Carrot and Lentil Soup
Carrot and red lentil soup with creamy coconut and a crispy chickpea topping. Hearty and easy to make.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- 5-6qt Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup red lentils uncooked
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 14.5 oz can full fat coconut milk *see notes
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1-32 oz box plus 1 can
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt *more to taste
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp paprika
Crispy Spiced Chickpeas (optional)
- 1 14.5 oz can chickpeas
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
Additional Toppings (optional)
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 3-4 tbsp sour cream *optional
- 3-4 tsp Chili Onion Crunch *optional
Instructions
- Set the oven to 400º if making the crispy chickpeas. Roughly chop the onions, carrots and garlic. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large pot on medium /high heat. Add the onions, garlic and carrots to the heated oil, sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the tomato paste.
- Mix the paste in with the veggies, then add in all soup seasonings. Let them brown a little in the pan for about 30 seconds- minute. Pour in the broth and lentils. Bring to a slow, gentle simmer for about 25 minutes. Cover the pot, with a little venting.
- For the crispy chickpeas: Rinse and drain the chickpeas, pat them dry on a paper towel. Place them flat on a cooking sheet, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. Roast them for about 20 -25 minutes (while the soup is cooking on the stove) until they are browned and toasted. Be sure to shake the pan every 10 minutes to ensure even roasting.
- Once the lentils are softened, cooked down and there is a bit less liquid, add the coconut milk (reserve some for garnish if desired!) Next, pour the mixture into a high speed blender or use an immersion blender to mix up the soup until smooth, If you want to keep it chunky you certainly can, I have had it both ways and I like them both. But the creamy texture is so comforting.
- Pour the soup back into the pot, bring the soup to a light simmer again. Turn off the heat and serve. I like to top mine with a little sour cream or leftover coconut milk. I also top mine with my Chili Onion Crunch (I highly recommend this!). Top the soup with cilantro and the crispy chickpeas and enjoy!
Notes
*full fat offers the best texture and flavor, you can use lite however it won't be as tasty.
*you may want extra broth to thin the soup out depending on your desired thickness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cup | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1627mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 6783IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg