Luscious Lentil Soup

Thank you Alton Brown! I found this simple recipe recently and knew I had to put this together my way. His recipes have been inspirational to me, and many are so easy to transform into a delicious plant-based meal! This spicy lentil soup is a wonderfully elevated version.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Makes 8-10 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • 1- 15oz. can organic chopped tomatoes
  • 2 quarts low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala*
  • Salt and pepper to taste

*If you don’t have this on hand, use equal parts of cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper. These flavors added with the coriander and cumin are outstanding.

Instructions

  1. Heat a large 6-quart pan over medium heat.
  2. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt.
  3. Sweat the onions until translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes.
  4. Add the fresh lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin, chili flakes and Garam Masala and stir to combine.
  5. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
  6. Optional: use a stick blender and puree some or all of the soup to your preferred consistency.
  7. Stir in chopped kale at the end and serve immediately with toasted pita points.