Spiced Lentil Soup is my response to what I’ve been seeing out my window this week.
The snow, she is here. I thought I was ready, but now I’m panicking and taking it back. It’s too early. I didn’t get out and hike enough this summer! We didn’t go camping even once! Let’s back the heck up!
Also. Also! There are Christmas decorations up in the stores already (HALLOWEEN IS STILL THREE WEEKS AWAY HELLO). This is an annual annoyance that never seems to lose its sting. Of course, I’m already working on our holiday cards, so who am I to judge?
Anyway. Where I live, people freak the heck out about snow, mostly in a happy way. There are some SUPER enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders around these parts. I do enjoy snow sports but having been snowboarding for 30 years (!), I have reached that finicky stage where the conditions have to be just right – not too cold or windy, lots of snow, not too many people.
This is actually asking a lot in our very busy resort area, so even on powder days, you can often find me hunkered down by the fire with the other people on Team Cozy, wrapped in something warm and fuzzy and nibbling our way through a gray afternoon.
This Spiced Lentil soup will satisfy both camps. It makes a super-clean, nutritious meal (and can be made vegan if you use vegetable stock). Lentils have ziIlions of vitamins and minerals, plus plenty of plant-based protein and fiber for the health-focused athlete.
I used a mix of tiny French green and brown lentils, but you can use whatever variety you have on hand or can find at the store. The soup’s base is the classic holy trinity of onion, carrot, and celery, also known as mirepoix, along with a dollop of fresh garlic. Diced tomatoes bring a lovely depth that melts into the soup without a distinct tomato-y flavor, and a flavorful broth brings it all together.
For the flavor-obsessed, there’s plenty of cozy spice here – a curry-esque mix of cumin, coriander, ginger, cardamom, and pepper. Like potatoes, cooked lentils can end up bland if not properly spiced. In search of a big punch of flavor, I tried blooming the spices in oil, and YES you should do that too. The soup has a rich, complex flavor, with just a little kick from the black pepper and ginger. It’s deeply warming and comforting.
You can leave it as-is or use an immersion blender to puree it. I usually puree it about halfway, which creates some nice creaminess while leaving some lentils intact for a satisfying bite.
I’m gonna be honest: this is maybe not the prettiest soup you’ve ever seen, particularly if you choose to puree it. Sprinkling a little parsley provides not only a nice fresh herbal-ness, but add a dash of pretty green color.
There’s more snow coming, so mix up a batch of Spiced Lentil Soup this weekend. No one’s skiing yet anyway, and the fireplace looks awfully inviting, doesn’t it? You know where I’ll be.
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Spiced Lentil Soup
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr
- Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Spiced Lentil Soup is a cozy marriage of health and comfort, with plant-based protein and fiber plus warm spices, aromatic vegetables, and velvety broth.
Ingredients
2 TB olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (about 2 medium) carrots, diced
1/2 cup (2–3 medium stalks) celery, diced
2 tsp kosher salt
2 cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth (homemade is best)
2 tsp ground coriander (fresh ground, if possible)
2 tsp ground cumin (fresh ground, if possible)
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 TB neutral oil, such a grapeseed
Instructions
Heat 2 TB olive oil on medium-low heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and salt, and cook until vegetables soften, 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, bloom the spices in oil. In a separate small skillet, heat one TB oil on low-med heat and add ground spices. Stir and cook quickly (about 30 seconds),,just until spices become fragrant. Be careful to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from heat and add spices to the softened vegetables, along with the lentils, tomatoes, and broth.
Bring soup to a boil and immediately reduce heat. Cook at a simmer for 45 mins – 1 hour, until lentils are soft. If desired, use an immersion blender to puree soup, partially or all the way. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with some good bread (or biscuits) to sop up the remains.
Notes
… be sure to rinse and pick through your lentils before tossing them in the pot. They can contain dirt and even tiny pebbles.
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