I drafted this post and scheduled it to publish last week. And then we got a late burst of Summer. So I held off and the temperatures most obliging plunged over the last couple of days. No better time to post a simple recipe for a warming, filling soup.

I normally like a smooth soup but sometimes the chunky ones like this one and my Minestrone are more satisfying. This Spiced Tomato and Lentil Soup is perfect for lunch and pair it with a cheese toasty for a more substantial meal.

 

Useful tips & links:

• This soup is vegetarian and vegan if you use the correct stock.
• It freezes really well, I pour it into ziploc bags and freeze them flat so that they stack easily and defrost quickly when you need them.
• I add roast red peppers to this. You can use fresh peppers and cook them with the other veg but sometimes they can go a little bitter so I prefer to add the sweeter roast peppers.
• I use red split lentils here. Use any lentils that you like, just make sure you check the instructions to cook them properly.
• Ras el hanout spice mix and harissa paste are the spices to flavour this soup. Both are widely available now but I have a recipe for harissa here if you want to make your own.
• I have a whole range of soup recipes here for you to have a look at.
• For more inspiration have a look at Caroline’s Spicy Lentil Soup on Bibliocook.

 

 

 

 

 

Spiced Tomato and Lentil Soup

 

Makes 4-5 generous servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1 onion
• A large carrot
• 1 stick of celery
• A clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ras el hanout
• 2 teaspoons of harissa paste
• 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 500ml of hot chicken or veg stock
• 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 100g of red split lentils
• Sugar
• A handful of spinach
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

Method:

• Peel and finely dice the onion, carrot and celery. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the diced veg over a low heat for about 15 minutes until soft but not browned.
• Crush the clove of garlic and add it in along with the cumin and ras el hanout spices. Cook for a few minutes until you can smell the spices cooking. Add in the harissa paste and stir through.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes and hot stock, along with the red pepper. Turn up the heat to medium and cook gently until it starts to simmer.
• Season with salt and pepper and add a small pinch of sugar. Pour in the lentils, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally and make sure that the soup is not drying out.
• By now the soup will be quite thick. Blend about a third of it to give it a creamy texture, either in a blender jug or using a stick blender.
• Put it back on the heat and add water to loosen it to a consistency to your liking. Add a handful of spinach leaves and stir through until wilted. Stir through the smoked paprika, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Serve with a swirl of yogurt and fresh coriander leaves to garnish.