Red Lentil Soup

A silky, warming red lentil soup built on a base of sautéed carrots, shallot, garlic and tomato with cumin and lemon. The trick of blending half and leaving half whole gives a perfect creamy-yet-textured result. Delicious.

What You Need

• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 4 cups chicken stock (see Instant Pot Chicken Stock recipe)
• 2 cups water
• 1½ cups red lentils, divided (1 cup + ½ cup)
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro, parsley and lemon zest to garnish

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (Dutch oven, stock pot or soup pot) over medium heat.
2. Add the carrots and sauté for 3–4 minutes until starting to soften.
3. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
5. Add the cumin, lemon zest, chicken stock and water. Stir to combine.
6. Bring to a light boil and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Add 1 cup of the red lentils and simmer for 10 minutes until completely soft.
8. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
9. Add the remaining ½ cup of red lentils and simmer until cooked through — about 8–10 minutes. This gives the soup a lovely texture.
10. Stir in the lemon juice and a swirl of good olive oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
11. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh cilantro, chopped parsley and a pinch of lemon zest.

Tips & Notes

• Seeding the tomatoes keeps the soup from going watery — worth the extra 30 seconds.
• The two-stage lentil method (blend the first cup, leave the second cup whole) is the key to getting both creaminess and texture in one bowl.
• Use your homemade chicken stock here — the depth of flavour makes a noticeable difference.
• This soup thickens considerably in the fridge. Loosen with a splash of water or stock when reheating.
• For a vegan version, swap chicken stock for vegetable stock — just as good.

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