Description

Lemony Lentil Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender red lentils simmered with aromatic spices, sweet corn, and fresh vegetables. Enhanced with the bright zest and juice of lemon, this soup offers a perfect balance of earthiness and citrusy brightness. It can be prepared on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or slow cooker, making it versatile and easy to fit into any busy schedule.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, diced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Liquids and Legumes

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
2/3 cup whole-kernel corn

Spices and Flavorings

2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
Optional: pinch each of saffron and cayenne
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
Fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

Sauté the veggies: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and carrots, sautéing for about 5 minutes until onions become soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
Simmer: Stir in the vegetable stock, rinsed red lentils, corn, ground cumin, curry powder, and the optional saffron and cayenne if using. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender.
Blend (optional): Use a hand blender or traditional blender to puree the soup to your preferred consistency. If using a traditional blender, blend in batches, leaving the lid slightly open to allow steam to escape and prevent overflow.
Season: Stir in the lemon zest and juice, then season the soup generously with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls and garnish with an extra slice of fresh lemon if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

If using a traditional blender, blend the hot soup in small batches, keeping the blender lid slightly open or covered with a kitchen towel to allow steam to escape safely.
Sautéing the onion, carrots, and garlic before cooking intensifies the flavors, but if short on time, you can add all ingredients directly to the pot or cooker without sautéing.
Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months for convenient reheating later.
This recipe is inspired by the lentil soup from Aladdin Cafe in Kansas City, known for its robust, comforting flavors.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 210
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 450mg
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 0.7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4.3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 33g
Fiber: 10g
Protein: 13g
Cholesterol: 0mg