Red Lentil Soup with Cilantro-Almond Pesto Drizzle


Happy, healthy, and hearty in half an hour. Try it paired with chickpea-flax skillet flatbread. Quantities are flexible. I used 3 T cilantro because that’s what I had leftover from last night’s dinner. With this recipe it’s hard to go wrong.

Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes (10 active)

Ingredients:

For the soup:
1 small onion, diced
2 c red lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 bay leaf
1/2 t fennel seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 T EVOO
pinch of salt
cayenne to taste
water or stock

For the drizzle:
3 T cilantro
1 handful almonds
1 clove garlic
big pinch of salt
3-5T EVOO

1. Heat EVOO, onion, lentils, bay leaf, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and cayenne over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for ~5 minutes, until onions are translucent and mixture is fragrant.
2. Cover with water or stock to 1″ above lentil mixture. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the drizzle. Whir all drizzle ingredients except EVOO in a blender. Slowly drizzle in EVOO until mixture is desired consistency (from a thick pesto to a runny-er sauce, as you prefer).
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender. Taste and correct seasonings.
5. To serve, ladle into bowls, and add a dollop of the drizzle on top.

12 Replies to “Red Lentil Soup with Cilantro-Almond Pesto Drizzle”

  1. This looks great. As does the flatbread. I may serve this as part of a Shabbat meal sometime soon…Btw, I presume it would work to make the drizzle with a mortar and pestle, right? (My blender is dairy, my immersion blender is meat, so I'd use one or the other for the soup…)

  2. This looks great. As does the flatbread. I may serve this as part of a Shabbat meal sometime soon…Btw, I presume it would work to make the drizzle with a mortar and pestle, right? (My blender is dairy, my immersion blender is meat, so I'd use one or the other for the soup…)

  3. This looks great. As does the flatbread. I may serve this as part of a Shabbat meal sometime soon…Btw, I presume it would work to make the drizzle with a mortar and pestle, right? (My blender is dairy, my immersion blender is meat, so I'd use one or the other for the soup…)

  4. I made this tonight, and it was delicious and so easy! The cilantro pesto was really good match for the lentil soup. Thanks, SGG!

  5. I made this tonight, and it was delicious and so easy! The cilantro pesto was really good match for the lentil soup. Thanks, SGG!

  6. I made this tonight, and it was delicious and so easy! The cilantro pesto was really good match for the lentil soup. Thanks, SGG!

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