Learn about Moti's Recipes...

Lentil soup can be enjoyed all year long, but it's especially good in winter and when you are sick—much better than chicken soup even!

First, rinse the lentils, then place them to soak with fresh water on the side. Now to make our quick homemade vegetable broth! In a large pot, bring the 10 cups of water to a boil. Throw in the whole onion, carrots, some celery stalk, potato, and two cloves of garlic, as well as a tablespoon of salt. Reduce to a medium heat and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Once your broth has cooked and reduced a bit, drain the lentils and toss them in the pot. Allow the soup to reach a boil again, then reduce the heat to simmer and cover. It will take another 40 minutes to cook the lentils.

While you're waiting, let's create the spice mixture we add at the end. In a small frying pan on medium heat, sauté in a little bit of olive oil the two remaining cloves of garlic (minced), along with 2 teaspoons fresh cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika (preferably the spicy kind!), and 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Sauté lightly, always stirring, until cooked but not browned. Remove from the heat.

Going back to the pot now, once your lentils have cooked and are soft and coming apart, you're ready to finish up. Turn the heat off, and transfer the spice mixture to the pot, as well as the lemon juice and cilantro. Using a hand blender, purée the ingredients together. You can make it as fine as you like, but I leave it a little chunky. Taste the soup and add any necessary salt or, why not?, hot pepper!

Serve with a garnish of cilantro, sour cream, or just on its own. This lentil soup recipe is sooo good!

Lentil
Tips

Many national cuisines have lentil soup on the menu. My favorites are Egyptian lentil soup and Turkish lentil soup, and this recipe is a kind of fusion between them. Red lentils are the tastiest lentils in my opinion! They also make for the prettiest soup. However, you can use any type of lentil you find in the supermarket.

About the broth: this recipe makes its own vegetarian broth and is sooo good! If you prefer chicken stock, throw in some chicken bones/drumsticks too. Be sure to peel away the coagulated protein that rises to the top. If you haven't got the time for either, you can buy chicken/vegetable stock from the store and use that instead. However, keep in mind that the vegetables themselves, which we blend with the lentils at the end, give a certain consistency and flavor to the soup.