Mixed Bean, Lentil And Tomato Soup

A slow cooked, rich and hearty dish...

This soup is cooked long and slow in a slow cooker and does take a little time. You could easily make a cheat's version using tinned beans and lentils, but I like to use inexpensive dried beans and pulses where possible. So to start, you'll need to soak the following overnight in cold water..

1 cup dried  kidney beans
1 cup dried borlotti beans
1 cup dried chickpeas

The rest of the ingredients you'll need are..
1 cup dried green lentils
1 onion finely chopped
1 large carrot finely chopped
1 red pepper finely chopped
At least 4 cups good vegetable stock (needs to be hot when adding)
2 tbsp tomato puree
Half a jar of passata
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper

After soaking the first three ingredients, the following morning, rinse, drain and place in your slow cooker pot. Add freshly boiled water to cover generously and cook on high for about 2 hours until the beans are tender, but still have some resistance.

Now add in your lentils and cook for a further 30 minutes.

After that time, drain the contents of the pot through a collander and return to the pot. Add in your hot stock (enough to cover the beans and pulses) and the finely chopped vegetables and cook for an hour.

Now add in your tomato paste, passata, smoked paprika and seasoning. Stir well and allow to come back to heat. Serve with some freshly chopped cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. This goes really well with the chilli and cumin cornbread.​