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Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

From the book Art of the Slow Cooker by Andrew Schloss

Serves	6 to 8
Prep Time	10 minutes
Total Time	4 hours

Introduction

Forget your “same old, same old” lentil soup and take a deep breath. Can you smell the cumin, the coriander, the whiff of cinnamon? Open your eyes and take in the burnt-orange glow of turmeric burnished with tomatoes and sweet paprika. Lentil soups may come and go, but this concoction will stick in your memory, not just for its heady aromas and hearty texture, but also for its ease and versatility.

Unlike dried beans, red lentils don’t need to be soaked before they’re cooked. You can substitute 2 cups small dried white beans, soaked overnight, for the lentils. For a meaty soup, sauté 1 pound boneless, skinless dark chicken meat or leg of lamb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, until browned; add the onion and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Ingredients

	2	Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
	2	large onions, cut into medium dice (see Note)
	2	cloves garlic, minced
	2	tsp. ground coriander
	1	tsp. ground cumin, preferably ground from whole seeds toasted in a dry skillet
	1	tsp. ground turmeric
	½	tsp. sweet paprika
	¼	tsp. ground cinnamon
	1½	tsp. kosher salt
	½	tsp. ground black pepper
	7	cups vegetable broth (see Note)
	1	can (about 20 ounces) crushed tomatoes (see Note)
	2	cups dried red lentils, picked over, washed, and rinsed
	~	Pinch of red-pepper flakes
	~	Juice of 1 lemon (see Note)
	3	Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
	1	Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Steps

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the broth and tomatoes and heat to boiling.
Pour the mixture into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the lentils, cover the cooker, and cook for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low, until the lentils are tender.
Stir in the pepper flakes, lemon juice, parsley, and cilantro, cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Culinate editor’s notes: If you don’t have a slow cooker, simply finish cooking the dish in the Dutch oven you start out using; the soup will be done much quicker, in about an hour or so.

One onion is plenty for this recipe. If you don’t have 7 cups vegetable broth, use 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth and 3 cups water (you can also use chicken stock, if you prefer). Since canned tomatoes come in standard sizes of 14 1/2 and 28 ounces, not 20 ounces, use a 14 1/2-ounce can. And if you don’t have a fresh lemon handy, sprinkle some red-wine vinegar into the soup just before serving.

This content is from the book Art of the Slow Cooker by Andrew Schloss.

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75% recommend this recipe

1. by cucee sprouts on Aug 3, 2010 at 10:58 AM PDT

I made a similar stew and it is now one of my favorite soups! Take a look at my post http://cuceesprouts.com/2010/08/moroccan-red-lentil-bean-stew/. This Stew goes well with white wine.

2. by anonymous on Feb 19, 2011 at 7:47 PM PST

I made this tonight, exactly like the recipe says except for the slow cooker; I don’t have one. I have to tell you, the husband was skeptical and prepared to eat something else. He has never cared for lentils. I still wanted to make it for myself anyway, as I was curious about all those flavors and seasonings together and I do like lentils. I made basmati rice to go with it, and a mixture of steamed veggies as well. We BOTH liked it. Hubby went for seconds and said, “I’d eat this again.” I’m not kidding at all. This is going to be a staple in our house as neither of us eats much meat, but we both work out and need to be creative with protein to be sure we get enough. Thanks for digging up this recipe for us!

3. by anonymous on Mar 2, 2011 at 5:16 PM PST

I have now made this twice, in just two weeks as we both, really, really! like it. It’s so easy to make, and not expensive. If you don’t have all the spices, buy them in bulk at FM or WF, in small amounts before committing to a larger bottle. The second time I made it, I added small diced baby organic carrots halfway through the cooking time. (I made it on the stove, on a gas flame, very, very low) I also made it the day before, and let it meld in the fridge overnight. Either way, this is a winner if you like lentils!

4. by Deborah on Jan 27, 2012 at 4:00 PM PST

Red lentils are my favorite, and this recipe did not disappoint. The spices give it such a nice aroma and taste. I didn’t have cilantro, but we didn’t miss it. I don’t have a slow cooker, so I just cooked it in my Dutch oven on very low heat for a couple of hours. I served it over basmati rice. My husband liked it too.

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