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Moroccan Lentil Soup

Moroccan Lentil Soup Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 265

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, and cayenne. Stir for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
  2. Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with their juices, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
  3. Stir in the rinsed red lentils. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  4. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, top with cilantro or parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

The soup thickens as it cools, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. For extra depth, swap the cayenne for a spoonful of harissa stirred in at the end.