Caramelized Onion Red Lentil Soup (Print View)
Rich vegetarian soup with caramelized onions, red lentils, and aromatic spices. Ready in under an hour.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 1 stalk celery, diced
→ Lentils & Staples
05 - 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
06 - 6 cups vegetable broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1–1.5 teaspoons salt, to taste
→ Garnish
14 - Chopped fresh parsley
15 - Lemon wedges
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until onions are deeply golden and caramelized.
02 - Add garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened.
03 - Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute until spices become fragrant.
04 - Add rinsed red lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes until lentils and vegetables are completely tender.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Use an immersion blender to partially or fully blend the soup according to preferred texture. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The caramelized onions create a depth of flavor that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it comes together in under an hour.
- Red lentils practically melt into the broth, giving you a creamy texture without actually adding any cream.
02 -
- Red lentils cook down much faster than green or brown lentils, so dont try to substitute them or youll be simmering forever.
- The blending step is completely optional, but even giving it just a few pulses transforms the texture from rustic to velvety.
03 -
- Reserve about a cup of broth before blending if you think you might want a thinner soup later.
- Adding a small piece of Parmesan rind while simmering creates an umami depth that nobody can quite put their finger on.