Creamy Red Lentil Soup with an Immersion Blender (No Cream Needed!)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 4 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
• Juice of ½ lemon (optional, but bright and lovely)
• Olive oil or yogurt, for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion and carrots and cook for 6–8 minutes, until soft and lightly golden. (Caramelize the onions first if you want extra depth and richness!)
• Stir in the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• Add the red lentils, broth, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft and breaking apart.
• Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. (This is The Impatient Kitchen’s FAVORITE immersion blender!)
• Stir in lemon juice if using, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of yogurt if you like!

Variations

• Red lentils thicken quickly, so add extra broth if you prefer a less thick soup.
• Finish with a sprinkle of buttered bread crumbs for extra richness, flavor, and the perfect crispy texture!
• This soup gets even thicker as it sits.. leftovers are amazing. Curious as to why some food tastes better after it sits longer? Here are the details on Why Some Foods Taste Better the Next Day!
• You can add spinach at the end and blend briefly if you want extra greens.
• This freezes beautifully and reheats well with a splash of broth.
• If you love a little heat, a pinch of chili flakes works great here!
• Serve with crusty bread (this Dutch Oven No Knead Bread is perfect with soups!)

If you love easy, cozy soups, check out our 5-Ingredient Pumpkin Curry Soup, our Lazy Lentil Soup that lets green and brown lentils shine, and our Lazy, Big-Batch Butternut Squash Soup that’s fast, healthy & ridiculously versatile!

For more details on creamy soups, check out this article to learn about how to make soups creamy without using any cream.;)

If you love dinners that are easy, cozy, and not a dish explosion, you’ll LOVE these one pot meals: Best One Pot Meals (Easy Dinners for Busy Nights)! And for dinner with an extra protein boost? Try this High Protein Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce!

And…want to know why one pot meals taste better than they should?! Here is the scoop;)

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