Hearty Lentil Soup (Printable)
Hearty spiced lentil soup with tomatoes, veggies, and lemon; protein-rich comfort for chilly evenings.
# What You'll Need:
→ Aromatics and Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
→ Legumes
07 - 1 1/2 cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
→ Liquids and Broth
08 - 6 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
→ Spices and Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - Salt, to taste
15 - Juice of 1 lemon
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
# Method:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and ground coriander. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils, drained diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, black pepper, and salt. Stir well and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the flavors have melded.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
06 - For a creamier consistency, partially blend the soup using an immersion blender, leaving some lentils whole for texture.
07 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley. Optionally drizzle with olive oil.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It freezes beautifully so you can batch cook on a Sunday and eat like royalty all week long.
- The spices make it taste like it simmered all day even though it comes together in about an hour.
- It is accidentally vegan and gluten free which means it works for almost everyone at your table.
02 -
- Rinse your lentils thoroughly under cold water and pick through them for tiny stones because finding one mid bite will ruin the experience entirely.
- Do not add the lemon juice until the very end because cooking it dulls the fresh zing that makes this soup special.
03 -
- Toast the cumin and coriander in the dry pot for thirty seconds before adding the oil for a deeper more complex flavor that costs you nothing extra.
- Make a double batch because the effort is almost identical and having this in your freezer is like money in the bank on a night you do not want to cook.