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Red Lentil Soup

Red lentil soup in white bowl garnished with fresh parsley
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Warm and comforting red lentil soup packed with vegetables, aromatic spices, and tender lentils. Quick one-pot meal perfect for easy weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

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  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1½ cups dried red lentils, rinsed
  • Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in minced garlic, tomato paste, kosher salt, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and tomato paste darkened in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in chicken or vegetable broth and rinsed red lentils. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until lentils tender and breaking down, 15 to 18 minutes.
  4. If desired for creamier soup, blend with immersion blender directly in pot or transfer to blender to blend to desired consistency. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

  • Red lentils cook quickly and do not need soaking. Rinse before using to remove excess starch.
  • Darkening the tomato paste adds depth of flavor to the soup base.
  • Adjust consistency by adding more broth if soup becomes too thick during storage.
  • For a creamier version, stir in ½ cup coconut milk at the end of cooking.
  • Soup provides 13g protein per serving, making it a nutritious plant-based option.

Nutrition

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