Soup

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon & Spinach

Name: Red Lentil Soup with Lemon & Spinach
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder; 1 cup red lentils, rinsed; 6 cups vegetable broth; 5 oz fresh spinach; Juice of 1 lemon; Salt and black pepper to taste

This red lentil soup is a weeknight favorite at my place, especially when I need something comforting but quick. The lemon brightens everything up, and the spinach wilts in at the very end for a nice touch of green. It's surprisingly easy to make and tastes even better the next day, in my opinion.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
6 cups vegetable broth
5 oz fresh spinach
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until softened, about 5 minutes, then add minced garlic, cumin, and turmeric, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
Stir in the rinsed red lentils and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
Once lentils are cooked, stir in the fresh spinach, allowing it to wilt into the soup for 2-3 minutes. The residual heat will cook it perfectly.
Remove from heat, stir in the fresh lemon juice, and season with salt and black pepper to your liking. Serve hot.

Tips

If you prefer a creamier soup, blend about half of it with an immersion blender before adding the spinach.
This soup thickens as it cools; feel free to add a splash more broth or water when reheating if needed.