Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 cup red lentils rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and diced carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, cumin, turmeric, and red pepper flakes if desired. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the rinsed red lentils, vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes with their juices. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender.
- Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup until it reaches your desired consistency. You can also transfer half of the soup to a blender, purée it, and return it to the pot. If needed, add a small amount of broth to thin the soup after blending.
- Add the lemon juice and taste. Adjust the seasoning as necessary. Serve the soup hot, topped with chopped fresh parsley.