lentil soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper (if using) and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Stir in lentils, vegetable broth, and diced tomatoes. Add bay leaf.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
6. Remove bay leaf before serving.
7. Stir in lemon juice (if using) before serving.

Notes

• For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup.
• Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream.
• This soup freezes well. Store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
• To make this soup vegetarian, ensure your vegetable broth is truly vegetable-based and doesn't contain any meat products.