Today’s recipe is a winner. Hearty lentils, nutty quinoa and sun-dried tomatoes in a rich broth with spinach and kale…
Can I get an amen?
Did this Daylight Savings Time business get you all disoriented too? I have been a hot mess (more than usual) and can’t seem to get with it. I LOVE the warm weather months and sunshine as much as the next gal, but I was not ready to lose that hour.
On top of that, this quarter my Chemistry professor has had a knack for scheduling tests at really convenient times <–sarcasm. One of our exams was the day after the Superbowl which was just cruel. I was half studying, half watching the game and whole-heartedly stuffing buffalo dip in my face. The next test was the Monday after I moved out of my apartment and back in with my parents. Safe to say studying was a major struggle for that one. And finally, our most recent test was yesterday. Yes, as in the Monday after the time change. I have no words. No wonder I’m all screwed up.
So let’s jump into today’s recipe, before I say more things that don’t make sense.
I recently went to Panera and was pleasantly surprised to see their new(ish) broth bowls on the menu. I loved the Lentil Quinoa Bowl, and knew I needed to recreate it at home. It was super easy to throw together, and is awesome prepped ahead of time for a satisfying lunch. Enjoy!
- ½ Tablespoon Oil
- ½ an Onion, Chopped
- 1 Clove of Garlic, Minced
- 1 Cup of Lentils, Cooked (I bought mine pre-cooked from Trader Joe's)
- ¼ Cup Uncooked Quinoa
- ¼ Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes
- 3 Cups of Chicken Broth
- 1 Cup of Fresh Spinach
- 1 Cup of Chopped Kale
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ¼ Teaspoon Paprika
- ½ Tablespoon Miso Paste dissolved in 1 Tablespoon of Water
- Dash of Cayenne
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 2 Boiled Eggs, or 8 oz Cooked Chicken
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sautee for a few minutes until fragrant, and onions are translucent.
- Add broth, quiona, lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, bay leaf, seasoning and Miso mixture to the pan.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat to low. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for ~10-15 minutes or until quinoa is cooked.
- Just before serving, stir in kale and spinach and allow them to gently wilt in the mixture.
- Transfer to two bowls, topping each bowl with a sliced egg or 4 oz of chicken.
What are some of your favorite easy lunch staples?
Are you feeling a little sluggish after the time change?
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I’ve definitely had a harder time waking up in the morning!
I used to hate when professors scheduled unreasonable tests, they always did it on purpose to catch you off guard.
This broth bowl looks delicious – I’d sub the broth for veggie broth though.
That would be an awesome veg. substitution! 🙂
What a power & nutrition filled broth bowl! You can definitely tell this is good for you just by looking at the images. I love it!
Thank you! 🙂
I just made this with veggie broth and it is SO GOOD. I also didn’t have miso paste, so I used the sundried tomato oil for sautéing the onions and threw in some worcestershire sauce to make up for the missing flavor, and it was still amazing.
Yay! So glad you liked it – those are awesome substitutions 🙂
this is amazing but how can it be 1,000 calories a serving? Is that a mistake on the yummly app? Panera website says it has 390 calories without the chicken. Thanks
I think there must be a mistake somewhere in the calculation. While I don’t tally the caloric info for these recipes, I can’t imagine it being anywhere near 1,000! My guess is that the actual calorie count is much closer to the Panera version.
This looks delicious can’t wait to try it. I think since I don’t have the miso paste I’ll substitute with Worcester sauce. Thanks!
Good idea! I have had a few readers do the same thing and have good results. Hope you love it 🙂
Needs a big slice of lemon!
Yes!
Hi I would like to try this recipe at home , but I have a question? I can see lemon on their soup at panera bread. And I don’t see that on this recipe! I just Doble checking thanks
Feel free to add lemon! I just didn’t have any on hand when I made this originally.
I love quinoa and this looks and sounds delicious!! So happy I found you through Fit Foodie Finds where you left a comment on her healthy Kung pow chicken recipe! Now following you on FB, Instagram, and Pinterest. Looking forward to many more great recipes from you!
Thank you so much! <3
Hi Les, I’ve been trying to find the copycat version of Panera’s Broth Bowl…..you did it girl!
I made it last night and it was awesome. I have never used miso in my cooking and loved the flavor it created in combination with the broth.
Now I have a container of miso in the frig. What else can I do with it?
I haven’t had time to look through your entire website….will definitely make time this weekend.
Looking forward to making more of your delicious dishes!
Hi Terry, so glad you liked the recipe! Miso has so many yummy uses. I love adding it to soups, using it as a marinade for chicken, mixing a little with tahini to make salad dressing, using it as a glaze for salmon…so many uses!
Oh my goodness!! Just made this for supper tonight! It tastes just like Panera’s broth bowl! Spectacular! I was not able to find Miso in our local grocery stores, which was a surprise, so I substituted soy sauce. I doubled the recipe to feed 3, and may have to fight my hubby for the leftovers tomorrow! You Rocked this!!
So glad you liked it! Great substitution 🙂
I’ve had this recipe on my radar for a while, and finally made it today. I expected it to be good, but it was AMAZING! Even though it has tons of healthy ingredients, the flavors come together so well that it tastes like comfort food in a bowl. I’m not a huge sundried tomato fan so I used fresh tomatoes–still really really good although I’m sure with the sundried tomatoes it’s even more flavorful. This will definitely be one of my regular recipes and I can’t wait to make this in batches to freeze throughout the cooler months.
I am so so happy you loved it! And the fresh tomatoes sound delicious 🙂
This was delicious. A few alterations I made were: 2 fresh tomatoes, 1 can of stewed tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of uncooked lentils. I Also squeezed one lemon to give it that taste like Panera Breads.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It tastes amazing!
Yum! Great adjustments
I want to make this recipe, but instead of lentils I have
Split peas. Can I still make the soup?
I havent tried split peas in this recipe, so I cant say for sure if it will turn out. Its worth a try!
Hi, this is more of a private message than a comment because the recipe looks great and I don’t mean to sound critical, in fact, I’m making my version of your recipe right now. Boiling miso paste will render the good stuff ineffective. The taste is the same but to get the healthful benefits it’s best to mix it in at a lower temp, say, just before serving and never boil. It’s a living food so too much heat destroys the microorganisms.
Thanks for taking the time to publish the recipe. The broth bowls are a favorite of mine and I look forward to making them at home.
Not critical at all – thanks for sharing!
I have fallen in love with this broth! Employee of Panera informs me that they use fresh tomatoes, diced carrots and Nappa cabbage greens (not kale or spinach). Also the fresh slice of lemon adds a lot to the flavor.
Thanks for sharing!
I don’t normally do fast food, but wasn’t feeling well today and just wanted a nice cup of hot soup. I decided to try Panera and saw this soup. Sounded delicious so I tried. I LOVED IT!!!!!! I immediately tried to find the recipe. I am so excited that you have recreated it, especially since i can adapt it to be less sodium than the original. If you have not tried this soup, YOU REALLY MUST
Agreed! I’m not a fan of fast food either, but when I first tried this bowl last year, I knew I had to recreate it. I hope you love it! <3
YUM! so pumped to try this. Was just at Panera last night and had this broth bowl ^^^^ cannot wait to recreate it at home!
I hope you love it!
Did you use sun-dried tomatoes in the jar of oil or actually dry ones? I used jar but saw some dry ones in a bag at the store and figure in future the soup will reconstitute them without adding oil.
I used dry tomatoes from a bag!
Just curious what type of miso paste do I buy for this recipe? I have seen red, yellow, white! So many varieties-help!
I have red on hand. Any will work!
Awesome recipe- thank you! I used Trader Joe’s miso-ginger soup (to cook lentils and as chicken broth sub) and like other commenters added a few dashes of low sodium soy sauce. This soup has made me a lentil fan!
Ooooh that sounds like an AMAZING substitution! Next time I make this, I will definitely try subbing the broth for soup. Thanks for the great tip!
Loved it! I used a jar of fire roasted tomatoes instead of sun dried tomatoes and chili pepper instead of cayenne pepper. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum! That sounds amazing
I just made this recipe today except did the chicken quinoa bowl version and I have to say this is definitely a 5 star recipe. Sooo delicious
Thank you so much Pamela! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂