Creamy Red Lentil Soup with Warm Spices
Serves 4
Prep Time 10 minutes or less
Ready In about 45 minutes
There’s a wonderful bakery and café in Guelph, Ontario, called With the Grain, where I worked part-time for a few years. I made two soups every day from the café’s treasured collection of recipe cards, but every now and then during a busy lunch rush, I’d find myself “in the weeds”—restaurant speak for being up the creek without any soup left in the pot. A simple lentil soup recipe always came to my rescue. Years later, in a pinch about what to make for supper one day, I remembered how easy it was and developed my own. There’s nothing to soak, chop or sauté; you just simmer dried lentils with water, then stir in some spiced butter at the end. When I’m in the weeds at home—rushing out the door after breakfast with no plan for dinner—I’ll chuck lentils and water in the slow cooker and consider supper all but made.
This is a particularly approachable lentil dish for children. Just omit (or reduce) the cayenne and double the honey.
- 1 ½ cups red lentils
- 7 cups water
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (or a pinch of allspice)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey
- Croutons, for garnish
- Toasted pepitas, for garnish
- Combine lentils and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. (Don’t leave the pot unattended, as lentils have a tendency to be quiet one moment and boil over furiously the next.) Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until the lentils dissolve completely and the soup looks relatively smooth.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the coriander, chili powder, salt, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, cardamom and cayenne (if using), and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in the honey, then scrape the mixture into the lentils and stir well to combine.
- Ladle into 4 bowls and garnish with croutons and pepitas.
- Make ahead The soup lasts well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove.
- Slow cooker Reduce water to 6 cups. Combine with lentils in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3 hours. The lentils should be completely dissolved and smooth after you stir them a few times. Cook the spiced butter on the stove and add to the soup.
- Batch cooking Cool the soup to room temperature, then freeze it in resealable plastic bags or freezer containers for up to 3 months.
Beef and Barley Soup
Serves 6
Prep Time 20 minutes Ready In about 1 hour
People used to say that searing meat before braising is important because it “seals in its juices.” That myth has long since been busted, but searing still remains a critical step in building rich, deep flavours in meat dishes. It can feel like an annoying additional step, but it’s entirely worth the effort. Searing creates a lovely caramelized flavour not only on the meat but also in the bottom of the pan where the rest of the recipe will be cooked. Without searing, a dish like this tastes a little dull.
This is a simplified way of searing that really reduces the fuss: sear just one slab of meat, then chop it into bite-sized pieces (instead of cutting it up before searing). I never used to make beef-barley soup—even though I love it—because it felt like too much work, but using this technique, it’s faster and easier. Thank goodness, because everyone in my extended family adores this soup. It’s the perfect cold-weather comfort food.
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 boneless beef simmering steak, such as blade or cross-rib (12 ounces/340 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 cups white turnip, peeled and diced (about 3 small turnips)
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup pearl barley
- 7 cups water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil. Sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon of the salt all over the beef. Carefully place the beef in the hot oil and cook about 2 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Transfer beef to a plate. There should be a little oil left in the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until browned at the edges. Stir in the carrots, turnips and the remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and thyme and cook another 30 seconds. Stir in the barley.
- Slice the beef into bite-sized strips. Return the beef to the pot along with any accumulated juices on the plate, then add the water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer very gently 30 minutes or until the barley is tender. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.
- Make ahead Cool the soup to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. It may need a little extra water once thawed, as the barley will continue to soak up liquid.
- Batch cooking Double the recipe. Let cool completely, then freeze in 2-cup portions for up to 1 month.
- Switch it up Use the same quantity of parsnips or celery in place of turnips.
