Mediterranean🥣 Soups & stews

Red Lentil Soup

Name: Red Lentil Soup
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: ~1 cup red lentils; 1 yellow onion; 2 sweet potatoes; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves; ½ serrano pepper or jalapeño; 1 tbsp fresh ginger; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tsp Ras El Hanout spice blend; ~½ tsp ground coriander; ~½ tsp ground cumin; ~4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 cup water; 1 bay leaf; to taste salt; to taste black pepper; 1 fresh lemon; to taste fresh cilantro; to taste coconut yogurt; to taste fresh mint; to taste good quality olive oil (optional)

⏱ 65 min

A rich yet nourishing red lentil soup made with warm spices and finely diced vegetables that naturally thicken into a creamy texture without dairy or nuts. Finished with fresh lemon juice, mint, and coconut yogurt for a refreshing balance.

VeganHigh-proteinLow-cal

Adapted from a video by Rainbow Plant Life

When I Have Red Lentils, I Make This.

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

red lentils~1 cupest.
yellow onionlarge1
sweet potatoesmedium, about 1¼ lbs2
extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp
garlic cloves4
serrano pepper or jalapeño½
fresh gingergrated or finely minced1 tbsp
tomato paste2 tbsp
Ras El Hanout spice blend

Steps

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1
Rinse the red lentils and soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes to help them soften more quickly during cooking.
2
Dice one large yellow onion.
3
Cut two medium sweet potatoes (about 1¼ lbs) into fine quarter-inch pieces. Slice them crosswise, stand upright and slice into planks, stack the planks and slice lengthwise into batons, then dice into small cubes.
4
Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat and add a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
5
Add the diced onion to the hot oil with a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally until the onions are deeply browned, about 8 minutes, to develop complex flavor.
6
While the onions brown, chop four garlic cloves, finely chop half of a serrano pepper or jalapeño, and grate or finely mince a tablespoon of fresh ginger.
7
Once the onions are nicely browned, add the garlic, ginger, and serrano pepper along with two tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir frequently for about two minutes to coat everything well.
8
Once the tomato paste is a few shades darker, add the Ras El Hanout spice blend and stir almost constantly for about 30 seconds. If it starts to stick or burn, deglaze with a splash of water.
9
Add the drained red lentils, diced sweet potatoes, four cups of low-sodium vegetable broth, one bay leaf, and season generously with salt and black pepper.
10
Add one cup of water to ensure the liquid covers all ingredients.
11
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes and lentils are very tender.
12
After 25 minutes of simmering, remove and discard the bay leaf.
13
Use an immersion blender to roughly blend about half of the soup to create a creamier texture and body. Don't blend all of it—retain some of the sweet potato and lentil texture for variety. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a stand blender instead.
14
Squeeze in fresh lemon juice and garnish with chopped cilantro to awaken all the flavors.
15
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a dollop of coconut yogurt and freshly chopped mint. For extra richness, drizzle a bit of good quality olive oil on top before serving.

Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

Steps

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