Description
This Mediterranean Lentil Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish packed with nutritious ingredients like lentils, vegetables, and aromatic spices. Perfect for a comforting meal on a chilly day!
Ingredients
Scale
Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and bell pepper, and sauté for 6–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30–35 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and fresh parsley just before serving.
Notes
- For a creamier texture, blend 2 cups of the soup in a blender and stir it back in.
- This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen.
- Serve with warm pita bread or crusty bread for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 14 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
