Spiced Carrot Lentil Soup (Printable Page)

Hearty blend of carrots, lentils, and warming spices, perfect for cozy, comforting meals.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, chopped
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced

→ Legumes & Liquids

06 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
07 - 5 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
11 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
16 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, sliced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Incorporate ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and optional cayenne pepper. Stir for 1 minute until aromatic.
04 - Add rinsed red lentils, diced tomatoes with juices, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until lentils and carrots are tender.
06 - Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper according to preference.
07 - For a creamier consistency, partially or fully puree using an immersion blender as desired.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, which means you can have comfort food on the table before dinner time even feels stressful.
  • The spices do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so even if your pantry feels bare, you're already halfway to something delicious.
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the red lentils; it removes the starch that would otherwise make your soup feel gluey and dense rather than light and brothy.
  • The soup will continue to thicken as it sits, especially if you blended it, so if you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth or water to get back to your preferred consistency.
03 -
  • Keep your spices fresh by storing them in opaque containers away from direct light and heat; old spices will taste dusty and won't give you that beautiful aromatic bloom.
  • If the soup is too thick after simmering, thin it with more broth rather than trying to work around it, because consistency matters more than you'd expect when it comes to how soup feels to eat.
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