Description
A hearty and comforting lentil soup made with a mix of red and brown/green lentils, seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, and finished with a splash of lemon juice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 250 g (1 1/4 cups) brown or green lentils
- 100 g (1/2 cup) red lentils
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (about 200 g), peeled & finely chopped
- 1 large carrot (120 g), diced
- 1 stalk celery (50 g), diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 30 g (2 tbsp) tomato paste
- 1.2 L (5 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 15 g (1/4 cup) fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
- Optional: spoonful of plain yogurt for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and sort the lentils, measuring 350 g total lentils and rinsing under cold water until clear.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4–6 L pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté until translucent, about 6–8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika; cook for 30–45 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, and stock. Add the bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes.
- Check the texture of lentils at 20 minutes; remove bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes if needed.
- Turn off heat, stir in lemon juice and chopped herbs. Optionally, blend part of the soup for a creamier texture.
Notes
For a silkier soup, consider using an immersion blender. Adjust seasonings carefully, especially if using stock with added salt.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
- Calories: 295
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 7.8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 15g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg