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Red Lentil Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 54 reviews

A comforting and flavorful Red Lentil Soup made with aromatic vegetables, spices, and tender lentils simmered to perfection. This vegetarian soup is hearty, nutritious, and perfect served with crusty garlic bread and a fresh squeeze of lemon for added zest.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • ½ teaspoon cumin (ground or seeds)
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves (optional)
  • 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (or more if thinner soup preferred)
  • 1 cup red lentils (dry, rinsed)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
  • 2 twists black pepper

To Serve

  • 4 wedges lemon (to squeeze on top)
  • Thick slices of toasted crusty bread
  • Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling on bread)
  • Garlic (for brushing on toasted bread)

Instructions

  1. Chop veggies: Prepare the celery, carrot, and onion by chopping them into small pieces to ensure they cook evenly and release their flavors into the soup.
  2. Sauté base vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped celery, carrot, and onion and cook for 3 minutes until they start to soften.
  3. Add garlic and spices: Stir in the grated garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, rosemary sprig, and bay leaves. Continue frying for another 2 minutes while stirring frequently to release the aromas and blend the spices.
  4. Add lentils and liquids: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, rinsed red lentils, salt, and black pepper twists. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
  5. Simmer the soup: Reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer gently for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the soup reaches your desired consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  6. Prepare bread: While the soup simmers, toast thick slices of crusty bread. Brush the toasted bread with garlic and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil for extra flavor.
  7. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, squeeze fresh lemon wedges over the top, and serve alongside the garlic-drizzled toasted bread for a perfect meal.

Notes

  • Rinse lentils thoroughly before adding to the soup to remove any impurities.
  • You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to make the soup spicier or milder.
  • For a thinner soup, add more vegetable broth as needed during simmering.
  • The rosemary sprig and bay leaves can be removed before serving if you prefer.
  • Garlic bread can be customized with herbs like parsley or oregano for extra flavor.
  • This soup stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Keywords: red lentil soup, vegetarian soup, healthy lentil recipe, Mediterranean soup, garlic bread, easy lentil soup

Find it online: https://trendytasterecipes.com/red-lentil-soup-recipe/