Aldi Lentil & Chickpea Soup (Deutsche Küche) Review
So many beans.
This is some seriously thick soup. Canned soup has a reputation of being watery and lacking substance, but this stuff is so thick it almost shouldn’t be called soup. You could definitely add water to this to stretch your meals further, if you wanted to.
I was a bit hesitant to buy this, because the label says it’s “sweetened with apricots and raisins,” and that just doesn’t sound right. I imagined big, bloated, squashy chunks of slimy mystery fruit bobbing in my soup. Fortunately, that’s not the case — I didn’t encounter any discernible fruit pieces, so it must be chopped finely or somehow blended into the soup base. It’s also not a terribly strong sweet taste; I was relieved that it’s mainly savory.
The lentils are VERY soft and small. Conversely, the chickpeas are much firmer than I expected — almost too firm. This soup is mostly beans with a little sauce between the crevices. I’d describe it as closer to a chili texture. There might be some small chunks of tomatoes in here, too. Somewhere. But mostly beans. So many beans. I like beans.
I should probably go ahead and admit that I’ve never liked canned soup texture — there’s something “off” about it. It’s too gooey, and unnaturally viscous. I was hoping this Aldi rendition would be different, but unfortunately, it isn’t. The sauce texture gives me serious Chef Boyardee vibes, partially from the tomato-y substance, but also from the sort of shiny slickness of it. Like slippery snot. I’m guessing this is from the Modified Corn Starch. I just can’t wrap my taste buds around corn starch thickeners. I’ve tried. For this reason (and only this reason), I probably won’t buy this soup again. Alas.
If you typically enjoy canned soups, then you probably won’t mind.
Flavor-wise, there’s a a strong, sweet tomato taste. A little fruitiness. And a fragrant smell. But also a distinct spiciness. In fact, after eating a bowl of this soup, I had a surprising “heat” at the back of my throat. I love spicy food, so this was delightful. The flavors of this soup are a big selling point for me. But for spice-haters, it might be an unpleasant discovery.
I served my Lentil & Chickpea soup with some freshly re-baked Italian Bread from Aldi. If you haven’t tried their “Take and Bake” bread yet, you should. I’ll eventually get around to writing a review, but it was really, really good. Get you some.
Did you know that eating grains with beans helps complete the amino acids and better assimilate the protein? It’s true. Since this soup has lots of legumes, but no grains, it can help to eat something grain-based with it. Like, bread. There is very little fat in this soup, so buttering my bread helped fill me up and satisfy me longer.
How to Cook Deutsche Küche Lentil Chickpea Soup
Basically, don’t boil this soup. You can microwave it or heat it on the stove. But no boiling. Capeesh?
Also, can we just take a minute to appreciate the convenient pull-tab on top of this can? My can opener enjoyed the day off. Thank you for making my life so much easier!
Nutrition Facts and Price
This is an almost terrifying amount of fiber per serving. Terrifyingly good. There are 10 grams of fiber, 10 grams of protein, and only 4 grams of fat. Each 1-cup serving has a lean 210 calories. There are 8 grams of sugar, but zero grams added sugar. The Salt Police would like you to know that a serving has 40% of your daily value of sodium.
I paid $2.79 for my 28 ounce can of soup. Since there are 3 servings per can, each serving costs less than a dollar.
Ingredients in Aldi Lentil Chickpea Soup
Here are the ingredients from the label:
- Water
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Tomato Paste
- Apricots
- Raisins
- Salt
- Spices
- Canola Oil
- Modified Corn Starch
- Guar Gum
- Garlic
- Sugar
- Rice Flour
- Lemon Juice Concentrate
- Spices & Coloring
- Spirit Vinegar
- Wheat Flour
- Egg White
- Skim Milk Powder
The list started out pretty awesome, but I have to wonder what exactly “Spice & Coloring” means? Where does the coloring come from? Do I need to be concerned? I’m not enthused about the Modified Corn Starch, either. Most of the stuff here is pretty clean and straightforward, however.
This soup is typically available at my local Aldi a couple times a year. It’s usually one of the “German Week” offerings in the Spring and Fall.
The End.
More Reviews of Aldi Products You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out a few other reviews of Aldi stuff I’ve written:
- Aldi Hawaiian Stuffing Mix
- Aldi Bavarian Soft Pretzel Sticks
- Aldi Mushroom Schupfnudeln
- Aldi Cheese Spätzle
- Aldi Cherry Frangipane Tart
Author’s note: I have no affiliation with Aldi, and I wasn’t compensated in any way for this review.
