Easy Scottish Lentil Soup Recipe (With Vegetarian Option)
A wholesome, deeply comforting soup crafted from slow-simmered stock, aromatic garden vegetables, and fresh herbs, served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
- • 300g red lentils (1.5 cups)
- • 1 medium potato (about 150g)
- • 1 small neep/swede (about 350g)
- • 1 large carrot (about 230g)
- • 1 leek (about 200g)
- • 1 onion (about 200g)
- • 1.5 litres of ham stock *see notes
- • 30g butter or alternative (2 tbsp)
- • Salt and pepper
- • 1 ham hock/gammon *optional see notes
Preparation Steps
Finely chop the onion and leek and set aside, then chop the carrot, potato, and neep into small cubes, size dependent on how chunky you’d like the soup.
Heat the pot and add the butter or butter alternative. Add the onions and leek and cook for about 5 minutes. Don’t allow the onion to brown.
Rinse the red lentils in cold water. There is no need to soak them.
Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the stock and lentils.
Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer for 40 minutes. You may need to top up with a little extra water if the soup gets too thick.
Serve with bannocks, crusty bread, or oatcakes.