Did you know 2016 was the International Year of the Pulses? True story. While I have been enjoying legumes (beans and lentils) for several years now, I quite enjoyed seeing new recipes pop up on my radar. I adapted this from the vegan cooks at Thug Kitchen. The red lentils break down in no time and are easily puréed for a smooth soup.
It’s very easy to make and I think you’ll enjoy every bite!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 medium russet potato, cut into small cubes
- 2 carrots, chopped into 5cm rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups red lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups still warm, boiled water
- grated lemon zest from one lemon
- juice of half of that lemon
- freshly cracked pepper to taste
- a squeeze of lemon at the end
Directions
- Grab a large soup pot and heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and let it sauté for 3 minutes, until it starts getting soft and slightly golden.
- Add the potato and carrot. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and spices. Sauté for another 30 seconds and then add the salt, lentils, broth, and water.
- Let the lentils simmer, uncovered for 15-20 mins, until they are soft and falling apart, stirring occasionally.
- Add the lemon zest and juice and turn off the heat.
- At this point, you have a choice – eat as is, or purée the lot. You can also purée half and leave half to add some texture. I tried both, and went with puréed in the end.
Serve warm with a squeeze lemon, and a crack of fresh black pepper.
Enjoy!