It was either a late trip to the market or clean up the fridge and make use of some pantry items to come up with this dinner: Red Lentil and Roasted Pepper Soup.
I actually really love the challenge of pantry clean up meals, it forces you out of the creativity comfort zone, you know..that place where magic starts to happen.
First thing I grabbed was this cute little jar of red lentils I kept moving around as I reorganized and painted the pantry. From the fridge: some leftover roasted peppers from the pasta pepper sauce I made the other day, and some fresh lemon thyme I harvested yesterday.
Though it is still scorching hot out there, I see signs of fall creeping in on my vine leaves; they are starting to crisp up and turn into the loveliest deep rusty-red color you ever have seen. Immediately it puts me in the mood for slow simmered stews and soups. This red lentil and roasted pepper soup most definitely hit the spot together with some crispy and gooey Panini I’ll share with you tomorrow. I also added some diced organic ham cubes at the end for Batman, but feel free to keep it vegan for yourself.
Lentil Roasted Pepper Soup Recipe
(serves 6+)
1 1/2 c red lentils
3 bell peppers, roasted & cleaned
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil, organic
1 tbsp red wine vinegar, organic
1/4 c tomato paste, organic
6 garlic cloves, whole
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, sliced organic
1/2 c green peas, frozen organic
4 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin + more to your taste
sea salt to your taste buds
1/2 c Herbs for garnish
1/4 c pepitas or toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish
1 c organic ham, diced – optional
2 1/2 qt filtered water
1. In a large cast iron pot heat up 2 tbsp of the olive oil and cook the whole garlic cloves on medium flame until golden. Add the onion with a pinch of sea salt and saute together until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook an additional 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, bay leaf and thyme. Add the lentils and pour in the water. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Meanwhile add the roasted peppers with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and the red wine vinegar to the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth and add it to the soup. Stir to combine, partially cover with a lid and allow the soup to simmer gently for about 40 minutes, until the lentils are cooked through and the broth has reduced to a thick soup consistency. Add the frozen green peas and ham cubes and simmer a few more minutes until heated through. Adjust seasoning to your taste with sea salt and serve hot garnished with fresh herbs, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few toasted pumpkin seeds.
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