Curried Red Lentil Soup

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

This modest lentil soup is soulful, inexpensive, healthy and easy to make. This soup, in short, is everything a good soup should be, and more. Did I mention it's also delicious?

It must be the flavorful Indian spices that lend a note of exotica to the brew. But be on guard; the bottom of the soup pan will burn if not stirred periodically. If, by chance, you do burn the bottom, do not stir the bottom or the burnt flavor will spread throughout the soup. (Take it from an expert who has burned a lot of soup in her day.) Just ladle it out into another pan (leaving the burnt pan behind) and continue cooking. Soak the burnt pan in water overnight, and all will be fine.

I love having the soup in my fridge as a purge before the feast. It's fiber-rich, low in fat, and you may be using some of those aromatics — the carrots, celery and onion — in your Thanksgiving dinner, as well.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Simmer Time: 40-50 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped or diced carrots
2 tablespoons curry powder (garam masala)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
5-7 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups red lentils, washed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, optional
Red pepper flakes
Plain yogurt, optional

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery and carrot and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until vegetables soften, about 8 minutes stirring occasionally, and stir curry, turmeric and garlic. Cook an additional minute then add tomatoes and stock.
2. Stir in lentils then bring to a boil; reduce to medium-low heat and cook, stirring every 5 minutes, 40-50 minutes or until lentils have completely broken down and softened.
3. Season to taste with kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in cilantro, if using, and garnish with a dollop of yogurt, if using.