Description
A comforting and flavorful spiced carrot and lentil soup featuring cumin seeds and chilli flakes, simmered until tender and blended to a smooth or chunky texture. Perfectly served with a dollop of plain yogurt and warm naan bread, this soup offers a nutritious and satisfying meal with options for variations including Moroccan flavors, slow cooker preparation, or a dairy-free alternative.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- Pinch chilli flakes
Produce
- 600g carrots, washed and coarsely grated (no need to peel)
Dried Goods
- 140g split red lentils
Liquids
- 1 litre hot vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
- 125ml milk
- 2 tbsp olive oil
To Serve
- Plain yogurt
- Naan bread, warmed
Instructions
- Dry-fry the spices: Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes. Dry-fry them for about 1 minute until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromatic scent. Then, scoop out about half of the toasted seeds and flakes with a spoon and set them aside for garnish.
- Add ingredients and simmer: To the same pan, add the olive oil, coarsely grated carrots, split red lentils, hot vegetable stock, and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the lentils have swollen, softened, and the carrots are tender.
- Blend the soup: Using a stick blender or a food processor, whizz the soup until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend less or leave it as is.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve the soup hot, garnished with a dollop of plain yogurt and a sprinkle of the reserved toasted spices. Pair with warmed naan bread on the side for a complete meal.
Notes
- For quicker preparation, use a soup maker to combine and blend all ingredients at once.
- If using a slow cooker, place half the cumin seeds, half the chilli flakes, oil, carrots, lentils, and 700ml stock in the slow cooker. Cook on High for 3 hours until lentils are tender. Toast the remaining cumin and chilli separately. Stir in the milk and blend as desired before serving.
- To make the soup Moroccan-style, substitute the chilli flakes and cumin seeds with harissa paste and optionally add cooked shredded chicken at the end of cooking.
- For a dairy-free version, replace the milk with reduced-fat coconut milk for a richer texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: carrot soup, lentil soup, spiced soup, cumin soup, vegetarian soup, easy soup recipe, healthy soup, Middle Eastern soup
