Awesome Sides For Easy Lentil Soup

By Melissa Jones


Soups make a great meal for both comfort and the main course. There are many different types out there and many people struggle with what to put with them. There are great sides for an easy lentil soup that makes for a whole meal or a quick snack. Sides should be easy and delicious to enhance the whole experience. Nothing comforts more than a great soup and side.

Many different salads are easy to make and a great side for any meal. The varieties that are available include simple lettuce salads with bacon bits and dressing to those with roasted walnuts and red onion on a bed of fresh spinach. These are great with a nice brown butter dressing or oil and vinaigrette.

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.

Try your hand at roasted garlic broccoli. This is actually a nice healthy side that goes great with soups or a larger meal. Take frozen or fresh broccoli florets and drizzle them with both garlic powder and olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until they are done. They should be soft when you poke them with a fork. When you serve them, add some parmesan cheese to enhance them just a bit.

A favorite is the pull-apart cheese bread. This is great for dipping in soups of all kinds or just as a snack. Using artisan round bread, cut it in a crisscross pattern and avoid cutting all the way through the base. Then stuff cheese and spices between the cuts and put it in the oven on a baking sheet. Cover it for the first twenty minutes while the cheese melts down into the bread. The last ten minutes should be done uncovered to allow some crispness to be added to the cheese. When ready to eat, simply put on a plate and let your guests pull the pieces out, dip and enjoy.

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.

Another good side is toasted Naan bread. This is especially good with roasted red pepper hummus. If you're into baking, you can make the Naan bread yourself. The hummus can easily be made in a food processor with the right ingredients in just minutes. Cut the bread into rectangles or triangles and simply dip in the hummus. If you prefer, you can also dip it in your soup.

Side dishes are great for both snacks and additions to dinners. They can be healthy and delicious at the same time. Salads are often served in restaurants and can be just as good at home. Other sides that are easy and healthy are variations of Naan, Pita, and other types of delicious bread.




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