Description
This easy red lentil soup is a comforting and nutritious dish featuring tender lentils and vegetables, blended to a creamy texture and finished with a fragrant Aleppo pepper butter drizzle. Perfect as a wholesome starter or a light main course, it’s simple to prepare and packed with vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
- 1 medium potato (Yukon gold, peeled and diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup red lentils (rinsed)
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
To Serve
- lemon wedges
Pepper Butter
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and carrots, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add the diced potato and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spices: Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Cook while stirring for about 30 seconds to release the aromas and blend the flavors.
- Simmer the lentils: Add the rinsed red lentils and low-sodium vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer gently for 25 minutes, or until the lentils and potatoes are very soft.
- Blend: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. You can blend to your preferred consistency, either completely smooth or with a bit of texture, according to taste.
- Make the pepper butter: In a small pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the Aleppo pepper and stir for 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant, then remove from heat.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle each serving with the warm Aleppo pepper butter, and offer lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.
Notes
- This soup is nourishing and packed with flavor, making it perfect for a quick weeknight meal or comforting lunch.
- You can substitute the Yukon gold potato with sweet potato or another starchy vegetable.
- The Aleppo pepper butter adds a warm, slightly spicy finish—if you prefer less heat, reduce the amount of Aleppo pepper or omit it.
- For a vegan version, use olive oil instead of butter for the pepper drizzle.
- The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 261 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 505 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
