About the Recipe
This velvety texture soup is a spin on the classic tomato soup, but leaves out the added sugars and preservatives and instead adds in great fiber and protein.
Lentils are a type of Pulse which are high in protein and fiber and can help with weight management and decreasing risk of chronic diseases when eaten regularly.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp freshly ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
2 28fl oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup whole milk
2 tbsp whole cream, plus more for garnish
Preparation
In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm olive oil until glistening, but not smoking. Add onion and stir to coat. Cook for about 7 minutes, until onion is soft and slightly caramelized.
Add garlic, cumin, thyme and pepper to the onions. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot.
Add a little of the tomato juice to the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze it. Add both cans of tomatoes, red lentils and broth or water.
Stir soup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer soup for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lentils should be soft.
Remove soup from heat and cool slightly. With a large ladle or Pyrex measuring cup, carefully transfer soup into a blender. Add salt and puree until velvety smooth, working in batches if needed, depending on the size of your blender.
Pour off half of the soup base into a clean, wide-mouth mason jar or plastic container. Cool at room temperature, then cover, label and freeze for another day.
To the remaining soup left in the blender, add milk and cream. Blend until well incorporated — at least 60 seconds. Serve hot, with a swirl of cream on the top and a handful of crackers.
To reheat soup from frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Transfer to a small pot. Add milk and cream and heat gently, stirring often. Serve hot.