Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

Those of you who’ve been reading my recipes for a while probably already know that I’m a total soup lover and a lover of the Fall season. I love warm and cuddly sweaters, crisp and dry weather. A good bowl of freshly made soup is the perfect way for me to get comfy at home with a good book or magazine and just chill out for once. That’s probably why I make so many soups and devise up all sorts of recipes using novel ingredients, especially those Fall ones. I’m also so grateful that now there’s a halal broth by Saffron Road I can use readily when I haven’t had time to make my own and it can be easily added to strengthen up my soups, adding all sorts of great things like calcium and other important minerals it’s essential to have in our diets. Their brand is also gluten-free and rooted in ethical business practices to protect and preserve the sanctity of food. I love that, don’t you?

My latest soup is something I’m making often now, as it’s finally cooled down and dried up here at home just outside of Chicago. I use red lentils in this lentil and carrot soup because they are so much quicker to cook than the brown ones. I also mix up butter and olive oil to make the flavor nicer but also to keep the olive oil‘s burning point low.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the butter. When it froths, add the olive oil until it has warmed. Add the onions and sauté until translucent for 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots and lentils and sauté for a few more minutes.First, I mince up the carrots and the onions and begin by sauteing them in the oil-butter mix, carrots first then onions since they aren’t as coarse in texture as the carrots.

Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. 

Add the lentils, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper.

Then the chicken broth. Saffron Road has two kinds- one is Classic Culinary and the other is Artisan Chicken broth, the Artisan broth containing more roasted vegetable flavor. These products are certified humane raised and handled, too.  

You can also use vegetable broth, if you like instead. 

Increase heat and bring to boil.Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.Use a hand held mixer to blend the ingredients then remove from heat. 

Roasted pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are a great addition to the final dish so I sprinkle a few on top for each of my guests. You don’t have to roast them yourself; simply buy them already roasted. 

Their gorgeous green color is also a lovely addition to the orange-ish color of the soup. 

Just the right colors to match what’s happening outside to all our leaves, too…

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

2014-09-09 13:32:13

Serves 4

A lovely dish for the Autumn season, this soup uses red lentils, cool weather crop like carrots and delicious and nutritious pumpkin seeds to warm you up on any given day or night- especially those chilly ones.

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Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons butter
2. 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3. 2 cups red lentils
4. 1 small yellow onion
5. 2 tablespoon tomato paste
6. 4 cups Saffron Road Classic Culinary chicken broth (halal/gluten-free)
7. 2 cups finely chopped carrots
8. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
9. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
10. 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
11. Freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
12. Roasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the butter. When it froths, add the olive oil until it has warmed. Add the onions and saute until translucent for 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots and lentils and saute for a few more minutes.
2. Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. Add the lentils,red pepper flakes, salt, pepper and water. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Use a hand held mixer to blend the ingredients. Remove from heat.
4. Serve with a few roasted pumpkin seeds on top for garnish. Add some freshly chopped parsley, if desired, too.

By Yvonne Maffei | My Halal Kitchen

Yvonne Maffei https://myhalalkitchen.com/