Food Recipes Carrot and Red Lentil Soup This beautiful soup is comfort food in a bowl (and vegan!). By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who's been working in the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017. Her recipes and writing have appeared in more than 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. Anna's recipes have been showcased on the covers of magazines such as Food & Wine and Southern Living. Anna earned her BS in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida, and a degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier Birmingham chapter. She has 10 years of experience developing recipes. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs. She also loves fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 20, 2021 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Greg DuPree Cook Time: 25 mins Hands On Time: 20 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Great soups don't have to be complicated to be deeply delicious and satisfyingly hearty. Case in point: this simple lentil soup, which is fragrant with spices and just-spicy-enough, thanks to fresh ginger. The key to building concentrated vegetable flavor is giving the carrots and shallots enough time to release water before adding the cumin, turmeric, and ginger. Coconut milk adds both creaminess and silky body, resulting in a jewel-toned soup that tastes as wonderful as it looks. Ingredients 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 ½ pounds carrots, roughly chopped (about 4 cups) 3 large shallots, thinly sliced 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (2 teaspoons) 2 teaspoons ground turmeric 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth ⅔ cup dried red lentils 1 ½ cups well-shaken and stirred unsweetened coconut milk (from a 13.5-ounce can) 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for serving Directions Toast cumin seeds in a large pot over medium-high, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from pot. Heat oil in pot. Add carrots and shallots; cook, stirring often, until shallots are very tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in ginger, turmeric, and toasted cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and lentils; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until carrots and lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Blend carrot mixture in a blender, in batches if necessary, taking care when blending hot liquids. (Or use an immersion blender directly in pot.) Return pureed soup to pot. Stir in coconut milk, 1 cup water, salt, and pepper. Top with cilantro. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 442 Calories 26g Fat 44g Carbs 13g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 442 % Daily Value * Total Fat 26g 33% Saturated Fat 17g 85% Sodium 984mg 43% Total Carbohydrate 44g 16% Dietary Fiber 11g 39% Total Sugars 11g Protein 13g *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.