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–+ servings

Spiced Red Lentil Soup

This Spiced Red Lentil Soup is perfect to enjoy on a cold spring day when you want something warm, nourishing, and a total breeze to whip up.
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Servings: 2
Course: Soup
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
  • ½ yellow onion chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Pinch ginger powder
  • ½ tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cups stock chicken or vegetable work well
  • 1 cup water
  • ¾ cup red lentils picked over and rinsed
  • Splash white wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
FOR SPICED OIL
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoons dried mint crumbled
  • ½ teaspoons aleppo pepper
OTHER OPTIONAL GARNISHES
  • Dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream
  • Chopped fresh parsley or mint

Method
 

  1. Heat avocado oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add spices, tomato paste, and garlic. Stir to combine and let cook for 1 minute.
  2. Add in broth, water, and lentil. Bring just to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft and beginning to break down a bit; about 15-20 minutes.
  3. While lentils are cooking, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over low heat. Once hot, remove from heat and stir in dried mint and aleppo pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.
  4. Using a sturdy whisk, whisk lentils thoroughly to break the soup down to a bit of a chunky puree. Add a splash of white wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  5. Serve soup with a drizzle of spiced oil and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Notes

Adapted from The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook
You can substitute 1 part cumin + ¼ part allspice if you don’t have garam masala. A curry powder would also complement the soup well, though it would create a different flavor profile.
If you don’t have Aleppo pepper, chili powder with a bit of cayenne is a decent alternative. Hot paprika also works.

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