Happy Monday! Today I'm linking up with Confessions of a Mother Runner and Tina Muir for Meatless Monday.
Lentil soup is pretty much my favorite food, and this version is reminiscent of a classic Indian dal.
It's hearty and comforting, and the Indian spices make it really delicious and just a bit spicy. This is definitely one of my favorite soup recipes,
and it's easy to make with just a few ingredients. I used split red
lentils, but if you use regular lentils you'll want to cook it longer
and possibly puree some or all of it to get the creaminess of the red
lentils.
Tip: You can get lentils, rice, and many spices for very low prices at Indian grocery stores. I seldom buy those things in a regular supermarket since they cost so much less at an Indian grocery.
Lentil-Tomato Soup
Adapted from a very old Cooking Light magazine; I ripped out the recipe and don't know the date but probably circa 2000. This recipe makes a ton of soup--it pretty much fills up a Dutch oven. If you don't halve the recipe, plan to enjoy leftovers for a week, freeze some, or give some away.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (add or subtract to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 1/3 cup dried split red lentils
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (I used a whole package)
- 6 cups veg broth
- 3 cups water (use more or less water for desired consistency; I used 2.5 cups)
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
- Chopped fresh tomatoes (optional)
- Cilantro sprig (optional)
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion; saute for 5 minutes or until tender.
- Add the turmeric and the next 6 ingredients (turmeric through garlic); saute for 1 minute.
- Add lentils and next 4 ingredients (lentils through tomatoes); bring
to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes until lentils are very
soft and soup is thick and creamy. If you want it creamier, puree some
or all of the soup.
- Garnish with chopped tomatoes and a cilantro sprig if you want to be fancy pants about it.
Can't wait to check out other Meatless Monday recipes!
Labels: Meatless Monday, recipe
