Description
A veggie loaded double lentil sweet potato soup. A garlic and leek forward, creamy red lentil soup base topped with some crispy roasted lentils. Filling, flavorful, and great to meal prep.
Ingredients
Crispy Lentils
- 1, 15 oz can of small brown lentils
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup parsley, minced
- Zest of half a lemon
Soup
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 large leek, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- Kosher salt
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste or 2 tbsp mild harissa paste
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (1.5lbs), peeled and cut into irregular 1 inch pieces
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 4 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (about 10 stems)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups lacinato kale, stems removed and shredded
For serving: bread of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Transfer the lentils to a parchment lined baking tray then add the oil, paprika, coriander, garlic powder and a generous pinch of salt. Toss the lentils to coat evenly in the mixture then spread the lentils out in a single layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes then give the lentils a toss, spreading them back in an even layer then roast for an additional 5-8 minutes until crispy. Allow to cool completely.
- Add the oil to a large pot over medium low heat. When hot add the leeks and pepper with a pinch of salt and saute until soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and saute into the mixture for 2 minutes then add in the sweet potatoes, coriander, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and another pinch of salt.
- Saute the mixture for about 3 minutes, add 1-2 tablespoons of the vegetable broth then partially cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir well then place the lid back on for 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils, vegetable broth, 2 cups of water, thyme, and bay leaf then stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Partially cover with a lid and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the shredded kale, turn off the heat and allow the soup to wilt down the kale for at least 5 minutes. While you wait, add the lentils, parsley and lemon zest to a bowl and stir to combine.
- Serve a portion of the soup topped with the crispy lentils and enjoy with bread if desired.
Notes
Make sure you clean your leeks before using. Start by first cutting off and discarding the end and the fibrous green top of the leek. From here, you can clean the leeks two different ways. First way, cut the leek lengthwise and run each half through water to help remove the dirt stuck between the layers. Dry well then thinly slice. For the second way, you can thinly slice your leek then place in a bowl with water to rinse and drain until the leeks are clean.
To save time, meal prep some ingredients in advance. If making the French lentils from scratch, prep them ahead of the week. Cook them with a bouillon cube until tender, drain and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Having them made in advance will help save on cook time. You can also clean and slice up your leeks ahead of time too. Just place the cut leeks in an airtight container lined with paper towels for up to 3 days.
For less spice, remove the jalapeno and/or the red pepper flakes.
