Hearty Carrot and Lentil Soup
A thick, comforting pot of lentils and carrots simmered with sweet softened onion. Part of the soup is blended back in for a creamy body while the rest stays chunky and hearty.
- Total
- 53 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 43
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Sweating · Simmering
- Savory
- Comforting
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Peel the onion and chop it into roughly 5 mm pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into 1.5 cm rounds. Rinse the lentils under cold running water until the water runs clear.
~10 min
Rinsing removes surface starch and debris so the soup stays clear rather than gluey.
-
Put the pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion with 2 tbsp of the water and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent and the water has evaporated.
~8 min
Sweating onion in a little water coaxes out sweetness without browning, building a milder base.
Sweating Cook onion over medium heat with a splash of water until soft and translucent, never browned. If it starts to color, lower the heat or add more water.
-
Add the carrot rounds and the rinsed lentils to the pot. Pour in the remaining water, about 680 ml, and add 0.5 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
~5 min
-
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the carrots give no resistance when pierced with a knife. Stir once or twice and add a splash of hot water if the pot looks dry.
~25 min
Gentle simmering lets lentils soften and carrots cook through without breaking apart or scorching.
Simmering Keep the liquid at a lazy bubble, not a rolling boil, so lentils cook evenly and don't scorch. Stir occasionally and add hot water if the pot looks dry.
-
Scoop about one third of the soup into the blender and blend until smooth, then stir it back into the pot. For a fully smooth soup, blend it all. Taste and add a pinch more salt if the lentils taste flat.
~5 min
Blending part of the soup releases starch that thickens the liquid for a creamy body without cream.