Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup

By: Deborah

A hearty and healthy spiced carrot and lentil soup packed with warming flavours. Quick to make, full of goodness, and perfect for cosy lunches or light dinners.

PREP: 10

COOK: 15

TOTAL: 25

Course: Soup, Starter

Cuisine: British

Servings: 4 people

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Equipment

Ingredients

2 tsp cumin seeds
a pinch of chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
600 g (1.3 lb) carrots washed and coarsely grated (no need to peel)
140 g (4.9 oz) split red lentils
1 l (4 ¼ cups) hot vegetable stock (made from 2 stock cubes or pots)
125 ml (½ cup) milk I use semi skimmed (to make it dairy-free, see Tips)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve (optional):

plain yogurt
naan bread
crusty bread

Instructions

Heat a large casserole, stock pot or saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds with a pinch of chilli flakes for 1 minute, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas.
Scoop out about half with a spoon and set aside. Add the olive oil, carrots, lentils, hot stock, and milk to the pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils have swollen and softened.
Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer).
Season, to taste and finish with a dollop of plain yogurt (optional) and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads or crusty bread (optional).

Slow Cooker Instructions

Place half the cumin seeds, half the chilli flakes, the oil, carrots, lentils and 700ml of hot stock into your slow cooker pot. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours until the lentils are tender.
Dry-fry the remaining cumin seeds and chilli flakes just until fragrant. When the slow cooker is done, stir in the milk and whizz up the soup depending on how chunky you'd like it.
Season, to taste and finish with a dollop of plain yogurt (optional) and a sprinkling of the toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads or crusty bread (optional).

Notes

Make this soup on the hob or in a slow cooker - see both Instructions below.
Make it dairy-free - for a richer but dairy-free alternative, use a can of reduced-fat coconut milk instead of the milk.
Optional variations:
- Add harissa paste, smoked paprika and a touch of cinnamon for a Moroccan-style soup.
- Add garam masala and fresh ginger for an Indian-style soup.
- For a creamy version, stir in coconut milk or cream before blending.
This spiced carrot and lentil soup recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS carrot and lentil soup recipe, comfort food, easy carrot soup, healthy lentil soup, red lentil soup, slow cooker soup, spiced carrot and lentil soup, vegan carrot soup, warming soup recipe, winter warmer

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