My Favourite Budget Soup — Thick, Hearty, Ham & Veg Goodness

ham bone

🥗Healthier: turkey bone

💰Cheaper: chicken bone

Turkey and chicken bones can provide similar flavors at a lower cost.

vegetable broth

🥗Healthier: homemade vegetable stock

💰Cheaper: water with seasonings

Homemade stock reduces sodium and enhances flavor.

green beans

🥗Healthier: asparagus

💰Cheaper: frozen green beans

Frozen options are often more affordable and just as nutritious.

corn

🥗Healthier: fresh corn

💰Cheaper: canned corn

Canned corn is budget-friendly and convenient.

Welcome to Backyard Share Farm Rick, today we're doing a budget red lentil and vegetable soup, and for meat eaters, we'll add ham.

Prepare chopped onion and minced garlic, along with celery and carrots.

Combine carrots and celery in a bowl for cooking together.

Cut potatoes into small cubes for the soup, ensuring they cook within 30 minutes.

For meat eaters, prepare cubes of ham to add later.

Heat rice bran oil in a deep pan and sauté the onions until they lose their rawness, about 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic to the pan and stir it in.

Add the carrots and celery to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 5 minutes.

Rinse red lentils to remove any cloudy residue before adding them to the pan.

Add the cubed potatoes to the mixture in the pan.

Season the mixture with chili flakes, smoked paprika, and turmeric, stirring to combine.

Add a can of whole tomatoes to the pan, chop them up in the can with scissors, and stir them in.

Pour in the vegetable stock and add a bay leaf, bringing the mixture to a boil before reducing to a simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Stir occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

After simmering, check the potatoes for doneness; if they are tender, add the ham cubes to warm through for about 4-5 minutes.

Finish the soup by stirring in lemon juice and adjusting seasoning as needed.

Serve the soup with a garnish of parsley.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary