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Turkish Red Lentil Soup
Prep time:15 mins- Cook time:45 mins
Servings:4
Embrace the warmth with this flavour-packed, and nutrient-dense, Turkish Red Lentil Soup. With a blend of vibrant veggies, aromatic spices and rich lentils, this soup will have your tummy full and taste buds tingling.
It’s also vegan-friendly so a brilliant option if you have visitors and can also be made family and non-fasting day friendly with the addition of wholemeal flatbread, pita bread, or sourdough.
Rich, filling and nutritious, this recipe was developed by Matt Williamson, in collaboration with The Fast 800 – bringing you some family-friendly recipes to try. Applying the Mediterranean diet principles to different meals means you can enjoy lots of different flavours while still encompassing the pillars of The Fast 800.
If you’re looking to improve your health and lose weight, with recipes that don’t compromise taste and satiation, join The Fast 800 programme today! With a 7-day free trial, you can explore our collection of 700+ recipes and nutritionist developed meal plans to discover whether it’s right for you.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely grated
- 4 sticks celery, finely chopped (30g)
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp unsmoked paprika (hot or sweet as you prefer)
- 160g red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 x400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 800ml vegetable stock (or use water)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds (or a mix of both)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- pinch dried mint (optional)
- chilli flakes (optional)
- Fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped
Instructions
- Cook the finely chopped vegetables and garlic in ½ the olive oil for 10 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the ground spices and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the red lentils, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Use a stick blender, or a countertop blender, to partially puree 1/2 the soup until smooth and creamy. If using a countertop blender, work in batches and take care with the hot soup.
- Return the soup to the pot and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- In a small dry frying pan, cook the seeds in the remaining olive oil over medium heat until they become fragrant and lightly browned, then stir in the lemon juice, dried mint and chilli flakes if using. Set aside to cool.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls, spoon the seed oil mix on top and garnish with the fresh mint.
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Notes
- Non-fasting day? Can be served with wholemeal flatbread or pita bread, or a slice of sourdough.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat and serve.
- Batch cook and freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Defrost and reheat before serving.
- If following a gluten free diet, please check the label of the stock to ensure there are no sources of gluten.
