Nourishing Red Lentil Soup
This Nourishing Red Lentil Soup is my go-to cold weather comfort food. It’s ridiculously simple – one pot, pantry staples, 30 minutes – but tastes like it simmered all day. Cumin and smoked paprika create a warm smoky broth, while a squeeze of lemon brightens every spoonful. Pure comfort, zero stress. Exactly what a chilly evening calls for.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Units
Scale
2 tsp olive oil
2 cups yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
2 cups sweet potato, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup red lentils, uncooked and rinsed
5 cups water
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 TB fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes until the onion has softened and is becoming translucent. Add the garlic and continue sauteing until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- To the onion and garlic add the sweet potato, cumin, turmeric, coriander and smoked paprika. Stir constantly until the spices have coated the veggies and are fragrant.
- Add the lentils, water and salt to the pot and season generously with black pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to bring the soup to a simmer. Partially cover the pot with the lid and allow the soup to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are just fork tender.
- Add the chopped spinach to the pot and cook about 2 – 3 minutes more, until the spinach begins to wilt. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy hot. This soup will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
- Calories: 352
- Fat: 4.3
- Carbohydrates: 65.8
- Fiber: 11.4
- Protein: 15.6
- Cholesterol: 0