In this simple soup recipe, you’ll simmer everyday ingredients like carrots, onion, garlic, and spices with red lentils, which are the perfect soup legume since they break down into soft submission. Instead of pureeing the entire soup into oblivion, you’ll only blend half the batch to retain some texture. On top are crispy, roasted kale leaves for a modern garnish—they’re not your mother’s parsley leaves, that’s for sure. For a classic soup-and-sandwich combo, serve with a whole-grain grilled cheese.
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add onion, carrots, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in coriander, chili powder, and turmeric and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place kale on a large rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle with teaspoon salt and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Massage kale until evenly coated; spread in an even layer. Bake, flipping once, until crisp and lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side.
Remove lentil soup from heat; transfer half of soup to a blender and process until smooth. Return blended soup to pot. Stir in lemon zest and juice, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoons salt. Serve soup topped with crispy kale and several grinds of pepper.