Red Lentil Soup with vegetables and fresh herbs is an incredibly nutritious, healthy, fast, one-pot meal. The cumin, chili powder, garlic, fresh lemon juice, and naturally sweet veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes make the broth so incredibly rich and delicious, especially when served with a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil on top of each bowl.
more olive oil, Greek yogurt, red pepper flakes, lemon wedges, and/or extra herbsfor topping (optional)
Instructions
Heat the olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a large heavy pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic (2 cloves), cumin (1 teaspoon), and chili powder (½ teaspoon). Stir to coat the onions in the spices and continue heating for 30 seconds to one minute, until fragrant.
Add the rinsed red lentils (8 oz.). Stir to coat. Pour in the chicken broth (6 cups) and add the diced sweet potato, the diced carrots, and the canned diced tomatoes (15 oz.). Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until lentils, sweet potatoes, and carrots are tender.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) and fresh chopped herbs (¼ cup). Serve, with optional extra olive oil, herbs, Greek yogurt, red pepper flakes, and/or lemon wedges.
Notes
Broth: I almost always prefer to use homemade broth (chicken or vegetable) for soups, which is what I used here. You can also use a bouillon substitute, like Better than Bouillon. Be careful, as store-bought broth and bouillon tend to be salty, so you may need very little, if any, additional salt for the soup, or buy a low-sodium version. Be sure to use vegetable broth to ensure the soup is vegetarian/vegan, if that's your goal.
Red lentils usually come in a 16 oz. (1 pound) bag. This recipe uses half that amount, 8 oz., which comes out to a little more than 1 cup. You can use more or less than that depending on what you have, but keep in mind you may need more or less broth accordingly.
Fresh herbs: I use a combo of dill, mint, parsley, and oregano, because it's what I had. You can truly use what you want here, what you have growing, or what's on sale at the store. Just stay away from tougher and stronger herbs, like rosemary, thyme, and sage, as their flavors and textures may overpower in this recipe.
Don't skip the fresh lemon juice here - that added acidity adds a ton of flavor (though you may be able to get by with a tablespoon of red wine or apple cider vinegar in a pinch).
Adding a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil at the end when serving is highly recommended. It adds satiating healthy fat, amazing flavor, and a beautiful rich texture. I also recommend a dash of red pepper flakes if you enjoy spice, which takes the flavor of the soup to the next level without overpowering.
Freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 6 months.