Is there anything better than coming home after a long day, not knowing what to make for dinner, and realizing there’s homemade soup in the freezer? I honestly don’t think so! Making big batches of soup and storing leftovers for busy nights when I don’t have the time, or energy, to cook is beautiful. This recipe is great for exactly that. It yields 8 cups, so you can eat some, freeze some, and be happy. Plus the ingredient list is almost entirely shelf stable, making it both convenient and budget-friendly.
Equipment
- chef’s knife
- cutting board
- large pot or dutch oven
- immersion or stand-up blender
Get the full ingredients list and instructions below!
Ingredients
Method
- In a large Dutch oven heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium. Once hot, add diced onion and season with ½ tsp salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add diced garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 tsp oregano and 1 tsp paprika. Let the spices cook in the oil until slightly toasted and fragrant, about one minute.
- Add diced roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes. At this point, you should be able to smell all of the flavours coming together. Add 2 cups red lentils, followed by 8 cups broth and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked and puffy.
- Blend until smooth by using an immersion blender, or transferring to a stand-up unit. Back in the pot, add the juice of 2 lemons. Taste and adjust seasoning. I like to serve it with fried shallots, fresh parsley, a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil. But the salsa verde from my grilled vegetable salad would also be nice!
Notes
Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for 3-5 months to have soup on demand throughout the season!