Description
A warm and comforting Red Lentil Soup made with aromatic spices, fresh tomatoes, and herbs, featuring a creamy texture achieved by blending half the soup, and garnished with sautéed garlic-cilantro oil, fresh lemon juice, and crunchy pita chips or fried pita bites.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced, divided
- 1 cup fresh tomato, minced
- 1 small jalapeno or serrano pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup red lentils
- 5 cups boiling water
- 1/4 cup dill, finely minced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon butter
Toppings
- Fresh lemon juice
- Pita chips or fried pita bites
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes until almost golden. Add half of the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Tomatoes and Spices: Stir in the minced tomatoes, diced jalapeno, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, salt, curry powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the mixture to blend and flavors to develop.
- Combine Lentils and Water: Add the red lentils and pour in the boiling water. Stir well; the mixture will appear watery but will thicken as it cooks. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked. Add more water if needed to keep desired consistency.
- Blend Soup: Using an immersion blender, blend about half of the soup until it reaches a creamy texture, leaving the rest chunky. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender and blend for 30 seconds before returning to the pot. Stir in the finely minced dill and half of the minced cilantro.
- Prepare Garlic-Cilantro Oil: In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the remaining minced garlic and the other half of the cilantro. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until the garlic turns golden and fragrant, then stir this mixture into the soup.
- Make Pita Chips (Optional): Slice pita bread into small squares. Fry in hot oil for about 1 minute or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh lemon juice, parsley, and the pita chips or fried pita bites. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Storing leftovers: Once cooled, store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Transfer cooled soup into freezer-safe containers or resealable bags, leaving space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.
- You can adjust the heat level by modifying or omitting the jalapeno/serrano and chili powder.
- For a vegan version, substitute the butter with additional olive oil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
