This is the kind of soup with broth that tastes just as good, if not better, than the actual add-ins. Is it normal to want to guzzle the broth? Well, it is now, my friends. It’s actually a miracle I have any taste buds left because I’ve burned my tongue so many times since dedicating the last two weeks for cookbook soup makin’. After concocting 6 different soups and stews my freezer is very happy. Just don’t open it because you’re likely to get pummeled in the face by glass Tupperware. I was never one for patience and organization, but I can make a mean soup.
Chili powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper create a downright irresistible flavourful broth bursting with nutrition. I tell ya, it’ll clear your nose in no time. Have tissue nearby! While it does contain a medley of spices, I wouldn’t say it’s overly “spicy”, unless of course you go crazy with the cayenne pepper. I just added a bit of each spice at a time and tasted, adjusted, tasted, adjusted. That’s the beauty of soup – the recipe is never set in stone. Go wild.
Since most vegetable soups don’t hold me over very long, I added a cup of red lentils to amp up the protein (and fibre). Red lentils are one of my favourite ingredients to add into basic soups! They take a mere 15 minutes to cook and it’s all made in one pot. No pre-cooking. No soaking. They also “fluff up” (technical term) and add a lot of body to the broth. This soup went from having almost no protein to over 10 grams per serving. Add a hunk of bread/crackers + piece of fruit and you have yourself a nice little meal to enjoy with loved ones.
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, and Kale Soup
Yield
6 cups (1.4 L)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A flavourful, quick-to-prepare vegetable soup amped up with protein and fibre-packed red lentils. It's so good you'll want to drink the broth!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 5 to 6 cups (1.25 to 1.5L) low-sodium vegetable broth, as needed
- 1 cup uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained
- Fine grain sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 handfuls destemmed and chopped kale leaves or baby spinach
Directions
- In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Add in the celery and sauté for a few minutes more.
- Stir in the bay leaf and the spices (cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika, cayenne).
- Stir in the can of tomatoes (including the juice), broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer, uncovered, for about 20 to 25 minutes, until lentils are tender and fluffy.
- Stir in kale or spinach and cook until just wilted. Serve and enjoy! The cooled soup can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, or you can freeze it in a freezer-safe container (leave 1-inch at the top for expansion) for 1 to 2 months.
Tip:
- * This soup is even more satisfying when served with a hunk of toasted bread.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)…and in the words of Stephanie Tanner, whoa baby!
The first time I made this about 6 weeks ago, my husband and I both suffered from just-one-more-small-bowl syndrome…he had 4 bowls, I had 5. Since that time, I have made it 4 more times. To describe this recipe as “crack” does not do it justice. It is bursting with the right amount of flavor. When I make it, I don’t use the kale or any leafy green (just not my thing). For the broth, I usually use 4 cups of boxed broth, and then I make the rest of the broth using 8 cups of distilled water (I double my recipe, cause who doesn’t like leftovers) and two table spoons of reduced sodium “Better than Bouillon” Vegetable base. After it starts boiling, I add the Himalayan pink salt until it tastes good. Seriously, if you have not made this hearty soup, you have no idea what you are missing.
I made it yesterday. We really loved it. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My 2 year-old and I are devouring it right now. I love the spices; This is the first time I’ve ever cooked with smoked paprika and I liked it so much I doubled the amount. Other than that I made it just as written and I will definitely make it again. Thanks!
Your recipe is simmering on my stove as I type this. I substituted Callaloo from my garden in place of Kale and it is delicious. I had a question regarding your spices. Are you using true red chili powder as used in many indian recipes or are you using some kind of mexican chili blend? The reason I ask is with two tsp of indian chili powder the cayenne seems redundant. It does, however, clear the sinuses.
Just made this tonight. BEST.SOUP.EVER.
Seriously, my husband and I LOVED it and I will be making this again and again and again! Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
Since finding this recipe, I make it once a week! My family loves!!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe! I first made it one year ago, and have since shared the recipe with many, many family and friends. It’s delicious and forgiving. I usually make with Mirepoix, which has carrots, too, and substitute spinach for the kale. YUM! YUM!
Made this today and boy was it just delightful on this slightly chilly day. A great way to get in those greens and smoked paprika is probably my favorite spice to work with. Delish!
A wonderful soup, thank you! I didn’t have smoked paprika specifically, so I added two drops of liquid smoke, and I couldn’t stop with the ladle!
This recipe is one I MUST commit to memory! I added some mushrooms, curry powder, fresh cilantro, lemon pepper, and Cholula….oh my goodness, I couldn’t stop eating it!!! Thank you Angela for yet another brilliant concoction that is absolutely to die for.
I have made this today, I think for the 30th time. I love it so much. I have filled a bottle with it to give to my good friend tomorrow. She is also into healthy cooking. She is polish and she actually brought me loads of red lentils from Poland because it is so cheap over there and expensive over here. I just thought she has to taste one of the things I make with it. I’m curious about her reaction. This is the third recipe I have made for her from your book. She always asks me for the recipes but she doesn’t speak English, so I have to translate haha. I have also made Heather’s toasted super seed bread to try together with her. So I’m curious! Been cooking your recipes every day for the past two months! Thank you for all your work. Wouldn’t know what to do without it/them!
This is one delicious soup!
I made this today, and it was absolutely delicious! I used cabbage instead of kale (chopped fine and added with the tomatoes to allow for cook time) as that’s what I had on hand. I think you could throw anything in here and it would be fabulous. The perfect soup for a cold winter day. Thanks so much!
Just made this for my sick girlfriend and she’s overjoyed. THANKS!
Angela, this was so good! We followed the recipe but added about double the lentils (because we have 3 teenage boys, and also the bag was nearly empty and didn’t want to save them!) but the soup came out perfect. I imagine it was slightly more hearty with the extra lentils, but pretty close to the recipe. It did end up feeding all 5 of us, and I had one leftover for lunch the next day. It was good leftover too. Thanks for a great recipe!
This soup was DELICIOUS! Even a meat eater would love it. So incredibly flavorful and hearty, perfect for cold weather. I wanted to guzzle the broth too! Please, more recipes like this, I wouldn’t change a thing! : ) p.s and super easy too!
Ahhhh! I forgot to rinse and drain the lentils! I made it yesterday for dinner tonight and am wondering if I should not eat it?? Is it okay?
Thanks!!!!
Does it matter if you use red lentils or green ones?? Do they have a different flavor?
Hi Angela.
Quick question is the broth low sodium veg broth or regular. I just made detox soup from OSG cookbook I got this week and used low sodium veg broth and it seemed to lack salt so I wanted to double check before I tried this soup?
THANKS
My lentils weren’t done in 25 minutes (or even the extra 20 mins with the pot covered).
I finally took it off the heat and hope the lentils will soak up enough water to become softer and fluffy.
I used Trader Joe’s red split lentils. They’re tiny, so I cannot figure out why they didn’t cook faster. Any ideas?
The soup is delicious though.
Hi Lynne, I’ve heard that is lentils are old and super dry they can take an unusual amount of time to cook. I wonder if this was the case with yours? I always find red lentils cook in around 15 minutes…not long at all. Hope the next batch goes better!
Thank you, Angela! :)