Armenian Lentil Soup Recipe

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This Armenian lentil soup recipe uses red lentils for a hearty base, with a variety of spices for flavor and dried fruits to finish off a sweet and savory soup.

Photo by Fotolia/Maksim Shebeko

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Imagine coming home from a long work day to a pantry of ready-made meals that require just water and limited time: Julie Languille offers just that in "Meals in a Jar," with more than 100 recipes for shelf-stable meals that are easy to prepare, tasty and nutritious.

Cover courtesy Ulysses Press

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1 hr 10 min DURATION

40 min COOK TIME

30 min PREP TIME

8 (8-serving) meals SERVINGS

Directions

• For soup mix:

  In each of 8 vacuum bags or jars, add and then seal: • 1/2 cup dehydrated onion • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1 tablespoon salt • 1-1/3 cups red lentils • 2 tablespoons chicken soup base or bouillon granules

  For dried fruit:

  In each of 8 zip-top bags, add: • 3/4 cup dried apricots, diced • 3/4 cup golden raisins

  For sour cream:

  In each of 8 zip-top plastic bags, add and then seal: • 1/2 cup sour cream powder

  Ready-Made Meal Assembly

  In each of 8 Mylar bags, tote bags, or vacuum bags, store: • 1 bag soup mix • 1 can diced tomatoes • 1 bag dried fruit • 1 packet sour cream powder Label each bag.

  To Make the Armenian Lentil Soup

  In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine the soup packet, tomatoes, and 8 cups of water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender.
• Stir in the dried fruit and cook 10 more minutes.
• Mix the sour cream powder with 1⁄4 cup of water. Serve the soup topped with a drizzle of sour cream. Serves 8.

  More on the Benefits of Ready-Made Meals:

  • Homemade Ready-Made Meals

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  Reprinted with permission from Meals in a Jar: Quick and Easy, Just-Add-Water, Homemade Recipes for Easy Family Meals, Homemade Camping Food and Prepper’s Emergency Storage by Julie Languille and published by Ulysses Press, 2013. Buy this book from our store: Meals in a Jar.

The recipes in Meals in a Jar (Ulysses Press, 2013) by Julie Languille are perfect for camping fare and weeknight dinners, but they can also be lifesavers in times of disasters like fires, blackouts or hurricanes. Make up bags, boxes and jars of ready-made meals that only require water and time to prepare, and rest easy knowing that you are prepared for a last-minute gift, a quick dinner or even an emergency situation. The following Armenian lentil soup recipe comes from chapter 5, “Soup’s On.”

You can purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: Meals in a Jar.

Armenian lentil soup includes cinnamon and dried fruit that add a bit of sweetness and a nice flavor contrast to this savory soup. It cooks in about 45 minutes, so it is a perfect choice when you don’t want to do a long simmer.