Spicy Lentil Soup Carrots (Printable View)

Tender lentils simmered with carrots, celery, and spices for a flavorful, comforting dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 medium tomato, diced or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes

→ Legumes

06 - 1 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed

→ Liquids

07 - 5 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ½ teaspoon ground coriander
12 - ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, adjusted to taste
13 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

16 - Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
17 - Lemon wedges

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Incorporate garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, and thyme; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced carrots and celery, sauté for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato, lentils, and bay leaf. Pour in vegetable broth and bring mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils and vegetables are tender.
06 - Discard bay leaf and season soup with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - For a smoother texture, blend a portion of the soup using an immersion blender if desired.
08 - Serve hot, topped with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been tending it all afternoon.
  • The spices wake up your palate without drowning out the natural sweetness of the carrots.
  • Somehow it's even better the next day, which means you're actually ahead of the game.
02 -
  • Don't skip the minute where you cook the spices in the hot oil, that's when they release all their depth and stop tasting flat.
  • Lentils need salt in their cooking liquid, so season as you taste rather than waiting until the very end.
03 -
  • If you have red lentils on hand, they'll work but they'll dissolve into the broth and give you something closer to a purée, which is delicious if that's what you're after.
  • Always rinse your dried lentils before they go in the pot, sometimes there's a bit of grit hiding in there.

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