Hearty Lentil Soup (Print)
Warming lentil and vegetable soup with cumin, smoked paprika and lemon. Vegan, high-protein and comforting.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
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 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
→ Legumes
07 - 1½ cups dried brown or green lentils, rinsed
→ Liquids
08 - 6 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 bay leaf
→ Seasonings & Finishings
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - Salt, to taste
15 - Juice of 1 lemon
16 - Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 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 about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and evenly coated over the vegetables.
03 - Add the rinsed lentils, drained diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
04 - Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully tender and the flavors have melded together.
05 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
06 - For a creamier, thicker consistency, partially blend the soup using an immersion blender, leaving some lentils whole for texture.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish generously with freshly chopped parsley. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It costs almost nothing to make yet tastes like it simmered all day at a beloved neighborhood restaurant.
- Everything goes into one pot, leaving you with barely any dishes and a freezer full of future lunches.
02 -
- Do not skip rinsing the lentils because small stones and dusty residue are real and will ruin an otherwise perfect bowl.
- The lemon juice must go in at the very end because adding it too early can actually slow down how quickly the lentils soften.
03 -
- Salt your soup in small additions throughout cooking rather than all at once, because lentils and tomatoes concentrate their flavors as they cook and you cannot undo an oversalted pot.
- A strip of lemon zest added with the broth and removed before serving gives an extra layer of fragrance that most people will not be able to identify but everyone will notice.