I unabashedly love all lentil soups, but I do have a favorite: Lentil Soup with Coriander. This is the soup that I make over and over again. It has a smoky coriander taste that is perfect for the grey days of early spring. It uses French or black lentils so the lentils keep their shape and texture instead of mushing together, and it comes together in just 40 minutes.
This soup is adapted from Chef Matt Fleming’s recipe served at Fort Defiance. Fort Defiance recently closed its doors, but, thanks to customers asking, they were good enough to share this recipe. I added depth to the soup by replacing half of the water with broth. I also tinkered with the spice levels and fiddled with the proportions.
Key Ingredients
1 medium red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/8-1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
2 cups stock (low sodium chicken or vegetable)
1/2 lbs (1 slightly heaped cup) French or black lentils
roughly 7oz. tomato puree
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
crème fraîche to taste
Coriander Lentil Soup – Recipe
Serves 4-5 as a main or 6-7 as a starter. Prep and cook time about 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil (plus another 1-2 teaspoons)
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 2 cups stock (low sodium chicken or vegetable)
- 2 cups water (plus 1 cup more reserved)
- 1/2 lbs (1 slightly heaped cup) French or black lentils (sorted and rinsed)
- 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt* (depending on the salt in your stock)
- roughly 7oz. tomato puree (half of a 14.1oz can)
To finish
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- crème fraîche to taste
Step One
Using a soup pot with a lid or dutch oven, heat pot over medium-low heat and then add olive oil and diced onion. Sauté onion for 10-15 minutes (until cooked down). While your onion cooks measure and add all of your spices into a small bowl so that you’ll be ready when it’s time to add to your soup. Add minced garlic to the softened onion and cook another 1-2 minutes. Push onion and garlic to the sides of your pot, add a small extra drizzle of oil (1-2 teaspoons) and then add all the spices to the center of your pot (see photo). Let them toast for about 1 minute and then fold in the onions. Next, add 2 cups stock, 2 cups water, lentils and 1 teaspoon salt.
Step Two
Bring soup to a boil then lower temperature to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, with lid ajar until lentils are cooked through (about 20-30 minutes depending on how fresh your lentils are). While the soup cooks you can toast pine nuts and chop cilantro. Once lentils are cooked, add tomato and additional salt to taste. If soup looks too thick, add resreve water to desired consistency and heat until soup returns to a simmer.
Step Three
Portion soup into bowls and then top with cilantro, pine nuts, and crème fraîche.