Spiced Carrot and Red Lentil Soup

This spiced carrot and red lentil soup recipe is not the first of its kind, but it is worthy of another rendition in Internet-land. Beautifully silky, nourishing, and warming, it features a bit of Middle Eastern-inspired spice...just enough to give it that little something extra. Serve it with grilled bread or pita and a small side salad for a perfect mid-winter or spring dinner.

Soup is one of the best things about cold weather, especially rich, nourishing soups that warm you up from the inside. We've got a couple favorites on rotation, including roasted tomato and fennel soup and pumpkin poblano corn chowder. I've recently added this silky spiced carrot and red lentil soup to the list, and nobody in the house is sad about it.

Carrots tend to lose their bright carrot-y flavor when cooked. This is because the flavor compounds in orange-pigmented vegetables (such as pumpkin) break down at higher heat. The New York Times Cooking section came up with a simple solution in one of their carrot soup recipes, which is to add carrot juice both during cooking and right at the end (thanks, guys!). I've incorporated their strategy into this carrot and lentil soup recipe, and it makes a tremendous difference in the flavor. It's also optional, and the soup is still delicious without it.

The health benefits of lentils

Lentils are a staple of vegetarian and vegan diets. They are an excellent source of both protein and fiber, as well as a variety of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. In fact, lentils contain enough nutrition that they are considered a substitute for meat.

When blended into a soup, of course, the protein is diluted a bit compared to eating lentils on their own, but they still boost the protein content of this vegetarian soup to 10 grams per serving. You can add up to ½ cup more lentils to boost the protein further (although it will change the texture of your soup a bit).

Red lentils are quick-cooking and don't have a hard outer skin, which makes them particularly well-suited to blending into soups. They are also more mild in flavor than their green, brown, and black cousins, and so pair well with the milder flavors in this spiced carrot and red lentil soup.

Ingredients and substitutions

Yellow onion - Yellow onions are my default, but white onion will also work here.

Carrots - Fresh carrots will have the brightest flavor. I've made this recipe with both orange and yellow carrots...I did throw in a couple of purple carrots once, and they made the soup a really odd brown color (it still tasted fine).

Garlic - I use fresh garlic, but jarred garlic will work fine here too.

Red lentils - Use red lentils in this recipe, not green lentils. Red lentils cook much faster and break down to the creamy consistency we are looking for. Green lentils have thicker skins that don't break down as readily. I use Bob's Red Mill Red Lentils.

Ghee (or butter) - You can use whichever one you prefer, or replace it with extra virgin olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil - I used Graza's "Sizzle" olive oil to test this recipe.

Ground cumin, coriander, and turmeric - These are all mild spices. If you'd like to add some heat, you can also add ½ teaspoon of hot paprika or a couple pinches of red pepper flakes.

Vegetable or chicken broth - Obviously, vegetable broth will make this carrot soup recipe vegetarian. I use Simple Truth Organic broths from Krogers/QFC, and Pacific brand broths are also very good.

Carrot juice (optional) - Carrot juice has become really hard to find in small quantities! I recently found small bottles of carrot juice at Whole Foods.

Greek yogurt - My favorite brand is Fage, and I use the 2% fat version. This soup is plenty creamy without it, but the yogurt adds a nice acidity to the rich flavors.

Optional garnishes - There are many options for garnishing your carrot and lentil soup, including chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, harissa seasoning, Greek yogurt (thinned with milk or water), creme fraiche, feta cheese, and homemade croutons.

Tips and tricks for the perfect carrot and lentil soup

Choose a low-sodium broth for accurate seasoning. Using low-sodium broth does create a bit more work for the cook but is helpful to prevent over-seasoning. I recommend finding one broth you like and sticking with it for your soups. Being familiar with your ingredients takes some of the guesswork out of seasoning.

Let the soup sit for 5-10 minutes before blending and adding finishing ingredients. Allowing your carrot and lentil soup to come down a bit in temperature before blending is a matter of safety. It will also help prevent the yogurt from curdling and the carrot flavor in the juice from cooking off.

Adjust the texture of your carrot and lentil soup with added broth. Depending on how long and how hot your soup cooked, you may need to add a little extra broth to get a super silky, creamy texture. Add extra broth about ⅓ cup at a time and blend until you achieve a perfect smooth texture. I generally add extra broth before adding the yogurt.

Temper the yogurt before adding to hot soup. This is a great tip for adding dairy to any hot soup: scoop a couple of tablespoons of the hot soup into your dairy and whisk them together before adding it all back into your soup pot.

Prep ahead, storage, and reheating

This soup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat on the stovetop over medium low heat, stirring, until the soup comes to a bare simmer. Do not boil.

To reheat an individual portion in the microwave, add it to a microwave-safe bowl and heat on 70% power for one minute. Stir, and return to the microwave for 30-second intervals until hot.

Spiced carrot and red lentil soup can also be frozen for up to three months. I freeze my soups in individual portions in Souper Cubes (I love their new blueberry color!), and reheat them over medium low heat on the stovetop directly out of the freezer.

Did you make this recipe?

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