Red Lentil Soup With Tomato, Warm Spices & Tahini (Vegan)

Red Lentil Soup With Tomato, Warm Spices And Tahini Dressing

A Vegan Soup With Warm Moroccan Style Spices, Sweet Potato And Chickpeas.

Easy, Vegan, And It Doubles As A Pasta Sauce.

 

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Introduction to red lentil soup

This red lentil soup is red lentils, tomatoes, sweet potato, capsicum, green beans and chickpeas, simmered with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, ginger and turmeric, then finished with fresh coriander and an optional tahini dressing. It’s vegan, and the same soup makes a great pasta sauce. One of our Flametree students kindly gave me this recipe, and I’ve built on it since. It’s tasty, and another great way to cook pulses like red lentils. For me, it’s the best spicy red lentil soup I’ve made. I’ve carried some of my own food when I travel for years, and pulses are near the top of the list. It’s still very hard to find tasty pulses, like black beans, red lentils and chickpeas, when you eat out. I can’t remember ever seeing red lentil and tomato soup on a menu! Then I read an interview where Mr BKS Iyengar said much the same. When he first travelled abroad, he found nothing vegetarian, so he carried rice and pulses and cooked his own meals. I find pulses digest easily, and because this soup is relatively high in protein, I don’t get hungry after it. If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.

Red lentil soup, ready to eat

Ingredients for red lentil soup

Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dish.

The spices

• A small red or brown onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• A teaspoon of fresh, grated ginger
• Half a teaspoon of turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for frying
• A teaspoon of smoky paprika
• A teaspoon of coriander
• A teaspoon of cumin
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon
• A quarter teaspoon of chilli powder
• A quarter teaspoon of nutmeg
• Two tablespoons of vegetable stock paste, ideally organic

The soup

• A cup and a half of red lentils (250 grams)
• A tin of tomatoes
• 750 grams of water (two cups)
• Half a tin, or a small bowl, of chickpeas
• One medium sweet potato, cut into cubes
• One medium red capsicum
• A few chopped green beans
• A few sprigs of coriander, finely cut
• Pepper, to your taste

The recipe I was given says two cups of water, but 750 grams is closer to three cups. So add it gradually, until the soup is as thick as you like it.

The optional tahini dressing

• Tahini, preferably unhulled
• Water
• Lemon juice
• Salt

You’ll find red lentils at most supermarkets. I’ve even bought red lentil pasta spirals at Woolworths.

The red lentil soup ingredients

Easy to find at the supermarket

How to make red lentil soup

Use these steps to make this spicy red lentil and tomato soup.

Step 1: Soften the onion

• Heat the wok and add the olive oil.
• Sauté the onion and garlic.

Step 2: Add the spices

• Add the ginger, coriander, cumin, paprika, pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, chilli powder and nutmeg.

Step 3: Add the water, lentils and vegetables

• Add the water and stir.
• Add the stock paste, red lentils, tomatoes, chickpeas and the other vegetables.
• Cook until the vegetables are done, but still firm.

Step 4: Season and garnish

• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add coriander leaves as a garnish.

Step 5: Make the tahini dressing (optional)

• Put the tahini, preferably unhulled, in a blender with water, lemon juice and salt.
• Blend until creamy, then spoon it over the soup.

Is red lentil soup vegan and gluten free?

This one is vegan. It’s pulses, vegetables and spices, with a tahini dressing. The ingredients are naturally gluten free. But stock paste, and spice blends like chilli powder, can vary, so check the labels if you need to avoid gluten.

Is this a Moroccan red lentil soup?

It’s sometimes called a spiced Moroccan red lentil soup, because of its warm mix of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, ginger and turmeric. One of our Flametree students gave me the recipe, so I just call it my favourite spicy red lentil soup.

Can you use red lentil soup as a pasta sauce?

Yes. The same soup makes a great pasta sauce. Start with the soup, and add to it as you wish. I’ve used it with red lentil pasta spirals, with some extra chickpeas added. I’m on the hunt for more good quality pulse pasta, so please let me know if you have any suggestions.

Red lentil sauce, with red lentil pasta

Why this red lentil soup is easy and filling

This red lentil soup is red lentils, tomatoes, sweet potato, capsicum, green beans and chickpeas, simmered with warm spices. There’s no soaking. The red lentils go straight into the pan with the water and tomatoes. The spices are cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, ginger and turmeric. They give a warm, Moroccan style flavour. With just a quarter teaspoon of chilli powder, it’s spicy but not hot. I find pulses digest easily. Because this soup is relatively high in protein, I don’t get hungry after it. Add the optional tahini dressing for a creamy finish. And if you have some left over, use it as a pasta sauce.

Red lentil soup: quick questions answered

Do I need to soak the red lentils?

No. In this recipe the red lentils go straight into the pan with the water and tomatoes.

Does red lentil soup keep well?

Yes. It keeps well in the fridge.

How spicy is this red lentil soup?

It’s warmly spiced rather than hot, with just a quarter teaspoon of chilli powder. Add a little more if you like it hotter.

Where did this red lentil soup recipe come from?

One of our Flametree students kindly gave it to me, and I’ve built on it since.

What goes in red lentil soup?

Red lentils, tomatoes, sweet potato, capsicum, green beans and chickpeas, with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, ginger, turmeric, garlic and onion. Finish with fresh coriander and an optional tahini dressing.

Is red lentil soup filling?

I find it is. Because this soup is relatively high in protein, I don’t get hungry after it.

Do I need the tahini dressing?

No, it’s optional. The tahini, preferably unhulled, is blended with water, lemon juice and salt, then spooned over the soup.

More Flametree lentil and soup recipes

For a milder, creamier lentil dish, try my lentil dahl with pumpkin and coconut milk. Love lentils? Try my chickpea and lentil curry with sweet potato, my vegetable dahl with green lentils, or my roasted spicy vegetable soup.

Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?

Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me. Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option. Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.

Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat

By the way, Flametree runs yoga retreats in Bali. See our upcoming retreats in Bali. Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.

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Meanwhile, start or re-start yoga or meditation with one of the HALF price deals below, or check out the retreat deals. Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.

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Recipe by Chris Lalor, Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin NT. General information only.