Caramelized Onion Red Lentil (Printable)
A rich vegetarian soup with caramelized onions, red lentils, and warming spices. Ready in 55 minutes.
# What You'll 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 tbsp olive oil
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1–1.5 tsp 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 and 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 caramelized onions. 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 fragrant, stirring constantly.
04 - Add rinsed red lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to 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 based on preferred consistency.
06 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The lentils melt into the broth creating a naturally creamy texture without any dairy
- Caramelized onions add an incredible depth of flavor that tastes like it simmered all day
02 -
- Rushing the onions is the most common mistake that keeps this soup from tasting extraordinary
- Red lentils cook faster than other varieties so do not walk away or they might turn to mush
03 -
- Keep the heat low while caramelizing onions to prevent burning and bitter flavors
- Taste your lentils before blending to make sure they are completely soft