Red Lentil Soup
Serves 6
This red lentil soup recipe is flavorful, comforting, and easy to make! Simple ingredients like red lentils, onions, cumin, and lemon juice give it a lovely creamy texture and bright, earthy flavor. Leftovers freeze well! Vegan and gluten-free.
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
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
- Stir in the potato, garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the lentils, broth, and 1 cup water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are soft.
- Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend until mostly smooth. (Alternatively, blend the soup in an upright blender.) If the soup is too thick, add the remaining 1 cup water.
- Add the lemon juice and season to taste with more salt and pepper as desired. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped fresh parsley.