Five Alarm Lentil Soup Recipes

Steps:

• .Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin, bay leaves, tomato paste and sriracha, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic. (You might want to start with a lesser amount of the sriracha - it is powerful stuff).
• Add the tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Pour in the lentils and stock, stirring to combine. Bring to boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are softened and cooked through.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and discard the bay leaves. (I did not feel it needed either salt or pepper).
• Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired. (I particularly like a dollop of sour cream).

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until they begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, paprika, cumin,bay leaves, tomato paste, and Sriracha, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the tomatoes, and scrape up any of the brown bits that have accumulated at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Pour in the lentils and vegetable stock, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are softened and cooked thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of cilantro, and perhaps a last minute squiggle of Sriracha for color and zip.
• OVER THE TOP TIP
• Instead of garnishing with a spoon of plain sour cream, try a dollop of Sriracha Sour Cream (page 24) in your bowl to bring on some extra pain.

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and butter. When it starts sizzling, add onions, carrots, celery; sprinkle with salt. Sauté the veggies until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add garlic and freshly ground black pepper; sauté for only 1 minute.
• Add lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, basil, oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir well, increase the heat to high and bring to a strong simmer. Skim off any foam that forms on top.
• Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
• Stir in lemon juice and taste and adjust if necessary. Ladle in warm serving bowls and sprinkle on parsley. Serve with crusty bread.