Soul Warming Red Lentil Soup
This recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published at 365Barrington.com.
There’s something so comforting about a pot of this Red Lentil Soup simmering on the stove with fresh stock ingredients on a cold day.
You probably already have most ingredients for this soup right in your pantry. I had everything on-hand except sweet potatoes. I wish all my recipes were this easy to shop for. The best part is that, aside from a bit of peeling and dicing, there is very little effort involved. All the ingredients are put into a slow cooker. Put a lid on it, set the timer for three hours and forget about it until dinner time. If you don’t own a Crockpot, don’t worry. You can bring the ingredients to a light boil then simmer on low for 3 hours or until all the ingredients have incorporated and the lentils are tender.
This soup has a slight Thai flavor. The coconut milk and peanut butter add a sweetness that contrasts with the warm spice blend. Then the lime and cilantro that finish the soup add a layer of flavor that keep you digging your spoon into the bowl.
Maybe you’ve heard of harissa, but have you ever tried it? If you love condiments and adding a kick of spice to your meals, you’ll want to check this out!
Harissa is a spicy and aromatic chile paste that’s a widely used staple in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. Harissa recipes vary between countries and regions, but a standard version includes a blend of hot chile peppers (which are often smoked), garlic, olive oil and spices, like cumin, coriander, caraway and mint. Tomatoes and rose petals are also common ingredients.
Even if you love spicy food, harissa packs quite a punch. A little goes a long way. Harissa is most commonly found ready-made in jars, tubes and cans. A spice powder version is also available. Your best bet for finding harissa is Middle Eastern markets, specialty stores and in the ethnic section of most grocery stores.
You can also make it yourself. It’s really easy!
Soul Warming Red Lentil Soup
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
For the Red Lentil Soup
- 2 cups Heinen's vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 cans light coconut milk
- 2 cups diced sweet potato
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 cup finely diced white onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 1 Tbsp. Harissa spice blend (see below)
- 1/2 cup Heinen's natural peanut butter
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
- For the Homemade Harissa Spice Blend
- 2 tsp. Heinen's ground cumin
- 1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. whole caraway seeds
- 1 tsp. Heinen's chili flakes
- ½ tsp. Heinen's garlic powder
Instructions
For the Soup
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the stock, coconut milk, sweet potato, carrot, onion, garlic, lentils, spices, and peanut butter. Stir well so that the peanut butter is evenly distributed.
- Secure the lid and cook for 3.5 hours on the high setting or until the vegetables are tender.
- When the soup is ready, stir in lime juice and zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour into bowls and garnish each with cilantro and crumbled goat cheese.
For the Homemade Harissa Spice Blend
- Toast the whole coriander and caraway seeds in a sauté pan on low heat until aromatic.
- Transfer to a spice/coffee grinder and process with remaining spices. A mortar and pestle can be used to grind the spices as well.
- Use as desired in recipes.
