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Hearty Red Lentil Soup

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A comforting, budget-friendly red lentil soup recipe that feeds six, packed with earthy spices and fresh vegetables for a creamy, flavorful meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (about 400 grams) red lentils, rinsed well
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin preferred)
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters) vegetable broth, preferably low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • A handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse the lentils under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.
  2. Finely chop the onion, dice the carrots, chop the celery, and mince the garlic.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and vegetables soften, about 7-8 minutes.
  4. Add minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring continuously.
  5. Sprinkle in ground cumin, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Stir well and toast spices for about 30 seconds.
  6. Pour in vegetable broth and add rinsed lentils. Stir to combine, scraping any bits from the bottom.
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover loosely. Simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils soften and soup thickens.
  8. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust spices if desired.
  9. Just before serving, squeeze lemon juice into the soup and stir.
  10. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Rinsing lentils is essential to avoid gritty texture. Use moderate heat to prevent burning garlic and tomato paste. For creamier texture, puree part or all of the soup with an immersion blender. Adding lemon juice at the end brightens the flavor. Soup keeps well refrigerated for 4 days and freezes up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: red lentil soup, hearty soup, budget-friendly dinner, vegan soup, easy lentil soup, healthy soup, gluten-free soup

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/hearty-red-lentil-soup-recipe-easy-budget-friendly-dinner-for-six/