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Simple Recipes for Every Day

Lentil Soup

Homemade lentil soup in a bowl, garnished with fresh parsley and Parmesan and served with crusty bread
  • Serves:  6
  • Prep Time:  20 min
  • Cook Time:  35 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (from 1 lemon)
  • 5 ounces baby spinach

For serving (optional)

  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Crusty bread

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the cumin, curry powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the lentils and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. 
  3. Transfer ⅓ of the soup to the base of a blender, let cool briefly, blend until smooth, then return the soup to the pot. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until thick; it should have some texture to it.)
  4. Stir in the lemon juice and spinach, and cook, until the spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and lemon juice to taste.
  5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the Parmesan, parsley, and red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve with crusty bread on the side, if using.

Notes

If the soup is too thick, add water ½ cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.