Red Lentil Soup

How to Make Red Lentil Soup Recipe - Red lentils are a great ingredient for weeknight soups as they don’t need to be soaked before cooking. Top this nourishing soup with a little low-fat plain yogurt if you like. Served with whole-grain bread, it makes a hearty main meal.

SERVES: 2

PREPARATION: 10 MINUTES, COOKING: 30 MINUTES

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inch (5 cm) piece of fresh turmeric, chopped, or 11/4 tablespoons (19 ml) ground
turmeric
1 1/2 inch (3 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 cup (250 g) red lentils
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

Method:
1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, turmeric and ginger and gently fry for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft.

2 Add the lentils, stock and 11/4 cups (300 ml) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Add extra water if the soup becomes thick or too dry.

3 Allow the soup to cool a little, then use a hand-held stick blender to purée the soup until smooth, or purée in a food processor or blender. Ladle into bowls, scatter with cilantro and serve.

Each serving provides
549 calories, 34 g protein, 22 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 58 g carbohydrate (6 g sugars), 20 g fiber, 432 mg sodium

Superfoods
TURMERIC, ONIONS, GARLIC AND GINGER are all excellent sources of antioxidants, but turmeric is also widely regarded as a powerful anti-inflammatory. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is thought to relieve aches and inflammation.

Red Lentil Soup