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Four Corners Lentil Soup

By Sarah Britton

4.7

(29)

Image may contain Bowl Food Dish Meal Plant Soup Bowl Produce Soup and Vegetable
Photo by Sarah Britton

My favorite recipe that I've ever posted on the blog is my Four Corners lentil soup, and it remains the most frequently cooked dish in my kitchen. It is so fast and simple to make, really inexpensive, and uses ingredients that are all found in the pantry. It freezes well, too, so I often make a double batch and store some away for when I need a wholesome meal in a hurry. And why the name "Four Corners"? Besides being my favorite soup, it is also much loved by many people I know all around the world. From the busy streets of Singapore to the remote wilderness of northern Ontario, from the scorched deserts in the American Southwest to the rainy shores of Denmark, this soup really has traveled the four corners of the Earth! Highly nutritious and packed with flavor, this lentil soup is a crowd-pleaser that will warm the heart of anyone you serve it to.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
2 large onions or leeks, white and pale-green parts only, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
Fine sea salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 (15-ounce / 400g) can whole tomatoes, or 5 large fresh tomatoes chopped
1 small organic lemon, sliced
1 cup / 200g red lentils, picked over and rinsed very well (soaked, if possible)
4 cups / 1 liter vegetable broth
Pure maple syrup or raw honey (optional)
Fresh cilantro leaves, sliced spring onions, or flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    1. Heat the oil in a medium pot, add the onions, garlic, and ginger, and sauté for 5 minutes, until soft. Add a pinch of salt, the cumin, and the cayenne, and stir for another minute or so, until fragrant.

    Step 2

    2. Add the tomatoes, 3 slices of lemon, and the lentils. Then add the vegetable broth and stir well. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Add a squirt of maple syrup to balance the flavor, if desired.

    Step 3

    3. Serve hot, garnished with the cilantro, spring onions, or parsley, and topped with a slice of lemon.

Image may contain: Cutlery, Spoon, Plant, Food, Dish, and Meal
Reprinted from My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season. Copyright © 2015, by Sarah Britton. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from Amazon.
TagsSoupSoup/StewLeekRoot VegetableVegetableGarlicGingerHerbs & SpicesCanned TomatoTomatoRed LentilLentilBean and LegumeCilantroSpring OnionOnionMainLunchDinnerGluten FreeVegetarianNut FreeVeganQuickEasyOne-Pot MealsSimmerSauteCookbooks

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