Creamy red lentil soup

Name: Creamy red lentil soup
Ingredients: 250 g red lentils; 1 medium onion (150 g); 1 medium carrot (100 g); 1 medium red bell pepper (150 g); 2 medium potatoes (300 g); 1500 ml water; 500 ml water; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary; 1 tablespoon seasoning mix; 2 tablespoons oil; 5 g basil leaves; 80 g croutons

Soups - Creamy red lentil soup by Francesca N. - Recipia

Red lentils soften quickly, and creamy red lentil soup turns smooth without any whole lentils left. The onion, carrot, red bell pepper and potatoes give it body, and after blending you can thin it with water until it reaches the consistency you want. I check that the lentils no longer have a hard center before turning off the heat and getting the blender out. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 22 minutes. Total: 37 minutes. Serves: 4. About 460 kcal and 21 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

250 g red lentils
1 medium onion (150 g)
1 medium carrot (100 g)
1 medium red bell pepper (150 g)
2 medium potatoes (300 g)
1500 ml water
500 ml water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary
1 tablespoon seasoning mix
2 tablespoons oil
5 g basil leaves
80 g croutons

Preparation

1. Rinse the lentils in several changes of water and drain them. Peel the onion, carrot and potatoes, then cut them into bite-sized pieces along with the red bell pepper. 2. Put the lentils and vegetables in a pot with 1500 ml water. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes from the moment the water boils, until the vegetables are soft. 3. Take the pot off the heat and blend until smooth. 4. Put the soup back on the heat. Gradually add up to 500 ml water, then add the salt, pepper, ground rosemary, seasoning mix and oil. Let it boil for 2 minutes; if you have water left over from thinning the soup, don't add it. 5. Divide the soup between bowls and serve with basil leaves and croutons.

Notes

You can replace the red bell pepper with 150 g red pepper, which keeps the vegetables' slightly sweet flavor. Wheat croutons contain gluten, and the seasoning mix may also contain it, so check the label if you need a gluten-free option. The soup keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container; when reheating, add a little water if it has thickened. Split red lentils work best; whole ones may need a few extra minutes and make the soup less silky. If you cut the vegetables into large pieces, cooking may take longer than 20 minutes. The seasoning mix may be salty, so taste the soup before adding more salt. I cut the potatoes into cubes about 2 cm across so they're ready at the same time as the other vegetables. Add the croutons to the bowl just before eating, and serve a simple cabbage salad on the side.