Hearty Red Lentil & Spinach Soup 🍲🥬
A cozy, nourishing soup packed with creamy red lentils, tender spinach, vegetables, and warm spices. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal!
🛒 Ingredients
1 ½ cups red lentils, rinsed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
Sauté the vegetables:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened.
Add garlic and spices:
Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add lentils and liquids:
Stir in the rinsed lentils, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring the soup to a boil.
Simmer:
Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and beginning to break down.
Add spinach:
Stir in the spinach and cook for another 2–3 minutes, just until wilted.
Finish:
Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as desired.
Serve:
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve warm with crusty bread if desired.
