Red Lentil Soup on a Cold Winter’s Day

When the weather changes as drastically as it does here in Utah, what I crave does as well.  When the snow hits, I gravitate towards soup and other comfort foods, and rely on a strong dose of color and spice to make up for the lack of sun.  Red lentil soup fits the bill.

I believe in being liberal with my spices, and this recipe takes full advantage of that fact.  I’ve tried to estimate modest amounts of cumin, chile and coriander, but my practice, in general, is to start with a small amount and add more (usually by free-pouring) until I am happy with the flavor of a recipe.  To keep the cost of my spice addiction under control, I buy these spices in bulk at the local Indian market and store them in glass jars.

My favorite recipe is a variation of a NYT recipe I found a few years ago with a lot more spice and extra veggies.  If I can’t find decent fresh tomatoes, I often use a can of chopped tomatoes.

Red Lentil Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 red pepper, chopped

Instructions

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, chili powder, turmeric, and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until tomatoes soften.

Add broth, water, lentils, carrot, and pepper. Bring soup to a light boil, cover, and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Garnish with a lemon wedge, if desired.

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