Smoky Red Lentil Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Spanish onion, coarsely diced
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 small sweet potato, baked
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 1 small lemon or lime
- Whole-milk Greek yogurt, for garnish
- 5 slices crisp cooked bacon, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
All-natural liquid smoke is a great addition to this soup, but it isn’t critical, so feel free to eliminate it for the sake of convenience.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a big pinch of salt, stir, and cook until the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the celery, stir, and cook until just softened, about another 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils, paprika, cumin, and broth. Bring everything to a boil, then turn the heat back down to a simmer. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.
- Peel the baked sweet potato and add the flesh and liquid smoke to the lentils. Using an immersion blender or blender, puree the soup until it is just blended but still has a bit of texture left (don’t overprocess it). Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Stir in half of the cilantro and the lemon juice.
- To serve, garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a pinch of the remaining cilantro, and the bacon. Serve hot.