Egyptian Red Lentil Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: Serves 4
 
A quintessential Egyptian soup with a whole-foods twist!
Ingredients
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 medium red onion, roughly quartered
  • 1 medium sweet potato (about two cups worth), roughly chopped
  • 1 medium tomato, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 small carrots (or one large), peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 heaping tbsp of cumin powder
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 litre water or vegetable stock (plus more as needed)
Optional toppings
  • Caramelised onions
  • Baked pita chips
  • Lemon juice
  • Toasted cumin seeds
  • Organic extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a large pot and cover with water or vegetable stock.
  2. Bring to the boil, then add in seasonings before covering and bring the heat down to medium-low to simmer.
  3. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are soft enough to slice easily. That’s the best indicator for me as they take the longest to cook.
  4. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully pour contents into a blender, and blend till creamy.
  5. Add back into the pan and thin out with water as needed, remembering to taste and re-adjust seasoning.
Notes
  • I use sweet potato to up the nutritional profile of this soup (can’t get enough beta-carotene!), but feel free to use a regular potato for a more traditional taste
  • For a spicy variation you could add one de-seeded chili pepper, or even 1 teaspoon of curry powder (note, that will alter the original flavour dramatically)
  • For a chunkier texture you could pulse half of the mixture in a blender and set aside before adding to the rest of the pureed soup
Recipe by One Arab Vegan at https://www.onearabvegan.com/2018/05/egyptian-red-lentil-soup/