Description
A hearty and nutritious Lentil Soup made with green or brown lentils, fresh vegetables, and a blend of warming spices, simmered to perfection and finished with a zesty lemon touch. Perfect as a comforting meal served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped (white, brown, or yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 2 celery ribs, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 2 cups / 400g dried lentils, green or brown, rinsed
- 400g / 14 oz crushed tomato
- 1.5 litres / 1.5 quarts (6 cups) vegetable or chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika powder
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 lemon (zest + juice)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
To Serve
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Warm crusty bread
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant and soft.
- Add vegetables: Stir in the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion becomes sweet, developing the flavor base of the soup.
- Add lentils and seasonings: Add the rinsed lentils, crushed tomato, vegetable or chicken broth, cumin, coriander, paprika, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients well.
- Simmer: Increase the heat to bring the soup to a simmer. Remove any scum that rises to the surface with a spoon and discard. Place a lid on the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer for 35 to 40 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Remove bay leaves: Carefully take out and discard the bay leaves to avoid any bitter flavor.
- Thicken the soup: Use a stick blender to pulse the soup 2 or 3 times, thickening it while keeping some texture. Alternatively, transfer about 2 cups of soup to a blender, cool slightly, hold the lid with a tea towel, blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
- Adjust consistency and seasoning: Add a little water if needed to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- Finish with lemon: Grate the zest of the lemon over the soup and squeeze in the lemon juice just before serving to brighten the flavors.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot with warm crusty bread slathered with butter if desired.
Notes
- Lentils: Use any lentils except Puy lentils as they hold their shape too firmly. Red, yellow, brown, or green lentils are good options. Cooking times can vary slightly; start checking for doneness at 30 minutes.
- Using canned lentils: If using canned lentils, drain and rinse two 400g/14oz cans. Reduce broth by 1 cup. Simmer broth without lentils for 20 minutes, then add canned lentils and cook for an additional 15 minutes to prevent mushiness.
- Storage: This soup freezes very well and can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
- Texture tip: Partial blending thickens the soup while maintaining a pleasant texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 421g
- Calories: 311
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 111mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 22g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
