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Lentil Soup with Cotija and Crema
Recipes
Ingredients:
– 2 cups dry lentils, rinsed
– 3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
– ½ cup white onion, chopped
– 1 garlic clove, chopped
– 3 tablespoons cooking oil
– 1 ½ teaspoons chicken or vegetable bouillon
– 1 carrot, finely chopped
– 10 fresh cilantro sprigs, plus more for garnish
– Salt to taste
– Real California Mexican crema for garnish
– Real California Cotija cheese, crumbled for garnish
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Directions:
Combine lentils and 7 cups water in a 3-quart pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover. Cook for 20 minutes.
While lentils cook, add tomatoes, onion, garlic and 2 cups water to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tomato mixture and bouillon. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Add cooked tomato mixture, carrot, cilantro and salt (if needed) to lentils. Cook for 15 minutes or until lentils and carrots are tender.
Ladle soup into soup bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro, crema and cotija cheese. Enjoy.
Serves 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Recipe and image created by Ericka Sanchez/@nibblesnfeasts and Nicole Presley/@presleyspantry for the CMAB
Disclaimer
High Protein
These categories are not complete meal plans and do not guarantee any specific health outcome. They are simply a way of organizing recipes by approximate macronutrient pattern.
For the purposes of recipe classification, "high protein" is operationally defined as providing ≥20% of the Daily Value (DV) for protein per serving, as established by the (2020-2025) Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Recipes bearing the high-protein designation are provided solely for general dietary planning purposes. These recipes are not intended to serve as medical nutrition therapy, nor should they be used to adjust pharmacological interventions or substitute for individualized clinical recommendations from qualified healthcare professionals.
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© 2026 California Milk Advisory Board, an instrumentality of the CA Dept. of Food and Ag. All rights reserved.