Light but filling, this silky smooth soup made with carrots, lentils and a hint of spice is a perfect lunch option.
Looking for lunch ideas? Try pairing this soup with a Chickpea Salad Sandwich!
As the weather changes around me I’ve started craving some satisfying but lean soup recipes. I need a soup that will warm me from the inside out, while also doing something good for my soul at the same time.
This warming soup is built off of the sweetness of carrots with savoury lentils for added bulk and flavour. But to make it even more interesting, it has added spice to add complex taste and a very light touch of heat.
This is carrot and lentil soup is one that you’ll come back to again and again. It’s absolutely perfect for cold winter months, but will go down well any time of the year!
Carrot and Lentil Soup
The recipe for this soup is very straight forward. It’s a great option for when you don’t want to put in a lot of effort but still want a tasty soup.
The secret to the delightful spice in this soup is to let them get a head start. Sauté the onions in a little oil, then add garlic and ginger and let it cook for half a minute.
Then add the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and garam masala together with the tomato paste, stirring to combine. This is an important step that releases the stunning aromas from the spices, which is so important for the final flavour.
Now pour in the vegetable stock with chopped carrots and red lentils with some salt and let it come to a boil. When it has boiled, lower the heat and let is simmer for 40 minutes.
Once the carrots have become soft and the lentils are fully cooked, stick it all in a blender or food processor and run till it is smooth. It’s even easier if you can use an immersion stick blender.
Give it a taste to see if there is enough salt and add a bit more if needed. I wanted to give mine a nice look so added a bit of cream and sprinkled some nigella seeds. Try soy cream to keep this soup vegan.
Recipe tips and hits
- Using frozen crushed garlic and grated ginger is a great shortcut for many recipes, including this one. I always keep one of each in my freezer to make cooking as simple as possible.
- A blender or food processor can be used with this recipe, but it’s even easier with an immersion stick blender.
- For a chunkier soup, remove one third of the soup before blending and return when done. This will allow you to keep some of the texture from carrots and lentils.
- While spiced carrot and lentil soup is perfect on its own as a light lunch, it equally works as a side dish with a sandwich or salad.
More lunch recipes
- Puff Pastry Tomato Tart with Goat’s Cheese
- Grilled Vegetable Pizza Bianca
- Fig and Halloumi Winter Salad
- Basil Pesto Pasta
Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup
Light but filling, this soup made with carrots, lentils and a hint of spice is a perfect lunch option.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 500g/4 carrots, large, chopped
- 200g/1 cup dry red lentils
- 1.5 litre/6 cups vegetable stock
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon single cream/half and half, soy cream or plain yogurt for garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds/kalonji seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot and sauté the onions for 5 minutes over low heat, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add the cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, garam masala and the tomato paste, stir to combine and cook for a few seconds to release the aroma of the spices.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, then add the chopped carrots and red lentils with a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Once the carrots are soft and the lentils are cooked all the way through process the soup in a blender or a food processor until smooth. (Immersion stick blender is the most convenient if you have one.) Then taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with a light drizzle of the single cream or half and half and sprinkled with nigella seeds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 353Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1720mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 8gSugar: 10gProtein: 17g
This recipe has ~10g protein per serving if the recipe is 4 servings… not 17g!!! And ~150 kcal. Why have you misrepresented this? The nutritional info you have provided is for 2 servings, and even then is not correct.
I am curious as to what service you are using for this calculation. The information provided here is estimate generated a third-party service. There can be some variation based on the brands used and how they are prepared. And while I am fine with you asking a question about this, the accusation you included is very unnecessary. Please remember at least basic manners, even when interacting online. I have no agenda to mislead anyone and am only providing this information to be as helpful as possible.