Description
This red lentil soup is a flavorful, comforting, and easy-to-make vegan and gluten-free soup. With simple ingredients like red lentils, onions, cumin, and lemon juice, it offers a creamy texture and bright, earthy flavor perfect for a nourishing meal. It also freezes well for convenient leftovers.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 celery rib, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small Yukon Gold potato, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 to 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrot, chopped celery, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
- Add flavorings and vegetables: Stir in the diced Yukon Gold potato, chopped garlic, ground cumin, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to toast the spices and meld the flavors.
- Simmer the soup: Add the rinsed red lentils, vegetable broth, and 1 cup of water to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are tender and fully cooked.
- Blend the soup: Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until mostly smooth, leaving some texture. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup to an upright blender in batches and blend. If the soup is too thick after blending, stir in the remaining 1 cup of water to reach desired consistency.
- Season and serve: Stir in the fresh lemon juice and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Red lentils do not require soaking and cook relatively quickly.
- You can adjust the thickness of the soup by varying the amount of water added after blending.
- For extra depth, add smoked paprika or a bay leaf while simmering.
- This soup freezes well; store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Serve with crusty gluten-free bread for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
