Spicy Lentil Soup by Victoria McSwain

Spicy Lentil Soup Recipe

Soups are a staple in our house! We make them at least once a week! I love them because they are packed with veggies and this soup is the perfect recipe to make on a cold day-- or, even better when you're sick on a cold day! It's incredibly thick, filling, and creamy.

This soup is great on it's own, but it can also be pilled on top of greens, rice, or potatoes! Lentils are a great source of protein, lower cholesterol, and help with digestive health.

Ingredients-

1 1/2 cup of green lentils 1 medium onion 3 cloves of garlic 1 large tomato 4 cups of vegetable broth 2 cups of water 2 carrots 1/2 cup of peas 1/2 cup red pepper 1 tsp red pepper flakes 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika 2 tsp rice wine vinegar salt and pepper to taste (roughly 1tsp)

Instructions -

*Soak lentils for 2 hours (you can soak them overnight, up to 8 hours, if you want to prep them the night before).

Saute carrots, onions, garlic in large soup pot until tender (I try to cook oil free, so I recommend using 1/4 cup of water. If you want to use oil, by all means!) Add garlic, tomato, red peppers, cumin, and paprika in the pot, and let sweat together on medium heat. Mix in lentils, peas, and liquids (water, broth, and vinegar) Use an immersion blender to mix soup Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour

My husband, Jake, the omnivore gave this soup 10 out of 10! I had mine over some steamed kale, and topped with a bit of spinach and sriracha. This was perfect for me since I'm always trying to cram in more veggies, and I'm addicted to hot sauce. I'd also recommend drizzling over potatoes or rice!