Easy Lentil and Bulgur Soup

This soup is definitely on my list of “go-to easy weeknight recipes” and I especially love it with warm, crusty bread flavored with rosemary. Inspired by Turkish lentil soup, this soup gets a little kick from ground cayenne, extra fiber from the bulgur, and the carrot adds an unexpected sweetness. The olive oil drizzled on top is the star here, don’t skip it!

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Salt,. to taste

Pepper, as needed

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cayenne

2 Tbsp bulgur

1 large carrot, diced

1 veggie bullion cube

Juice from 1/2 lemon

A few spoons of olive oil for serving

Some fresh cilantro or fresh mint, finely chopped, for serving

Directions

Rinse the lentils in a colander and set aside.

In a large saucepan, sauté the chopped onion with some salt and pepper.

Cook the onions until softened and then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly.

Add the tomato paste, ground cumin, ground cayenne or any ground red chili pepper of your choice & sauté for about a minute.

Next, add the red lentils, bulgur, diced carrot, about 6 cups of water, veggie bouillon, and simmer covered, until the lentils have broken down, about 25-30 minutes.

Using a blender, purée about 1/4 cup of the soup and then add it back to pot. Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding some hot water if it appears too thick.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Turn off heat and add the lemon juice and stir well.

Serve the soup with some olive oil drizzled over each serving and some fresh chopped cilantro or mint leaves.