Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipe Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups onions, chopped
  

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 1 T ground cumin
  
• 1 cinnamon stick
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• ⅓ cup oil-free sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1½ cups dried red lentils
  
• ⅓ cup bulgur wheat (or long-grain rice/quinoa)
  
• 8-10 cups of vegetable broth
  
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
  
• 2 T lemon juice, plus zest from full lemon
  
• ¼ tsp black pepper
  
• Pinch of cayenne
  
• ¼ cup chopped mint

Instructions

1. Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Sauté onions with broth or water for 3-5 minutes, or until onions have softened. Stir frequently.
2. Add chopped garlic, cumin, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook and stir for a minute.
3. Add red lentils and bulgur. Mix well.
4. Add 8 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes, until the lentils are very tender. Add more broth to obtain the desired consistency.
5. Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick.
6. Add chopped tomatoes (and their juices), lemon juice, zest, black pepper, and cayenne.
7. Garnish soup with chopped fresh mint and serve.

Chef's Notes