Hearty Lentil Soup
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (white, yellow, red), chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded carrots
2 celery stalks, ends removed and diced
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves, dried
1 small sweet potato, diced
1 medium potato (red, white, yellow), diced
1 ½ cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
5 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup tomatoes, diced (or canned crushed tomatoes)
1 lemon, juiced (optional)
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Directions
Instant Pot option:
Press the Sauté button; add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until softened and starting to turn brown, about 5 minutes.
Add carrots, celery, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the lentils and potatoes and stir to coat them with spices. Add the stock and tomatoes. Seal the Instant Pot.
Press the Cancel button and then the Manual or Pressure Cook button. Adjust time to 15 minutes.
When the timer beeps, use natural release for 10 minutes. Then quick release any remaining pressure until the float valve drops. Unlock lid.
Serve warm. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Cooking on the stove:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until the onion turns a light brown.
Add carrots, celery, paprika, cayenne pepper, turmeric, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the lentils and potatoes and stir to coat them with spices. Add the stock and tomatoes.
Increase heat and bring to boil. Scoop any residue off the surface and discard (and repeat during cooking if required). Place lid on and turn the heat down to medium-low. Let simmer for 35-40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
Remove bay leaves. Serve warm. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with fresh cilantro.
https://freerecipenetwork.com/hearty-lentil-soup/