Description
Ready in 45 minutes, this easy carrot lentil soup is hearty and satisfying. Seasoned with spices, it’s bold in flavor and great for a lighter meal or a tasty appetizer. Naturally gluten-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup uncooked red lentils, rinsed
- Fresh mint (optional)
- 5 cups water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut Vegetables: Cut the carrots and onions into small pieces. Mince the garlic cloves.
- Sauté Onions, Carrots and Garlic: In a large pot, heat up olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cook until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the minced garlic, and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add Spices: Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, and sweet paprika. Add tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Lentils, Mint and Water: Add the rinsed red lentils, fresh mint (if you like), and water (or broth if using). Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Simmer and Blend: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until lentils are soft and starting to break down. For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to partially or fully blend the soup. You can also blend half in a high-speed blender and return it to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish and Serve: Ladle the carrot and lentil soup into bowls and garnish with fresh mint. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Oil: I used extra virgin olive oil, but feel free to use another vegetable oil if you prefer.
Vegetables: Carrots are a key ingredient in this carrot and lentil soup. As for the onions, feel free to use white onions, yellow onions or red onions.
Spices: I used a mix of ground cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika and ground black pepper to adds a beautiful flavor to this red lentil soup. Feel free to add in other types of spices and condiments (such as garlic powder, onion powder, etc).
Tomato Paste: I like adding a bit of tomato paste for color and sweetness to balance out the other flavors. Feel free to leave it out if you’re not keen on the taste of tomato.
Red Lentils: Make sure to use red lentils – they are smaller in size and cook faster compared to other colored lentils. Plus they give this soup the beautiful orange color. Rinse the red lentils well before using.
Mint: Mint adds a refreshing taste to this lentil carrot soup. However, feel free to leave it out if mint isn’t up your alley.
Water: I used filtered water, but you can also use vegetable broth if you want more flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Soups
- Method: Stovetop
