This lentil soup with lemon is a delicious purée of red lentils, aromatics, and spices. It can be blended fully or left a little chunky — it's up to you!
Prep Time
20 mins mins
Cook Time
45 mins mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
4
Ingredients
3tablespoons olive oil
1large onion chopped
2cloves garlic minced
1tablespoon tomato paste
1teaspoon ground cumin
0.25teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
0.25teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
0.13teaspoon chili powder or to taste
1 carton chicken broth (32 ounce)
1cup red lentils
1large carrot diced
2tablespoons lemon juice or to taste
3tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
1pinch chili powder
Instructions
1
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon chili powder. Cook and stir until spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, lentils, and carrot. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
Working in batches, fill a blender halfway with soup. Cover and hold the lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour into a pot. Repeat with the remaining soup. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and purée the soup right in the cooking pot. Do not purée all of the soup; leave it a little chunky.
Stir in lemon juice and cilantro, then season to taste with salt. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with chili powder, and serve..
