Description
A hearty and flavorful Lentil Soup made with dried lentils, vegetables, and spices, simmered until tender and blended to perfection. This comforting soup is enhanced with lemon zest and juice for a fresh finish and is perfect served with warm crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 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 bread, to serve
Instructions
- Heat Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in chopped celery and carrot. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and the onion turns sweet. Take your time here as this step builds the flavor base of the soup.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add rinsed lentils, crushed tomato, low sodium vegetable or chicken stock, cumin, coriander, paprika, and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer the Soup: Increase heat to bring the mixture to a simmer. Skim off any scum from the surface as it appears. Once simmering, cover with a lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the soup simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
- Remove Bay Leaves: Take out the bay leaves from the pot once the lentils are cooked through.
- Thicken the Soup: Use a stick blender to pulse the soup 2 or 3 times for a thicker texture. Alternatively, transfer about 2 cups of soup to a blender, blend until smooth, and return it to the pot. Adjust thickness by adding a little water if needed.
- Season and Finish: Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Grate the lemon zest over the soup and add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving. Stir well.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot with warm crusty bread spread with butter for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- Lentils: Use any dried lentils except Puy lentils as they hold their shape too firmly. Red, yellow, brown, or green lentils work well. Cook times vary slightly, so start checking for doneness around 30 minutes.
- If using canned lentils, use 2 cans (400g/14oz each), drained and rinsed. Reduce broth by 1 cup, simmer broth for 20 minutes before adding lentils, then continue cooking for 15 minutes to avoid mushy texture.
- Storage: Lentil soup freezes well and keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
- Nutrition counts are approximate per serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately 250 ml)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
