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Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup. 

MOROCCAN CARROT RED LENTIL SOUP

Lets talk soup. I eat it all year long and this is one I keep on rotation.

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is one of my favorite soups of all time and remains one of the most popular recipes on my site.  It is one of those soups that keeps you coming back because of the rich, warm spices and the healthy ingredients. This soup is filling and can stand alone as a meal. Or you can pair a nice salad, some crusty bread or naan and a side dish and call it a night.

Those that know me well, know how much I love soup.  When I go to a restaurant, I almost always start my meal with a warm cup of soup.  If you like creamy soups with a lot of flavor, this Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is the soup for you. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Last year I shared a slightly different recipe for Moroccan Red Lentil Soup.  Today’s soup uses that soup as the base but adds in carrots along with a few additional ingredients. The carrots compliment the tomatoes and lentils nicely, bringing a sweet flavor to the soup. 

One of my favorite things about this soup is that you can freeze half for later. This soup freezes really well. It makes a quick and easy lunch on those busy days. 

WHY SHOULD I MAKE LENTIL SOUP?

1. This soup is vegan, gluten-free and protein packed. It offers you a good dose of vitamins from the carrots, spinach, spices and the lentils. 
2. I love that this soup freezes so well. Make a big batch of it and save half for later. Portion it out so you can pull it out when you need a healthy lunch option. A tip before freezing: allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then put it in an airtight container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight. Then when you are ready to eat it, warm it up on the stove over low heat until it is warmed through. 

COOKING TIPS AND VARIATIONS:

1. Add additional protein to the soup by adding chickpeas or white beans. 
2. I enjoy extra vegetables in this soup. Trycauliflower, jalapeños for spice, potatoes or sweet potatoes.
3. Garnishes are always a great way to take a soup to the next level. Some garnishes I love in this lentil soup is feta cheese {of course the soup won’t be vegan if you use feta}, fresh cilantro and parsley, Greek or plain yogurt swirled in to create a thicker, creamier soup.
4. For those that want to add meat to the soup try adding sausage, diced chicken, ground pork or even some crispy bacon. 
5. I like red lentils because they break down and become soft. With this soup I blend it, or at least half of it, but you can easily eat this soup as is. If you have brown or green lentils on hand you can swap those in or use half red and half brown or green. Some people prefer the texture of the green or brown-so that is totally up to you! 

WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH THIS SOUP?

A lot of times when I eat this soup it stands great on its own. I will often warm up a piece of pita or naan to go with it and make a simple salad. Here are some other ideas:

• A Mediterranean Bean Salad or Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts is always a great partner to this lentil soup.
• This Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower or these Simple Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are a nice addition.  
• A big bowl of this traditional or lemon hummus is a great side dish to the soup.

OTHER LENTIL RECIPES AND RESOURCES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

What are lentils? Nutrition and Variations by Jessica Gavin

Slow Cooker Taco Lentil Soup by Ambitious Kitchen

Curried Lentils by Budget Bytes  

Beef and Lentil Stew by A Spicy Perspective 

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is packed full of the flavors of cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon that complements the red lentils and carrots and creates a creamy, filling soup.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chopped carrots or about 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear
• 1-15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish:
• Fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
• Lemon wedges
• Crushed red pepper

Instructions

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes then add the spices and continue to sauté about 4 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes and lentils and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
3. You can eat the soup as is with the chunks of carrots, lentils and tomatoes or you can use a handheld immersion blender or regular blender to create a creamy soup. Sometimes I blend half and keep half chunky.
4. Serve the soup with fresh cilantro, crushed red pepper and fresh lemon juice.

Notes

This recipe makes 6 cups of soup.

This soup freezes very well if you have leftovers.

You can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.

If you want a bit thicker of a soup add 2-3 Tablespoons of tomato paste once the onion, garlic and carrots are cooked.

Some other additions that are nice include quinoa or couscous, chickpeas, grilled chicken, butternut squash or zucchini.