After my sister-in-law made this soup for our family one night, I fell in love with it! This is a variation on her recipe. I could make this hearty and comforting dish weekly (and sometimes do). It's simple and bursting with vibrant and fresh flavors. You can cook it up on the stove top or throw everything in the slow cooker and let it simmer all day. Either way is easy and delicious, especially when you have good company.
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ heaped teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon dried ginger
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4–6 cups vegetable broth (I used 4 in the pictured recipe, but sometimes increase it for a less stew like soup)
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes (1/2 a jar of bottled or 2-3 large fresh tomatoes are always better if you have them)
- 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and picked over
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of half a fresh lemon
Method:
In a large soup pot, sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic in the olive oil. Add seasonings (coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, salt, pepper) when onion is translucent and sauté for a few minutes more.
Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, and lentils and simmer on stove-top for 30 minutes in large saucepan or in a small crock-pot on low for 6–8 hours.
For texture variation you can pulse it a few times with a stick blender.
Add lemon, parsley, and cilantro just before serving. For extra brightness, squeeze an additional slice of lemon over each bowl.
