Great Sides For Easy Lentil Soup

By Melissa Jones


Year-round soups make a delicious and reliable meal or comfort food. The key to making a great experience is finding the right sides. There are many sides that work with an easy lentil soup. The flavors and textures of the sides will help to enhance the soups. They should be relatively easy to make and delicious when done. There is no better comfort than an incredible soup and side.

Salads are a great side for any dish. There are several varieties that include simple fresh lettuce with croutons and dressing. Others include roasted walnut halves and red onion on a bed of lettuce with oil and vinaigrette. A fresh bed of spinach with red onions, walnuts, and a warm brown butter dressing makes for a delicious and mostly healthy side.

A fun side is the potato puff. It is easy to make and can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for quick snacks later. The idea is to take leftover mashed potatoes and add cheeses, bacon, chives, and other tasty ingredients. Add a couple of eggs to stiffen them up. Scoop them into a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes or until the tops begin to darken to a nice golden brown.

For a healthy side, try roasted garlic broccoli. It is both delicious and healthy. Using frozen or fresh florets, sprinkle them with a mixture of olive oil and garlic. Put them on a cookie sheet and into a preheated oven. After about 20 minutes they should be ready. Sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese over them for enhanced texture and flavor.

A quick addition is the pull-apart artisan cheese bread. Start with a round loaf of artisan bread and cut it in a crisscross type of pattern. Be sure to not cut all the way through or it will fall apart. Stuff cheese and spices in between the different cuts and put covered into the oven for about 20 minutes. Then take the cover off for an additional 10 minutes to help crisp it up and serve with any soup or just as a snack.

Crispy pita bread chips are great for dipping. Cut some pita bread into triangle chip sizes. Sprinkle olive oil and spices over them. Bake them in the oven until they are crispy. Baking is usually done at around 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes depending on your oven. You will want to flip them at the halfway point. Once they are done, you can dip them in your soup or eat them with sour cream and chives.

Toasted Naan bread makes a great side dish. You can lightly toast it in the oven. It's the best cut into rectangles before toasting. Adding roasted red pepper hummus really sets it off as a great dish. Hummus can be made at home easily with garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, and just a couple other ingredients in a food processor in just a couple of minutes. With or without the hummus, the toasted Naan bread is a great addition to soups.

When snack time or dinner time arrives, having some delicious healthy choices is always good. If you prefer salads, lettuce or spinach make a great base. Add in the right extras with healthy dressings. The other sides that are easy and preferred include Pita, Naan, and other types of breads.




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