red lentil and sweet potato soup

It’s the end of the week and our fridge is looking pretty bare. Luckily, I managed to salvage enough ingredients to make a delicious soup. It’s filling and hearty, despite being free of any meat.

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup
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1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 t cumin
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t cinnamon
pinch of ground clove
cayenne pepper, to taste
4 c water
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper, to taste
1 c red lentils
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 T lemon juice
olive oil, cilantro, yogurt, more ground spices (for serving)

- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, when hot add the onions. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

- Add chopped carrots to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin, paprika, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to fall apart.

- Pour four cups of water to the pot, add bay leaf, salt, pepper, red lentils, and sweet potatoes. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer on low heat for a half hour. Check on the pot occasionally and add a little more water, if necessary.

- Once sweet potatoes and lentils are finished cooking, discard the bay leaf and transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

- Return the soup back to the pot and squeeze a generous tablespoon of lemon juice to the soup. Season again to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of yogurt, olive oil, fresh cilantro, and more ground spices.

Serves 2-4

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Related posts:

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2. lentil soup with tomatoes and swiss chard
3. puréed fava bean soup
4. lentil and tomato soup
5. cream of roasted tomato and fennel soup

Tags: dinner, middle eastern, soup, vegan, vegetarian