Carrot and Red Lentil Soup for Weekday Lunches

By GlobeBids Food Desk

Make this carrot and red lentil soup on Sunday, then portion it for lunches that are easy to reheat. Red lentils soften into the broth, giving the soup body without cream. The recipe makes four generous portions, uses common cupboard spices and works either smooth or partly chunky.

Ingredients for four lunch portions

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 600 g carrots, peeled or well scrubbed and cut into small, even pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 250 g dried red lentils
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock, plus extra water or stock as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or less if the stock is salty
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional, to finish

Use a large saucepan with enough room to stir the lentils as they cook. A stick blender is useful but optional. Check the stock label if you need the soup to meet a particular dietary or allergy requirement.

Cook the soup in about 30 minutes

1. Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. Look through them for any small pieces of debris, then leave them to drain. Red lentils do not need soaking for this recipe.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onion should soften; the carrots do not need to be tender yet.
3. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring so the spices do not catch on the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the drained lentils and 1.2 litres of stock. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The carrots should be tender when pierced with a fork, and the lentils should have broken down.
5. Take the pan off the heat. Blend to the texture you prefer, then season with salt, pepper and the optional lemon juice. If the soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little hot water or stock until it pours easily.

The timing starts once the stock reaches a simmer. Carrot pieces cut larger than about 1 cm may need a few more minutes. If the pan begins to look dry before the carrots are tender, add a splash of water and keep the heat low.

Choose a smooth or chunky texture

For a smooth soup, use a stick blender directly in the pan, keeping the blade below the surface to limit splashes. You can also use a countertop blender, working in batches and following its instructions for hot liquids. Let the soup cool somewhat before transferring it; hot soup can expand and force a blender lid upwards.

For more texture, blend only part of the soup or mash a few ladlefuls against the side of the pan. The cooked lentils will thicken the unblended portion on their own. Taste after blending: a little lemon juice can brighten the carrots and spices, while extra pepper gives a warmer finish.

The spice mix is deliberately mild. For a hotter bowl, add a small pinch of chilli flakes with the other spices. For a different warm note, replace the smoked paprika with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric. Make one change at a time if you are preparing lunches for people with different preferences; chilli can also be added to individual portions when serving.

Cool and portion the Sunday batch

Divide the finished soup among four clean, shallow, lidded containers. Smaller portions cool faster than a full saucepan. Allow the steam to subside, then refrigerate the containers promptly rather than leaving the batch on the counter for an extended period. Keep any portion you plan to freeze in a freezer-safe container with room for the soup to expand.

Label the containers if several meals are going into the fridge or freezer. The soup is convenient to carry, but it still needs to stay chilled on the way to work; use a workplace fridge or an insulated bag with a cold pack. If a portion is frozen, thaw it in the fridge before reheating.

The quantity should give four substantial bowls, although the final volume varies with the size of the carrots and how much liquid you add during blending. If your lunch containers are small, fill them only to their safe capacity and put any remainder in a separate container. Bread, a sandwich or fruit can round out lunch without changing the soup batch.

Reheat each portion and adjust its thickness

Red lentils continue to absorb liquid after cooking, so refrigerated soup often looks thicker the next day. That is expected. Stir a splash of water or stock into the cold portion before reheating, then add more a little at a time until the soup reaches the consistency you want. Start with roughly 2–3 tablespoons per bowl; a very thick portion may need more.

On the hob, heat a portion in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it is steaming hot throughout. In a microwave, use a microwave-safe container, cover it loosely, pause to stir and continue heating until the centre is hot. Let it stand briefly, stir again and check the temperature before eating. Reheat the portion you intend to eat rather than warming the entire batch repeatedly.

Add the final splash of lemon juice after reheating if you prefer a fresher taste. If the soup becomes too thin, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes, stirring regularly. The useful check at lunchtime is its texture: thin it gradually, heat it thoroughly and serve when it is comfortable to eat.

Source: Editorial research