Spiced Lentil Soup

Sharing is caring!

It has finally soup weather in Oakland.  It even got down to 38, which is not normal for our area at all.  My mint froze, and the seeds I planted a few weeks ago is not growing.   It is definitely time  to enjoy a big bowl of this comforting Spiced Lentil Soup.

This soup recipe is inspired by a recipe I saw in Delicious Magazine.  You are going to love this comforting Indian inspired soup recipe as not only is it really easy to make, but it is packed with flavor.  

I used warm spices such as cumin, gram masala, and spicy Marash chilies to season the vegetarian broth-based recipe.  After cooking the soup until the lentils fall apart, I puree half of the lentil soup mixture, before combining with the soup with fresh spinach and lemon juice.  

The topping for this flavor rich spiced lentil soup is a garlicky yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro.  This recipe is a big bowl of bright and refreshing flavors that are a welcome on a chilly evening.  

Recipe:  Spiced Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

** serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely minced
2 carrots, scrubbed clean and cut into small dice
3 celery sticks, cleaned and cut into small dice
1 bay leave
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Marash chilies
1 tablespoon gram masala
1 1/2 cups orange lentils
7 cups vegetable stock
2 handfuls spinach leaves, I use baby leaves if you use larger, tear or cut into smaller pieces
juice 1/2 lemon
1 cup greek yogurt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small garlic, grated on a Microplane
cilantro, to serve with
Fresno chilies, to serve as a garnish
extra lemon wedges
kosher salt

How To:

1. 1. 1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft;  about 3 – 5minutes.  Add the celery and carrots, stir and cook for another 3 minutes.
      2. Stir in the bay leaves, cumin, chilies, gram masala, and the lentils.  Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring every so often.
      3. Add the stock, stir and simmer over low heat for 30 – 40 minutes.  The soup will begin to thicken as the lentils fall apart.
      4. While the soup is cooking mix the yogurt, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and garlic together.  Set aside.
      5. When the soup has finished cooking puree half of the soup in a food processor or blender;  then mix the pureed and the unpureed soups together.
      6. Gently reheat over low heat and stir in the spinach and juice of 1/2 lemon.  Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt if you desire.
      7. Serve in a bowl and top with yogurt, cilantro, and the chilies.
      8. Eat.