Roasted red pepper and lentil soup
60 min · 17 g protein · 294 cals / serving
Sweet, smoky charred peppers blended with red lentils into a thick, velvety orange soup with a warm hum of cumin and smoked paprika. A squeeze of lemon wakes it up, and a cool swirl of yogurt and a scatter of parsley go on top. A big bowl that tastes like it took all afternoon.
Ingredients
- 4 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 tsp paprika, smoked
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 can (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Steps
- Heat the oven to 450°F. Lay the pepper halves skin side up on a lined tray, rub with half the oil and roast 25–30 minutes, until the skins are blistered and blackened in patches. Tip them into a bowl, cover with a plate for 10 minutes, then peel off the loosest skin (a few charred bits add flavour).
- While the peppers roast, heat the rest of the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrot for 8 minutes until soft and starting to colour, then add the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin and pepper flakes and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the lentils, crushed tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils have collapsed.
- Add the roasted peppers and blend until smooth with a stick blender (or in batches in a blender: remove the centre cap of the lid and cover the hole with a folded towel so the steam can escape). Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and add salt or a splash of water if it is thicker than you like.
- Ladle into deep bowls, swirl in a spoonful of yogurt and finish with parsley.
Good to know
Can I use peppers from a jar?
Yes. Use about 1 lb of drained roasted peppers and skip step 1. The soup is a little sweeter and less smoky; an extra pinch of smoked paprika brings it back.
Can I use green or brown lentils?
Red lentils are what make it silky, because they fall apart. Green or brown lentils hold their shape, so the soup needs 35 minutes and a longer blend, and comes out more rustic.
Does it freeze?
Very well, without the yogurt. Freeze in portions for up to 3 months and reheat gently, adding a splash of water.
Alternative
Can't fill you up alone — pair it with protein.
Per
- Calories
- 48
- Protein
- (22%)
- 3 g
- Fat
- (13%)
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- (65%)
- 9 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 260 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 1175 kcal goes into the pot and 2780 g of ingredients comes out as about 2450 g of food: 48 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.