Spring is almost here, but there’s still a crisp edge to the air that begs for a simple bowl of warm soup. I’ll admit that I’m eager to start digging in the garden again and surround myself with all the freshness that spring and summer have to offer.
It has been unseasonably warm for much of the winter here in Alaska, but I’ve lived here long enough not to get my hopes up for an early spring. After all, May 15th is the last average frost for my area. Starting my seeds will have to do for now. I highly recommend getting a few packets yourself, even if you only have a small porch or sunny window. There’s nothing better than plucking a salad from your garden and devouring it within minutes – oh summer, how I have missed you…
All daydreaming aside, the recipe I’m sharing today is my go-to red lentil soup recipe. It has been adapted over the years, originally Deborah Madison’s Red Lentil Soup with Lime recipe published in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (a book well worth its heft, if you can get over the lack of photographs). It’s filled with warming spices and simple enough to make on a weeknight. Red lentils provide a smooth texture, punctuated with the striking yellow hue of turmeric and spiked with one of my favorite spice combos: cumin, yellow mustard and red pepper flakes. It’s all balanced out with a tang of lemon. This is just the recipe to ease into springtime.
Golden Superstar
The spices featured in this recipe are all nutritional superstars in their own right, but no other spice has been more widely studied than turmeric. And for good reason: curcumin—the active ingredient—contains such diverse and powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties that it has been shown to improve and protect nearly ever organ in the human body. In fact, thousands of studies have shown curcumin effective in treating over 70 disorders including cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, high blood pressure and age-related macular degeneration to name just a few.[1] Phew!
This should come as no surprise considering healers from India and China have been using turmeric for thousands of years to treat a wide range of ailments. Even better, turmeric is beautiful and has a mild flavor, lending itself well to a wide range of recipes (or as a lovely golden dye—don’t say I didn’t warn you).
I hope you enjoy this last warm bowl of goodness before saying goodbye to winter and diving headfirst into fresh spring veggies and long summer days. I know I can’t wait!
Adapted from Deborah Madison's Red Lentil Soup with Lime from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Ingredients
- 2 cups red lentils, rinsed well
- 1 tbsp. turmeric
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- salt
- 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
- 2 tsp. mustard seeds (preferably yellow)
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 small yellow onions chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro or parsley minced + 1-2 tbsp. to serve
- 2 big handfuls of baby greens (such as spinach, chard or kale) finely chopped
- 2-3 lemons
- Flaked coconut
- Toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
- Combine the lentils, turmeric, 1 tsp. of salt and 6 cups of water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the lentils have broken down. Leave as-is for a chunky texture or process with a hand blender for a smoother consistency.
- While the lentils are cooking heat 2 tbsp. of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin, mustard, crushed red pepper and onions and sauté until the onions are translucent and golden, 15-20 minutes.
- A few minutes before the onions are done, add the cilantro and greens to the pan. Remove from heat and stir until the greens are wilted. Transfer the onion mixture to the soup pot.
- Start by adding the juice from two of the lemons and taste – it should have a little tanginess to it. Add more lemon ½ at a time until it reaches desired tartness.
- Serve topped with toasted coconut, sliced almonds and the remaining cilantro.
[1] Aggarwal, Bharat B. and Yost, Deborah. Healing Spices. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2011, p.241-243, Print.
We’re having this for dinner tonight. It smells SO GOOD!! Would have tried it sooner but had difficulty finding red lentils. (Hint: Carrs on Huffman in bulk natural food bins.) Meyer lemon juice adds just the right zing.
Hi Cheri – how did you like it? I love Meyer lemons in this soup! Tip: I’ve had luck finding organic lentils at Natural Pantry or ordering on Amazon.
Made this this afternoon! Initially struggled a bit — I think I added too much lemon juice or something, it tasted sort of bitter. I did not have fresh lemon so was using from a bottle if that affects anything. Adding coconut sugar seemed to help a lot. I also ended up having to like double the spices for some reason. Now it tastes delicious, but took a while for me to get it right!
Hi Monica – Thanks so much for your feedback! I think fresh lemon is the way to go in this recipe. It adds a bright freshness that you just can’t get with bottled. As far as the spices go, it could be that your spices have reached the end of their life. I like to grind my spices at home using a coffee grinder (that has NOT been used for coffee) when I can. If you are purchasing your spices already ground it’s important to use them quickly and replace them after 6 months. Proper storage away from heat, light and in a tight container can keep your spices fresh and fragrant for longer. But we all have different tastes and have to work with what we’ve got – thanks for giving my recipe a try!