Zesty Lentil-Tomato Soup
Part of winter and nesting season is staying in and enjoying hot dishes to warm yourself up. What if I told you that this dish could be done quickly and the results are incredibly tasty? What if I told you that this could also be a great alternative for a light dinner or a nice appetizer when inviting guests over?
I always felt that lentils and cumin were a match made in heaven, but in this lentil soup version I tried hitting more spots in the tongue by adding some heat with the chilli powder and some zest with the lemon juice. Why not spice up that wonderful combination of flavours?
Easy, quick and delicious! Make it, enjoy it and let me know what you think!

Yield: around 4 servings
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Cooking oil (grape seed, canola, vegetable)
1 each Large onion, diced medium
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 each Large carrot, peeled & diced (or 2 medium)
1 1/2 Tbsp Tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
To taste Kosher salt
To taste Fresh ground black pepper
1 large pinch Chilli powder
1 1/2 L Vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups Red or yellow lentils
1 each Lemon, juiced
For garnish:
As needed Cilantro, chopped (optional)
As needed Good quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Method:
In a large pot, heat 3 Tbsp preferred cooking oil. When hot, add onion and sauté until lightly golden, around 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper slightly.
Add carrots and garlic and continue sautéing for another 3 minutes or so, until very fragrant. Stir in tomato paste, chilli powder, cumin and a little more salt and pepper, and sauté for 2 more minutes until well incorporated.
Add stock and lentils and bring to a simmer. Turn down to a low simmer and cover partially and cook until the lentils are cooked through, around 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning salt and pepper.
For a chunkier soup leave as-is, if you desire a smoother soup, using a hand blender puree half of the soup. If you are using a regular blender, be careful when pureeing as hot liquids tend to make the lid of blenders open and "explode".
To finish the soup, squeeze the juice of a lemon and garnish with chopped cilantro (optional) to add more flavour dimensions.
Serve immediately and enjoy!!
Notes:
By cutting all ingredients around the same size, you are guaranteeing uniform cooking throughout, make sure to practice your knife skills ;)