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.
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!
