The dish. Lentil soup is one of the most cooked soups in the world for a reason. It is cheap, it is forgiving, and it tastes better the next day. This version follows the classic preparation: vegetables softened in olive oil, lentils simmered with tomatoes and cumin, lemon stirred in at the end to lift the whole pot. Part of The DASH Diet, Put on the Plate.

Serves 4. About 45 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes, no salt added
  • 1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 6 cups water or unsalted vegetable broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Black pepper

Method

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of black pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  3. Add the tomatoes, lentils, water or broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
  4. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the lemon juice and half the parsley.
  5. Taste before adding any salt. The lemon and cumin carry the flavor, and in the DASH spirit the pot is complete without it. Serve topped with the remaining parsley.

DASH note. Lentils are the engine here: fiber, plant protein, potassium, and magnesium in one ingredient. Using unsalted broth and no-salt-added tomatoes is what keeps the sodium low, and the lemon at the end replaces the brightness salt usually provides. Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated and freeze well.