Smoky Tomato & Lentil Soup
My friend Heidi made this soup for her two adorable girls, Esme and Martha who aren’t at school yet. Apparently it was a big hit with the little ones. Who knew smoky lentils would be popular with the pre-school crowd. If you are cooking for children you might like to tone down the chilli. Smoked paprika is one of the most magical ingredients. If you can’t find it the soup will be OK without, but I highly recommend tracking some down. I use dried chilli flakes because they look prettier, although you can’t really tell in a soup. Feel free to substitute in chilli powder (about 1/2 teaspoon) or a few fresh chillies.
serves: 2-3
Takes: 10 minutes
2 cans lentils (400g / 14oz), drained
1 can tomatoes (400g / 14oz)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
natural yoghurt to serve (optional)
1. Place lentils, chilli, paprika, tomato and 2 1/2cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Cover and boil for 9 minutes or until everything is hot.
3. Taste and season. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (if using).
Variations
soy-free – skip it and season with sea salt instead.
healthier – stir in a few handfuls of frozen peas or baby spinach and simmer until warmed through / wilted.
higher protein – toss in some diced tofu or shredded chicken or cooked sliced pork sausages to warm through before serving.
carb lovers / more substantial – serve with bread & butter.
can’t find smoked paprika? – replace with regular paprika or skip it and change the name to ‘tomato & lentil soup’.
can’t find canned lentils? – simmer 250g (9oz) dried green lentils until tender then use as per the recipe. Or replace with canned beans.
carnivore – add some cooked bacon or spicy sausage.
paleo (gluten, grain + dairy-free) – replace lentils with roast sweet potato (about 500g / 1lb). And use coconut yogurt.
more veg – add grilled peppers, eggplant or zucchini.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
lentils / tomatoes / smoked paprika/ dried chilli flakes/ soy sauce – keep them in the pantry.
yoghurt – usually has a shelf life of a month or so. Otherwise, have it for another meal like breakfast! Don’t freeze.
Problem Solving Guide:
too bland – add a touch more soy sauce.
don’t have any canned lentils? – no problem. Use canned white beans instead.
Serving Suggestions
Wonderful on it’s own.
Leftover Potential:
Will keep in the fridge for at least a week or more and freezes well.
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Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
OK, I finally broke down and made this yesterday. (Finally, because I was skeptical – no meat, and maybe I’ve had ill-prepared lentils in the past…) Anyway, it was terrific and as I tried some again today, I was even more surprised, since I think it tasted better on day two! Smoked paprika is worth finding.
BTW, where I live, couldn’t find canned lentils, so I made them (per bag instructions) – not difficult, but made twice as much as needed, so better find another recipe!
Thanks Jules. I’m becoming a believer :-).
Lentils are the best Mary!
You can freeze cooked lentils if you have too many.
And make sure you check out these lovely lentils – they’re my go-to for cooking lentils from scratch – the seasoning really brings them to life! https://stonesoupvirtualcookeryschool.com/lovely-lentils/
Jx
Excited to see this recipe pop up on the meal plan — this is the first recipe of yours I made and I couldn’t believe how good it tasted with so few ingredients! (I’m used to that magic now, of course.) Such a feel-good pantry recipe. I usually throw in some frozen spinach and lately, a handful of kalamata olives for fun.
Actually — sorry for the double post — but I think perhaps the instructions suggest dried lentils, where the ingredients use tinned ones… apologies, might just be my misunderstanding.
So glad you like this Romi! It’s one of my faves too. I just checked the recipe and it is meant to use drained tinned lentils. But thanks for asking the question… Alway good to check these things out!
And there are instructions for using dried lentils in the variations 🙂
Jx
Very late response, sorry! Just spotted your reply. I meant that the instructions say ‘Cover and boil for 9 minutes or until lentils are cooked to your liking’ – and the tinned lentils come cooked already 🙂
Now I get it Romi!
Thanks for clarifying… so glad you got back to me. I would never have thought about it from your perspective. Have updated the method so it’s a bit less ambiguous.
Thanks!
Jx
Hang on a minute – cumin? I love cumin but ……….. how much, please?
Hi Heather!
I love cumin too!
I’d start with 2 teaspoons of ground cumin or more if you want to get that slight ‘curry’ flavour happening. If using cumin you could skip the paprika (or leave it in)
Jx
Very late response, sorry! Just spotted your reply. I meant that the instructions say ‘Cover and boil for 9 minutes or until lentils are cooked to your liking’ – and the tinned lentils come cooked already 🙂