to use up leftovers and get the most from the bone. Otherwise, buy a ham hock.
| 1 | leftover ham bone or 1 lb ham hock, trimmed of the skin |
| 2 T | butter or oil |
| 2 | carrots diced |
| 2 ribs | celery, diced |
| 1 med | yellow onion diced |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1¾ c | yellow split peas |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 2-3 sprigs | thyme |
| ¼ t | kosher salt |
| ¼ t | fresh-cracked black pepper |
In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the carrots, celery, onion and garlic, until soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in 8 cups water; add ham hock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas are very soft and soup is thick. 1½ to 2 hours. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Transfer the ham to a plate and let cool until it is easily handled. Discard the bone and fat, dice the meat and return to the soup. Heat through. Serve with garlic or cheese toasts if desired. Serves 6-8.
Turkey Meatball Soup
This substantial soup features the pulse soup mixes which are ubiquitous at farmers market. Recipe courtesy Alberta Pulse Growers.
Meatballs
| 1 lb | ground turkey |
| 2 T | slow cooking oats or barley flakes |
| ½ c | finely chopped onion |
| 2 cloves | garlic, finely minced |
| ½ t | sage |
| ¼ t | kosher salt |
| ½ t | fresh-cracked pepper |
Lightly mix the meat, oats, onion, garlic, sage and seasoning. Scoop ½ teaspoon of the mix to form mini-meatballs. Fry one to test the seasoning, adjust if necessary, and fry the rest (about 3 to 5 minutes per batch). This makes about 95 mini-meatballs. Set aside.
Soup
| 1½ c | soup mix (lentils, split peas, pot barley) |
| 3 c | water |
| 2 T | canola oil |
| ¾ c | chopped celery |
| 2 c | chopped carrot |
| 1 c | chopped rutabaga |
| ½ t | sage |
| 6 c | stock |
| 1/3 c | tomato paste |
| 1½ t | honey |
| 1 t | vinegar |
| ¼ t | red pepper flakes |
Put the soup mix and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes, turn off heat, cover and let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil and sauté the onion, then add the garlic, celery, carrots and rutabaga. Cook for 10 minutes, then add to the pulse mixture. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs, stock, tomato paste, honey, vinegar, red pepper flakes, pepper and remaining sage. Bring to a boil, then simmer for another 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning and thickness with water if necessary. Garnish each bowl with yogurt if desired. Serves 8-10.
Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Soup
| ¼ c | olive oil |
| 4 cloves | garlic, finely chopped |
| 3 med | carrots, finely chopped |
| 2 ribs | celery, finely chopped |
| 1 med | white onion, finely chopped |
| 1 t | ground cumin |
| ½ t | red chili flakes |
| ½ sm | butternut squash (about 1 lb.) peeled, seeded, and finely chopped |
| kosher salt and fresh-crack black pepper, to taste | |
| 6 c | stock (use vegetable stock or water if you prefer a vegan soup) |
| 1 c | split red lentils |
| chopped parsley, for garnish | |
| smoked paprika, for garnish |
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in cumin, chili flakes, squash, salt, and pepper and cook until the squash is soft, about 15 minutes. Add stock and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, slightly covered, until lentils are very tender, about 20 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly, then, working in batches, purée soup until smooth. To serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parsley and scattering of paprika. Serves 4-6.
Parker’s Split Pea Soup
All veg, no ham and easy to make. Adapted from a recipe by the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten.
| 1 c | chopped yellow onions |
| 2 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1/8 c | canola oil |
| ½ t | dried oregano |
| 1½ t | kosher salt |
| 1 t | fresh-cracked black pepper |
| 3 to 4 | carrots (2 c) medium-diced carrots |
| 3 sm | (1 c) medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small) |
| 1 lb | dried split green peas |
| 8 c | chicken stock or water (or use vegetable stock if prefer a vegan soup) |
In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, half the peas and the stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot. Serves 6-8.
Two Rooms Café Lemony Lentil Soup
The Two Rooms Café on Whyte Avenue made the most amazing lentil soup. Lemony, not heavy, so delicious. This is the closest I have been able to come to the taste memory of it.
| 1 t | extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 | yellow onion, diced |
| 1½ c | diced carrots |
| 1 t | salt |
| 3 cloves | garlic, minced |
| 1 t | fresh grated ginger |
| 8 c | stock (use vegetable stock or water if you prefer a vegan soup) |
| 1 t | turmeric |
| 2 c | green lentils, |
| zest of ½ lemon | |
| juice of 3 small lemons |
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and salt and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté another minute longer. Add the stock, turmeric, and lentils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and simmer another 30 minutes. Serves 6-8.
Find lots more delicious soup recipes at thetomato.ca.