Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup
A plain old lentil soup, can bring immense comfort sometimes.
The days when it is gray & rainy outside, & all you feel like doing is curling up with a throw in the corner of the couch & watch the kids play around. The rain relentlessly beat against the window. The window panes look frosted with patterns making the outside look shimmery. The trees outside are bent down with the weight of the rain & the clouds.
Some days I would be depressed with the gray, but this particular day I just loved it! So came this soup, without spending too much time in the kitchen. Some red lentils, some veggies & some fresh parsley in a bowl with some bread to dunk in it. Oh yes!! we made an adult version with some hot chile oil in:-D
Red Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients: (Serves 4-5)
- 3/4 Cup Red Lentils/Masoor Dal
- 1/4 Cup Black Eyed Peas
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion, chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Big Tomato, grated
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 Carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 Cup Zucchini, chopped
- 1/2 Cup Green Beans, chopped
- Juice of 1/2 Lemon (or to taste)
- 1/2 Cup Parsley, chopped (or Cilantro)
- 2 Green Hot Chili (Optional)
Preparation:Rinse the lentils & the black eyed peas, & drain.
In a pot, heat the Olive Oil. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until light golden
Stir in tomato, cumin, salt, turmeric, black pepper and green chili, carrots, zucchini, beans and sauté for about 3-4 minutes.
Add 3.5 cups water (more or less, as per the desired consistency of the soup), lentils and black eyed peas. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft & mushy, about 30 minutes (or more if needed). Add hot water if needed. (I use a pressure cooker to cook the lentils)
Once the lentils are soft, stir in lemon juice and parsley.
Serve soup drizzled with Hot Chile Oil (or More Olive Oil & Red Crushed Pepper).
Notes: Wash & soak the lentils & the beans while your prepare your vegetables; helps to cook them faster.
A simple soup with simple flavors but with lot of comfort, especially on lazy days like this. The Hot Chile Oil made it extra special on a wet day like this. Add any vegetables you want, use your favorite herb & make it your way. Sending the soup to Susan’s child – MLLA : Fifteenth Helping, hosted by Sia of Monsoon Spice.
Related Posts:
Methi Dal(lentil Soup with Fenugreek Leaves)
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September 16th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Soup season has definitely arrived! I made broccoli soup y’day. have lots of fresh corn, will try using it in your recipe.
Not too cold here Priya, just wet & pleasant:-) I would love to bite on some corn in the soup.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
ohh wow!! soo mouth wateringg!!! yummmmmm!! sure gonna try this delicious looking soup.
cheers!!
September 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
This is what I need right now
but am making pakodas 
I think food bloggers should take a vacation every once in a while to other food bloggers’ houses.
I think the vacation is a fantastic idea:-D
September 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
And if the above idea is taken up – you’re booked. First.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
ayyo, I dunno what is happening! Anyway, I shall give you a list of all the things
once this idea is confirmed ok? 
September 16th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
OMG.. explosion of colors… love love the picture.. and I love soups like there.. they require minimal effort and taste great AND are healthy… Can’t beat that? Once A&N’s idea takes off, I am next in line
September 16th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Perfect Soma. The next few days might provide the perfect opportunity to give this a try.
September 16th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Complete meal in one cup soup!
Love the color of soup. 
September 16th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Thats so amazingly yummy!! felt like drinking it at once!!
September 16th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
It is raining incessantly in Dallas for the last four days now and I have been meaning to make soup everyday but somehow end up eating leftovers from the weekend. Tomorrow, red lentils and black eyed peas it is.
I have always cooked masoor as a dhal, never as a soup. Thank you for the yummy inspiration.
And thank you for leaving your kind comments from time to time on my blog. It means a lot.
I know the thingy about the rain:-) I am around the Dallas area too! But I am not complaining about the rain, really enjoying it after all that sun.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
I’ve recently discovered red lentils and Im loving the experimentations on it… your combination definitely seem delicious.. specially the black eyed peas..
September 16th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
masoor dal is pefect for soupy stuff, i totally agree. i added jackfruit seeds to them once, following sunita’s recipe
September 16th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Perfect soup for a rainy day, wholesome and healthy.
September 16th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I have been making too many soups recently for the ill other half … and throw in a handful of masoor everytime as it is high in proteins.
Tobe eto thick banayi na … jodio amar thick soups e bhalo lage. Ek tukro bread diye gorom gorom … aaaaaahhhh!
September 16th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
The south indian in me almost thought you made sambar! hehe
Hehe:-D I did make sambar with masoor dal day before yesterday, i always use toor dal, but this time I had red lentils leftover & just used that up with some added veggies.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
This soup reminds me of our twice-a-day stable while trekking in Nepal.
I used to always think that you couldn’t cook beans in a pressure cooker due to their tendency to biol over, but all of the cooks in Nepal use pressure cookers for both the dal (lentils) and bhat (rice). I still haven’t tried this myself, but now I’m tempted.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
This is the kind of soup that I need right now
September 16th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
hmm protein packed soup..very comforting dear..
September 16th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
hi Soma,
oh ya u said it rains and gloomy weather is def. made more enjoyable by these kinds of preparations, good one dear 
Gorgeous outburst of colours! these kind of vegetable bonanzas are just too right for me anytime
Enjoy
TC
September 16th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Those dreary winter days are fast approaching and this soup will definitely be made when they arrive!
September 16th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
It’s hot and humid, but that cup makes me drool!
September 16th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Lovely Soma! I am game for a bowl of red lentil soup any day
September 16th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Gorgeous and delicious soup for winter..
September 17th, 2009 at 12:45 am
have been seeing lots of soups on blogosphere today including mine…yours looks so delicious and spicy, the way i love it…
September 17th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Love lentil soups Soma..so fulfilling and nutritious!
September 17th, 2009 at 3:48 am
This really makes me drooling…how I wish I can try some:)
September 17th, 2009 at 4:48 am
Lovely soup, my kind of food, now that I am eating more legumes and vegetables.
September 17th, 2009 at 8:34 am
so comforting, just made a big batch of lentil soup yesterday
September 17th, 2009 at 8:59 am
This is just lovely! Perfect for snuggling up to on a day like today! It’s cold and rainy – this looks delicious!
September 17th, 2009 at 9:53 am
We still don’t have any sign of cold weather, but the bowl is tempting!
September 17th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Is it soup season already?! It’s so cold today I can drink the whole pot!
September 17th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
What blend of health and taste !! lovely !I cant wait to try this out.
September 17th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
What a gorgeous looking soup! I have been eyeing a beautiful recipe with curry soup which I am planning to make over the weekend, but this looks like a great addition to. I bookmarked the recipe!
September 17th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Hi Soma,
I would love to be pampered with a little bowl of this hearty goodness. As a matter of fact, I would love seconds as well …..and thirds…and f….you get the drill!
September 17th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
A very comforting soup!And simple soup is quite satisfying for sure:)
September 17th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Yea..that almost looks like a yummy Sambar..!!:D:D..n I bet soup season is here..in Seattle atleast..:)
September 18th, 2009 at 5:38 am
This sounds wonderful! I love the addition of hot chile oil! Beautiful pictures!
September 18th, 2009 at 6:14 am
Wow! What an amazing flavors in that soup! Beautiful pictures as always.
September 18th, 2009 at 11:55 am
This stew is a feast for the eyes. And rightly said– there’s no better comfort food than a simple dal. Delicious.
September 18th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Thanks all!
September 19th, 2009 at 4:19 am
It’s not quite soup weather for me yet (I’m very temperature sensitive and it’s sooo hot in the Bay area right now) but I’m storing this recipe up for the fall.
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 am
Soup weather is here and this is a great recipe!
I just bought some lentils!
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I just made this soup tonight for dinner because its so rainy here in Montreal. It is absolutely perfect! I substituted the green beans for red bell pepper and used veggie stock instead of water. I also used a can of mixed beans instead of black eyed peas. Ate it with some warmed bread. So perfect!
Thanks a bunch for letting me know. i really appreciate. Red peppers are lovely things to add, I love red peppers.
September 29th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
[...] Red Lentil Soup (adapted from eCurry) [...]
December 16th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Amazing pictures! Mouthwatering recipe too…..
I’ll definitely give it a try soon….
My site:http://shvetahora.wordpress.com/
have fun cooking.
-shveta
December 16th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Amazing pictures! Mouthwatering recipe too…..
I’ll definitely give it a try soon….
My site:
http://shvetahora.wordpress.com/
have fun cooking.
-shveta
February 1st, 2010 at 8:45 am
This recipe sounds delicious! I’ll have to try this later this week
.