Lenten soup made from red lentils

Bright and hearty, with a well-defined taste, the lenten soup made from red lentils is prepared in literally half an hour. The health benefits of lentils have been known since ancient times; moreover, this hot dish can satisfy hunger for a long time, even though it contains no meat.

Yield: 5 servings (for a 2.5-liter pot).

Cooking time: 30 minutes.

Caloric content: 63 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cuisine: Russian.

Ingredients

• red lentils – 250 g;
• potatoes – 180 g;
• carrots – 140 g;
• white onion – 70 g;
• garlic – 1 large clove;
• tomato paste – 35 g;
• dried thyme (optional) – 1 tsp;
• hot purified water – 1.5 l;
• vegetable oil with no strong smell – 40 ml;
• salt, pepper.

Cooking

1. Prepare the ingredients for making lenten soup from red lentils. The amount of vegetables can vary between 20-40 grams. Thyme can be omitted, but it gives the dish a characteristic fresh aroma.

2. Rinse the lentils several times under running water.

3. Chop the onion and garlic randomly (size does not matter, as the vegetables will be pureed).

4. Pour the vegetable oil directly into the soup pot. Set it on the heat and add the chopped vegetables.

5. There is no need to fry the onion and garlic until golden brown; just lightly sauté them, so keep the heat moderate.

6. Cut the potatoes into small cubes for quicker cooking.

7. Do the same with the carrots.

8. Add the vegetables along with the thyme to the pot. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The potatoes should soften, so it may take a little more or less time (depends on the variety and size of the cut).

9. When the vegetables are cooked or almost cooked, add the lentils to them.

10. Stir everything and sauté the lentils for a couple of minutes with the vegetables, which will intensify the lentil flavor in the soup. Season with pepper.

11. Pour in the hot water, but not all at once.

12. It should just cover the ingredients (a thicker mixture is easier to puree with a blender than a liquid one, which splatters hot droplets everywhere).

13. If some foam forms, it should be removed, and the tomato paste added. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes.

14. During this time, the lentils will break down.

15. Now you can puree the soup, taking it off the burner. The blender should be turned on and off only when fully immersed in the mixture to avoid hot splashes everywhere.

16. Add the remaining water. Season the soup with salt. Its thickness can be adjusted to your liking by adding more or less water.

17. Return the pot to the stove and bring the mixture to a boil.

18. The lenten soup made from red lentils is ready. Serve the lenten soup hot. It can be sprinkled with pieces of sweet paprika, green onions, which will enhance the aroma of this wonderful dish. Another serving option is with sour cream. It will change the taste a bit, but will also be interesting.

Enjoy, bon appétit!