When I was a kid I disliked soups and stews, and hated even the idea of lentil soup. (which, as a child, I somehow equated with Barbara Streisand – probably due to the publicity of her movie Yentl.) Fortunately I became more open-minded as an adult, and found that I absolutely love lentil soup. It’s very healthy for you, to boot.
The red lentils in this recipe break down and make a very creamy soup. Green and brown lentils may be substituted, but black lentils don’t work out well.
Red Lentil Soup
My favorite lentil soup recipe
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven or any large stock pot
Ingredients
- 2 whole Carrots diced or sliced
- 1 whole Yellow Onion, medium-sized diced
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Curry Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin, ground
- 1 tsp Thyme, dried
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 15 oz Tomato Sauce
- 6 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium substitute vegetable broth to make a vegan soup
- 1 lbs Red Lentils, dried
- 1-5 cups Baby Spinach Optional, stir in at end
Instructions
- Rinse lentils under cold water, until water runs clear (about 1 minute)
- Sauté carrots and onion until softened (about 5 minutes)
- Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, thyme, and saltCook until fragrant (about a minute)
- Stir in lentils, tomato sauce, and broth
- Bring to a simmer and cover
- Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Remove from heat, and (optionally) add baby spinach
Alternatives
You can try other vegetables as substitutes or additions, including sweet potatoes, butternut squash, mushrooms, celery, or whatever you have on hand.
Adapted from The Absolute Best Lentil Soup.
