The High-Fiber Soup That Became a Dinner Staple

I live in rural Pennsylvania, where there are virtually no takeout or delivery services. Although on busy days I wish I had order-out dinner options like city folks, their absence has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It forced me to develop a repertoire of healthy recipes that I can pull off from scratch, no matter how short I am on time. The Lemony Lentil & Chard Soup is one of them.

What makes this soup such a standout is that it checks all the boxes. It is tasty, nourishing and quick and easy to prepare. Because red lentils are split, it takes only 15 to 20 minutes of cooking for them to turn soft to the point of falling apart.

I cook mostly vegetarian for my husband and myself, so I make sure we eat sufficient protein. Red lentils have a high protein and fiber content; they are also a good source of iron and other essential minerals. Swiss chard, the other main ingredient in the soup, is also packed with nutrients, including fiber, iron, vitamin K, lutein, potassium and antioxidants. 

Swiss Chard, an Unsung Hero

Red lentil soup is a Middle Eastern classic that exists in several different versions. I have eaten and cooked many of them, but I had never come across one that adds a leafy green. The Lemony Lentil & Chard Soup recipe was a perfect find because I am always looking for new ways to use Swiss chard, which I grow in my garden every year.

Swiss chard is in the same plant family as spinach but much less mainstream, and I think it deserves a much bigger fan community. My favorite variety is the strikingly pretty rainbow chard that has stalks and leaves in a variety of vibrant colors. All types of Swiss chard are very easy to grow, even in containers, and it is fabulously productive.

I plant the seeds in the spring and, with minimal care, it just keeps growing despite being harvested repeatedly until the first fall frost. Whatever chard I cannot use right away, I freeze in gallon freezer bags, giving me lots of Swiss chard all winter long.

Because I am only cooking for two people, I often cut the amounts of the recipe in half. However, when I want enough soup for a second meal a couple of days later, I make the full batch. Like all soups with legumes, it is excellent reheated.

Boosting Color and Flavor with Turmeric and Saffron

My personal twist to this chard soup is adding turmeric and saffron, both for flavor, health benefits and color. Depending on the variety and the way red lentils have been processed, their color will vary considerably. Some red lentils are a pale orange, while others are brightly colored. But once cooked, the color always fades. That’s where turmeric and saffron come into play. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and only takes 1 teaspoon to brighten up a full batch of the soup. The same is true for saffron; I just use a pinch (about 4-5 strands)—any more would be overpowering. I add the turmeric and saffron together with the lentils.

Though you might balk at the price of saffron, it is important to use the real thing. The world’s most expensive spice costs $50 per gram or more. If you find anything much cheaper, it is most likely a fake. A telltale sign that it is not true saffron is that the strands, when immersed in water, immediately bleed red dye and fall apart, whereas real saffron stays intact and bleeds slowly. You will usually find saffron imported from Iran, India, Greece or Spain. Don’t be surprised if the label says “USA,” because in the past few years, there has been an expansion of saffron production in the United States. Saffron is not new to North America—it has been grown in the “Saffron Belt” in Pennsylvania for centuries.

Substitutes for Aleppo Pepper

Another spice the recipe calls for is Aleppo pepper, also known as Halaby pepper. This coarsely ground spice is made from deep red peppers with a complex yet rather mild, fruity and tangy flavor that are native to the Syrian city of Aleppo. However, severe fighting during the Syrian Civil War upended the production and made Aleppo pepper increasingly difficult to find. That should not deter you from making the soup, because there are two good alternatives from Turkey. Marash pepper is a little smokier and spicier than Aleppo pepper. There is also Antebi pepper, which is fruitier and milder than Aleppo and Marash pepper, so you might want to add a little more than ½ teaspoon.

The addition of lemon juice at the very end—just before serving—is key. It adds tanginess and keeps the nice bright color of the Swiss chard. Because of Swiss chard’s high content of oxalic acid (which it shares with rhubarb and spinach), it already has a naturally sour taste. I only use about ¼ cup lemon juice, half of what the recipe calls for.

With a little extra-virgin olive oil drizzled into each bowl and served with a slice of rustic whole-grain bread, this soup is one of the best quick and satisfying dinners I know.