Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 medium white or yellow potato, washed and chopped in ¼" pieces
- 1 medium parsnip, 1 peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup whole red lentils
- 4 cups low-sodium broth, chicken or vegetable2
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- ½-1 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
Method
- In a medium pot (with a lid), heat the olive oil over low to medium-low until shimmering. Add in the onion and garlic and cook gently for 3-5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Stir in the carrot, celery, potatoes, and parsnip. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add in the curry powder, cumin, cayenne, and black pepper and stir well to combine. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the lentils, then add the broth.
- Bring the soup to an aggressive simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender and the lentils have mostly broken down.
Avoid browning, just let the onion and garlic soften.
In the last 5 minutes if the soup is looking thin, place the lid slightly ajar to let some steam escape (this usually only happens without the parsnip).